MURATA, Fumio.

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Seiyo bunkenroku ("Things Heard and Seen in the West"). First edition of this guide to the history, politics, society, and geography of late 19th-century Britain. Murata was a journalist and satirist who left Japan illegally to live in Scotland for 19 months. Many of the political and economic concepts he reports on would become foundational to the newly established Meiji government, as it looked to the West to build a modern democracy.Murata, better known as Nomura Fumio (1836-1891), was born in Hiroshima and spent his youth studying Dutch and medicine. In 1864 he travelled to Europe, where he visited the 1867 Paris Exposition, and returned to Japan in 1868. He then took a job as a government official before turning to journalism. He founded two satirical magazines, Marumaru Chinbun and Kibi Dango, as well as the Nippon Shimbun newspaper.Seiyo bunkenroku has chapters focusing on British weather, agriculture, legislature, religious holidays, and taxation. Furthermore, Murata advocates for the adoption of newspapers, of which he writes, "There is no easier way to know the true state of affairs among the people, the merits and demerits of government, the truth and lies of military matters, and the competence and incompetence of officials" (vol. 8, f. 23r). The final two volumes shift focus to other countries, with one map showing the newly built Suez Canal.

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