This collection of commentaries and reflections on Japanese culture, first published in 1904, was written shortly after the return of two English aristocrats from five years spent immersed in the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’. Their intention through these anecdotes – some humorous and charming, others tragic and thought-provoking – was to offer glimpses into the "real inner spirit of the native life," and to provide insights into the remarkable idiosyncrasies of Japanese society during a period of unprecedented change.

Touching on such diverse topics as sport, religion, music, censorship, drama and bathing, The Heart of Japan will be of particular interest to students of Japanese, as well as to those intrigued by cultural difference and exchange.