Beautiful edition, and companion to Japanese Myths & Legends, exploring the ancient origins of Japanese state, society and culture. A gorgeous Collector's Edition covering the history of Japan from prehistoric times to the end of the Heian period. Japan has gripped the imagination of readers of their spiritual and delicate myths, ghost stories and folktales for many generations but there is much more to draw our fascination. From the veneration of Mount Fuji to the long periods of isolation from other countries, to the warring kingdoms and the inception of the martial rule of the Shogunates, this history reveals the origins of the civilization that produced some of Japan's most beautiful art and literature and influences on modern Japanese culture. Flame Tree Collector's Editions present the foundations of speculative fiction: authors, myths, tales and history without which the imaginative literature of the twentieth century would not exist, bringing the best, most influential and most fascinating works into a striking and collectable library. Each book features a new Introduction and a Glossary of Terms or lists of Ancient Leaders. Jake Leigh-Howarth (Introduction) is a freelance history writer. He holds an MA in Modern History from the University of Leeds where he focused on the accounts of Western travellers to Soviet Central Asia and Eastern Siberia. Devoted to making history more accessible to the general public and a regular contributor to Ancient Origins.net, he has penned numerous articles online and in print on everything from the history of Japan and Greece to the Second World War. He also writes scripts for some of the most popular history YouTube channels such as Simple History, where his videos have millions of views.