*Memories of Silk and Straw: A self-portrait of small-town Japan*

I really liked this book, a sparkling collection of about fifty stories told by residents of rural Japan in the early 20th century. Compiled by Dr. Junichi Saga, they tell of a rich world that has mostly disappeared; of tidal lakes teeming with fish and eel, clean air, and a lazy river lined with sakura trees. There were dark sides as well; extreme poverty, infectious diseases, and mass abortions when times were lean, to name but a few. For all of that, there were plenty of happy times, too.

I came away from this book with many impressions, the idea that "progress" is a complicated term not the least of them.

Do give this excellent collection a read if Japanese history and culture interests you. 

I'm hoping at some point to find Dr. Saga's other collection, "Memories of Wind and Waves".