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In 1853, the American Perry led a fleet into Edo Bay, and Japan, which had pursued a closed country policy for more than 200 years, opened its doors. After a series of bloody storms, the Edo shogunate collapsed, and the newly established Meiji government promoted a reform that made Japan a modern country, known in history as the "Meiji Restoration." This book focuses on lower-class samurai such as Katsu Kaishu, Sakamoto Ryoma, and Saigo Takamori who played an important role in this process. Through their experiences, this book vividly reproduces the entire process of the Meiji Restoration, brilliantly describes the people and events during this turbulent period, and profoundly analyzes the reasons for the fall of the shogunate and the success of the Meiji Restoration.