A Boy of Old Japan

"A Boy of Old Japan" by R. Van Bergen is an early 20th-century period piece that transports readers to old Japan during a time of change; the story centers on a young samurai named Kano. Kano comes of age in a country waking from centuries of isolation and the book draws a portrait of a society steeped in customs. Kano trains for ceremonies and follows samurai codes of loyalty and discipline, while the old ways clash with Western influences, impacting Kano's path.