The book was edited by the
Japan-Institut Berlin and published in 1936. The author, an art
historian, wrote the book in German while working, lecturing and
studying in Berlin. The book has never been published in another
language. He aimed to raise the Germans interest into Japanese
culture.
The book is structured by the following
chapters:
Natürliche Kultur (natural culture)
Shintoistische Weltanschauung
(Shintoist philosophy/ideology)
Bedeutung des Shinto-Schreines
(significance of the Shinto shrine)
Bedeutung des Shinto-Festes
(significance of the Shinto festival)
Japanische Buddhismus (Japanese
Buddhism)
Die japanische Rittermoral „Bushido“
(the Japanese knight ethics „Bushido“)
Modernes Japan (modern Japan)
The book was published in Nazi-Germany
while the National Socialists controlled the Japan-Institut. However,
the author tries to provide information about Japanese culture and
religion. He doesn't give any political stance in general or about
the Axis powers specifically.
Japanistitut Berlin
The Institut was established in 1926,
in the rooms of the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gesellschaft. Even it officially
had a scientific approach, there were clearly political ideas behind
he institute. After World War One, Germany was looking for partners
in peace and cultural exchange. So it's no wonder its financial
backing primarily came from the German ministry of foreign affairs.
After the National Socialist took over,
the institute changed. It became a part of the Nazi propaganda machine
and was of course used to establish relationships among the Axis
powers. Besides that the institute kept parts of its independence and
could publish works like „Japan das Götterland“.
More information on Tsuneyoshi Tsuzumi:
Tanehisa Otabe: Tsuneyhosh Tsuzumi, a Pioneer in Comparative Aesthetics, and his theory of "Framlesness of Japanese Artistic Style"
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