Available From UC Press

Cultural historians Morgan Pitelka and Reiko Tanimura partner with one of Japan’s premier experts in calligraphy and letter writing, Takashi Masuda, to translate and annotate twenty-three unique letters alongside images of the hand-brushed originals. Each letter is presented first in its original format as a brushed piece of calligraphy. The authors provide a transcription of the letter into Japanese, followed by an English translation. Next is a commentary with the biography of the letter’s author and in some cases the addressee, the context for its writing, and brief descriptions of relevant locations, individuals, and historical events mentioned therein. This book offers readers rare access in English to the voices of renowned historical figures from Japan’s Age of Unification and early Edo period.

Professor Morgan Pitelka teaches Japanese history and serves as the Chair of the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Education: Ph.D. (East Asian Studies, Princeton University)

Dr. Reiko Tanimura teaches Japanese history and researches early modern culture at the Institute of Asian Cultural Studies, International Christian University, Tokyo. Education: Ph.D. (Comparative Culture, International Christian University)

Dr. Takashi Masuda taught at and served as the president of Aichi Bunkyo University. An expert in Japanese literature, letters, and calligraphy, he currently teaches at Aichi Toho University. Education: Ph.D. (Japanese literature, Tokyo University of Education)

"Letters from Japan's Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries offers vivid and varied glimpses into elite life and cultural practices in early modern Japan. With its careful translations, detailed contextualization, and expert guidance, it is sure to be an invaluable classroom resource."—Erin Brightwell, University of Michigan

"This is just the sort of (not so little) handbook I wish had been around when I was an undergraduate or even a brand new grad student. With hefty introductions to the subject matter, reproduced originals, glosses, translations, and extensive commentaries, it should make a great many students and instructors happy."—David Spafford, University of Pennsylvania

"The combination of scholarly introductory essays and documents with transcription, translation, and accompanying commentary—not to mention photographs of the original documents-make this an invaluable book with multiple uses for undergraduate students, graduate students, and scholarly audiences alike."—Constantine Vaporis, University of Maryland, Baltimore County