Introduction

Chapter Summary

By the middle of the nineteenth century, with a new sense of self-confidence, women began to travel more independently, and by the end of the century there were few parts of the globe that remained unvisited by women. Women had traditionally travelled in Europe which offered education, recreation and restorative cures for various maladies, and was seen as a destination deemed suitable for ladies - Paris or Rome, a tour of southern France or Italy during the winter, Switzerland in the summer. Few ladies, however, travelled completely independently. Many travelled with their husbands to diplomatic or military postings, as wives of missionaries, or companions on journeys of discovery. During the Meiji period, of the hundreds of books written by both male and female travellers to Japan, relatively few have received any attention past momentary recognition at the time of publication.

Keywords: Europe; Japan; Meiji period; woman traveller