Japan category: 1648 books

Despite their small area, the southern islands of Japan can be seen as stepping stones towards a more nuanced view of cultural osmosis between Japan and the outside world. This book presents an ethnographic portrayal of the people of the Southern Ryukyu Islands and their world. In particular it explores...

Ten Years in Japan is a fascinating and unique look inside the government of Japan before and during the attack on Pearl Harbour. Written from the detailed personal diaries of Joseph C. Grew the American ambassador based in Tokyo from 1932 and up until war was declared in the beginning of 1942. This...

In Antony Cummins’ new work, the hidden life of Old Japan is brought to the fore using newly translated original documents from the times of the Samurai. Find out what fate befell a convicted criminal (spoiler: it wasn’t pretty); why tipping even today is very rare in Japan; what a bunch of worms...

Ancient Tales And Folk-Lore Of Japan by Richard Gordon Smith This is a memorable collection of historical legends and folktales from Japan. Nearly all of them are set in a well-defined time and place, instead of 'once upon a time.' Themes include ghosts; unrequited love across social boundaries;...

This guide to common courtesy, acceptable behavior, and manners is essential for any visitor to Japan. Japanese are unfailingly polite and will never tell you if you've crossed the line. But by knowing how to act in every situation you'll gain the respect of your hosts and in the end get even better...

The year, 2015, makes 70 years since the end of WWII. Now is the time to ask, “Is it correct to interpret the Pacific War as a war that fascist Japan lost to democratic America?” What was the true reason for Japan going into WWII? What was Japan trying to accomplish? What kind of influence did Japan...

Four anthropologists, Elise Edwards, Ann Elise Lewallen, Bridget Love and Tomomi Yamaguchi, draw on their fieldwork experiences in Japan to demonstrate collectively the inadequacy of both the Code of Ethics developed by the American Anthropological Association (AAA) and the dictates of Institutional...

The cities of Kyoto and Nara are known throughout the world for their extraordinary beauty. In Kyoto and Nara: The Soul of Japan, their modern state of serenity is well illustrated with depth and distinction in the photographs of Toshitaka Morita. Commentary by Philip Sandoz provides essential...

In 1957 Víctor García, considered by some to be the Marco Polo of the international anarchist movement (because of his extensive travels), visited Japan where he was welcomed by Taiji Yamaga, with whom he spent three months travelling to many cities and towns in the archipelago being...

Arts of Japan is a classic and informative text that explores the rich cultural heritage and history of Japanese Art. This art history text examines the various influences that have shaped the course of Japanese art history in the fields of painting, sculpture, architecture, and handicrafts....

Written for an American audience, this is a brief narrative of Lord Elgin's trip to Japan for treaty negotiations during his 1858 visit sojourn from China to Japan.

Osaka is located in the Kansai region of Honshū, the largest of the islands that make up Japan. By day and night, Osaka pulses with life. After Tokyo and Yokohama, it is the third largest city in Japan, and it forms part of an extended metropolis that includes parts of Nara and Kyoto.  ...

From one of the foremost poets in contemporary Japan comes this entrancing memoir that traces a boy’s childhood and its intersection with the rise of the Japanese empire and World War II. Originally published in 1970, this translation is the first available in English.In twelve chapters that visit...

In this book David Wittner situates Japan’s Meiji Era experience of technology transfer and industrial modernization within the realm of culture, politics, and symbolism, examining how nineteenth century beliefs in civilization and enlightenment influenced the process of technological choice. Through...