An early account of Japan's culture and customs, already vanishing as Japan leapt into modernity in the late 20th century.

Basil Hall Chamberlain left Britain after suffering a nervous breakdown. His destination: a Japan no less than 5 years into the Meiji period. There he studied the Japanese language and worked as a professor at the Tokyo Imperial University. Things Japanese, written like a glossary detailing everything from the abacus to zoology, is his attempt to document the distinctive elements of Japanese culture under the impact of Western-style modernization.