"A Fantasy of Far Japan: Or, Summer Dream Dialogues" by Kencho Suematsu is a fascinating collection of essays that provide readers a vibrant glimpse into the wealthy tapestry of Japanese lifestyle, lifestyle, and folklore. Through a series of captivating dialogues set against the backdrop of a dreamlike summer time landscape, Suematsu takes readers on a journey via the landscapes of Japan, each actual and imagined. The book transports readers to a realm where the limits between fact and myth blur, allowing them to explore timeless issues along with love, honor, and the fleeting nature of lifestyles. Each communicate is a miniature masterpiece, weaving together elements of Japanese mythology, records, and philosophy to create a charming tapestry of imagination. From the serene beauty of cherry blossoms in bloom to the haunting allure of ancient temples hidden in mist-shrouded mountains, Suematsu's prose captures the essence of Japan's cultural background with grace and beauty. Through his evocative storytelling and lyrical prose, Suematsu invitations readers to immerse themselves inside the magic of Far Japan, where goals and truth intertwine in an enchanting dance of the imagination.
Viscount Suematsu Kencho, a Japanese politician, philosopher, and author, lived during the Meiji and Taisho periods. Aside from his employment in the Japanese government, he produced several notable works about Japan in English. He is represented negatively in Ryotaro Shiba's novel Saka no ue no kumo. Suematsu was born in the village of Maeda in Buzen Province, which is now part of Yukuhashi, Fukuoka Prefecture. Suematsu Shichiemon, the village headman (shoya), had him as his fourth son. His name was originally Ken'ichiro, but he eventually altered it to the shorter Kencho. At the age of ten, he joined in a private school and studied Chinese. Suematsu traveled to Tokyo in 1871 and studied with otsuki Bankei and Kondo Makoto. In 1872, he temporarily attended the Tokyo Normal School but soon quit. Around this time, he became acquainted with Takahashi Korekiyo. Suematsu started writing editorials for the Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun newspaper (predecessor to the Mainichi Shinbun) in 1874, when he was 20 years old. Fukuchi Gen'ichiro, the newspaper's editor, befriended him while he was there.
