In 1961, Italy celebrated the hundredth anniversary of its unification. Seven years later, Japan embarked on a similar task with the celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the Meiji Restoration (1868). Like the Italian National Jubilee, the Japanese one praised the country’s achievements, presenting Meiji Restoration as a successful transformation unmatched in world history. The paper will make a comparative analysis of the Italian National Jubilee and the Meiji Centennial in order to gain theoretical insights on the way the parties in power used history to build national identity