『ヨーロッパ文化と日本文化』("European culture and Japanese culture")

This book was written by Luis Frois, a Portuguese missionary of Jesuit order of priests, in 16th century. 『ヨーロッパ文化と日本文化』means "European culture and Japanese culture". I don't know original title. I heard "Historia de Iapan" is his representative book.



I think this book is quite interesting. We can know how Japanese people were and how the famous European missionary regarded Japanese in age of provincial wars. The Japan he explains is as if a different country. If you are interesting in the era, you must read this, you must look for this book even if you covered with dust at a used-book store. However, there is a problem, that is, you will read misconception by Luis. As to my book, a scholar appends an explanatory note. I think it is better you read annotated one.



"In Europa, when lord die, servitors convey him, crying. In Japan, some perform seppuku, many cut their fingers and hurl their fingers into fire the lord is burning. "



"We do hate evil, but Japanese monks honor evils and build temples for evils and devote foods to evils."



Thanks to this book, my idea of the era became more "stereoscopic" than it was.



Have a nice day.