 As Japan opened to Western influence, numerous Western travellers visited the country, taking a great interest in the arts and culture.The French writer Pierre Loti wrote one of his most famous novels "Madame Chrysanthème" (1887) based on his encounter with a young Japanese woman during a month,a precursor to "Madame Butterfly" and "Miss Saigon" and a work that is a combination of narrative and travelog.Another famous Frenchman who visited Japan was Émile Étienne Guimet, who wrote extensively on Asian cultures and Japan in particular, and would create the Guimet Museum upon his return.