True stories of three little-known Japanese of the Edo period who lived lives of sublime selflessness and purity, blurring the boundary between self and others. "I have waited eagerly for the day when Unsung Heroes of Old Japan would be translated into English and made available to people around the world. I wrote the book with the faint hope that people might one day become more like the men and women portrayed here. Whether humanity has any universal values, I can't say. But looking back over the sweep of human history, I am convinced that values like those shown here result in happiness for the individual and society." (From 'Preface to the English edition' by the author)