These volumes represent a reassessment of the political, economic and social history of Japan during the Meiji period (1868-1911). The Meiji Restoration of 1868 was a pivotal event in Japanese history. Often seen as marking the break between "pre-modern" and "modern" Japan, the Restoration has dominated perceptions of Japan's history. This major collection includes both earlier work written along more traditional lines and later challenges to accepted arguments. The articles presented provide an up-to-date reading of Japanese history. Topics covered include: the collapse of the Bakufu and the Meiji Restoration; economic change; the politics and ideology of change; social and cultural changes; industrialization and consequences; political and institutional change; and the economy. The books analyze the impact of the West, and of sometimes complacent Western notions of "modernity", on this critical period in Japanese history.