Smith, George:
Ten Weeks in Japan, London, Longman, Green, Longman & Roberts, 1861, 8vo (6 3/8 x 9 in - 16 x 23 cm), light blue blindstamped cloth with gilt illustration ("Japanese Official Gentleman" with two swords) on front board and gilt lettering on the spine, publisher's advertisements on front and rear pastedowns, 8 plates full page tinted/colored woodcut engraved plates protected by tissue guards, one large lithographed folding map (13 1/2 x 15 in) with coasts outlined in blue, 459 pp. The book is primarily about George Smith's journey to Japan during the period of April 9, 1860 to June 17, 1860. The focus of the book is on the thriving foreign communities that were emerging after the opening of Japan just 6 years earlier. Smith visited Nagasaki, Yokohama and Tokyo (Yeddo) and made brief stops at several other cities in Japan. The book gives a flavor of the inter-action of Japanese and the foreign guests and provides basic information on politics, international relations and commerce, religion, social customs and practices and the everyday way of life of the Japanese at that time. Although somewhat out of place, the book also contains a chapter on Loo Choo which Smith visited 10 years earlier.