Our library used to have a book on the history of Japan. The library doesn't have it anymore but my brother really liked it and neither of us can remember the name. It is kind of an old book; it's a hardback and I believe it had a cloth weave cover in a dark grey or brown. It covered from some of the early periods to, I believe, WWII. I didn't read much of it, but I definitely remember reading a part that talked about how Japan allowed the men to be more romantic, the women had more freedom, and even that Japan had some empresses all before the influence of Chinese philosophy/culture. I think it might have also talked about the "divine wave", but I could be remembering a different book.

My brother has been trying to find this book for some time and I'd really like to help him. I've searched on Amazon, but without remembering the title, I'm not certain if any of the books I found are the correct ones.

Sorry, don't know the title.  If you still live near the library, you might try going through their card catalog.  You can also check with the head librarian and see if they have your brother's record of the books he checked out.  It's amazing how much information libraries retain even if they've gotten rid of the book.

I hadn't thought of that. Thank you.