Studies in the Institutional History of Early Modern Japan

Focusing on the Tokugawa Period (1600-1868), this collection features twenty-two essays from prominent historians, including eight previously unpublished works. It challenges the notion of Japan as stagnant and feudal before the Meiji Period, arguing instead that many foundational elements for modernization were already in place and evolving. This insightful anthology is a significant resource for students and scholars interested in comparative studies and the complexities of Japanese modernization.