The life of a Japanese boy in the late 1800's and early 1900's, told simply and beautifully. This isn't about civilizations and governments, but about what it was like to be a child in a small seaport town called Imabari, which is situated on the western coast of the island of Shikoku. If you wish to learn more about life for a normal family in Japan in these times, this book is a wonderful introduction. The author does not embellish but just describes the daily life of a boy; playing, home, eating, worshiping and school.