Engelbert Kaempfer: Histoire Naturelle, Civile, Et Ecclésiastique De L’Empire Du Japon

In the libraries of Christian IV. and Karl August, geography was branch of history. The thematical range is wide: contemporary discoveries of far-off countries like the travel reports of James Cook's (1728-1779) journeys at the Pacific Ocean were especially fascinating.
Already at the end of the 17th century, the German botanist Kaempfer had explored Japan, while the Jesuit Mailla operated as a missionary in China.
Anecdotal narratives about travels through Germany served as a pastime.