*Note that the authors have been attributed based on their last names and dates of attendance at Kaisei Gakko/Daigaku Nanko/University of Tokyo (during Griffis’ appointment between 1872-1874). Further research is required to confirm their authorship (H. Wakabayashi).
I was born in (Idizen) in the year 1853. At the (ape) of live I begun to read and write the character and I was allowed to play with various kinds of toys, such as to fly a kite, two hours a day; and the next year I begun the learning, rising horses, and shooting the bow, continuing the study of Chinese…. Read More
I was born in Uwajima, a town situated in the province of Iyo, on the southern part of the Shikoku Island. Uwajima is a small castled town situated on a harbor, and is enclosed by steep high mountains on one side and by green hillocks on the other…. Read More
I was born in a solidarity rural town, three years after the memorable visit of Commodore Perry. I had hardly breathed when the whole country felt a great shock which proved more direct in its effects than any ever experienced in Japan…. Read More
I was born at a small castle town called Sho-Ko in a province little north of the city of Tokyo. Though small it was governed by Daimyo whose dominion was estimated to raise 25,000 koku of rice, though not exactly; as you know, all Daimyo’s dominion was estimated by certain number of koku of rice…. Read More
Though the reign of Tokugawa is the one which continued peacefully for a long time, that is, for about two hundred years, yet, from the time when I was born (1855), it gradually began to decline and many changes took place…. Read More
I was born on the ninth of July, 1856, in a castle town called Himenji in the province of Harima. In those days samurais in my province were divided into three classes; some lived in the province, others in Tokio, or rather in the Yedo as it was so called then, and still others used to come and stay here for some time, and go home then…. Read More
