Samurai Revolution: The Dawn of Modern Japan Seen Through the Eyes of the Shogun's Last Samurai
Romulus Hillsborough

A captivating work of Japanese history, Samurai Revolution sheds new light on a period critical to understanding how and why Japan evolved into the nation it is today.

An acclaimed expert on Japanese history, Romulus Hillsborough has spent decades researching the tumultuous final years of the Shogun's government and the Emperor's return to political power during the Meiji Period. In Samurai Revolution, Hillsborough chronicles the era from 1868 to 1912— often called the Meiji Restoration—that is widely regarded as the "dawn of modern Japan". During this time, Japan was transformed from a backward country of feudal lords and samurai into a modern industrialized nation. But change did not come bloodlessly, and many samurai chose to fight for their traditional way of life. A captivating work of Japanese history, Samurai Revolution sheds new light on a period critical to understanding how and why Japan evolved into the nation it is today. This is the first comprehensive history and analysis ever to be published in English and documents the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate through to the Satsuma Rebellion, a failed coup attempt that heralded the final demise of the samurai class.

"The author has collected an unprecedented amount of first hand accounts regarding the time period and the players surrounding the revolution. As such, the story told contains both memorable personalities AND useful history, making it a valuable read for the romanticist and researcher alike." - Ikagaiway.com

" ... this book combines storytelling, character development, and real historical data in a unique way to bring the reader into the world of Pre-Meiji Japan." - Art-Martial.org

"Mr Hillsborough provides the reader with a grand historical narrative supported by the insiders view" - The Wargamer