Kaigai Shinwa (New Stories from Overseas)

Japan, 1849. In five volumes. 8vo. First edition. Numerous color and black and white woodblock illustrations depicting various battles, maps, British warships, heavy artillery, and British and Chinese soldiers.

Original limp paper wrappers; woodblock text printed on rice paper.

Together with:

Kaigai Shinwa Shui (Gleanings from the New Stories from Overseas)

Japan, 1849. In four (of potentially five) volumes. 8vo. First edition. Numerous color and black and white woodblock illustrations. Original limp paper wrappers; woodblock text printed on rice paper. Together with the above in custom slip case.

A fascinating Japanese account of the First Opium War between China and Britain (1839-42). Due to Japan's sakoku, or "closed country" foreign policy, there were no firsthand Japanese accounts of the war. Fuko culled largely from Chinese sources, and presents a dramatically told and richly illustrated account of the battles and atrocities, with a sympathetic eye to the Chinese. Fuko and the illustrator were arrested after the publication of these volumes, with Fuko serving two years in prison (and was subsequently banned from residing in three cities) while the illustrator died while incarcerated. This account presents a unique view of a Japanese gaze on Western Imperialism only a few years before their own forced opening at the hand's of Commodore Perry's "gunboat diplomacy".