Unbeaten Tracks in Japan

Isabella Bird's best-selling book on Japan is republished here, but with a difference: for the first time, it is now fully annotated with supporting commentaries, providing the twenty-first century reader with an enhanced informed view of the new 'modern Japan' as Bird experienced it in 1878.

Kiyonori Kanasaka, a distinguished geographer at Kyoto University (Emeritus 2011), is widely recognized as Japan's leading researcher on Isabella Bird. He has published extensively in Japanese on the subject, including a full annotated translation of the original two-volume (1880) edition of Unbeaten Tracks in Japan. He is also known worldwide for his 'Twin Time Travel' photographic exhibition, which he has taken to many countries - presenting Bird's descriptions of what she wrote about in her books in juxtaposition with illustrations of the present. In particular, in the course of his research over the last thirty years he has developed a 'scientific approach' to understanding Bird and her writings, with a view to clarifying many misconceptions about Bird - where she went and what she did - the inspiration for doing so deriving in part from the fact that much of what is known of Bird and Japan has been based on the abbreviated version of Unbeaten Tracks used widely by scholars and researchers in modern times. This book, therefore, first published in Japanese, represents the essence of the author's life's work on Bird. Kiyonori Kanasaka, a distinguished geographer at Kyoto University, is widely recognized as Japan's leading researcher on Bird. He has published extensively in Japanese on the subject, including a full annotated translation of the original two-volume edition of Unbeaten Tracks. He is known worldwide for his 'Twin Time Travel' photographic exhibition, shown in many countries - presenting Bird's descriptions of what she wrote about in her books in juxtaposition with illustrations of the present.

Author's Preface to the English Edition, The Kanasaka Commentaries: Background to the Publication of the Abridged Edition, 1885, Structure of the Abridged Edition and Organization of this Annotated Edition, Treatment of Bird's footnotes in this edition, Map of Isabella Bird's Journeys through Japan Endpapers, The Original Work, UNBEATEN TRACKS IN JAPAN, AN ACCOUNT OF TRAVELS IN THE INTERIOR INCLUDING VISITS TO THE ABORIGINES OF YEZO AND THE SHRINE OF NIKKÓ, BY ISABELLA L. BIRD.