Anecdotes or the Red-Haired Barbarians

In Japan there was a small circle of scholars and interested individuals who were abreast of developments in Europe. In the 18th century, broad layers of the population could become acquainted with them through popular books, like this one by Morishima Churyo. He collected a wealth of information about Europe and presented it in an accessible manner to a general audience, for instance these details of insects under the microscope.