Journal from Japan by Marie Stopes is a captivating and informative account of the author's time spent in Japan. Stopes provides a detailed and insightful look into Japanese culture, traditions, and daily life, offering readers a unique perspective on a country that is often shrouded in mystery.

Stopes' writing is engaging and evocative, allowing readers to vividly imagine the sights, sounds, and experiences of Japan through her eyes. From her observations of the beautiful landscapes to her interactions with the local people, Stopes paints a vivid picture of a country that is at once foreign and familiar.

One of the most striking aspects of the book is Stopes' keen eye for detail and her ability to capture the essence of Japan in her descriptions. Whether she is describing the bustling streets of Tokyo or the serene beauty of a Kyoto temple, Stopes' prose is rich and immersive, drawing readers into the world she experienced during her time in Japan.

Overall, Journal from Japan is a fascinating and enlightening read that is sure to appeal to anyone with an interest in Japanese culture or travel. Stopes' unique perspective and engaging writing style make this book a must-read for armchair travelers and Japan enthusiasts alike.

Book Description:
Marie Stopes was a highly controversial scientist and activist in her era, campaigning for radical new views of love-based marriage, birth control, and women’s rights. As a scientist, she was a renowned palaeobotanist, specializing in issues concerning coal; these scientific pursuits led her to spend several years in Japan, where she went into some of the country's remotest coal mines to study fossils. While there, she pursued a notorious relationship with Japanese botanist Fujii Kenjiro as well as several romantic dalliances with European women in the lively Tokyo diplomatic community. She established the first birth-control clinic in England in 1921, committed to an abortion-free philosophy of family planning. Stopes continues to be an ambiguous figure in historical consideration, her family-planning philosophies verging throughout her life on less-savory views such as eugenics and race purification, though the terminology employed at the time makes it unclear whether or not she was merely advocating more careful, consciously-planned, and responsible parenthood. That she rejected fascist views of eugenics is plain by her anti-Nazi passions in later life. These journal entries from Japan cover the period of August 6, 1907 through January 24, 1909, and show both her incisively scientific observational powers and a profound appreciation of the poignant beauty of Japanese culture and sensibilities, which she saw to be under threat during that era of modernization and industrialization.