Travel with our narrator, and discover Japan. She'll introduce us to her family, her home, and her city. We'll learn what she does in school, howshe celebrates holidays, and lots more!From a typical bedroom and bathroom (two different kinds of toilets!) to a typical day in school (the students are responsible for cleaning it!), these images of Japan are informative and interesting, discussing the questions and topics that kids are curious about.
"But Roderick's reverence for natural materials and his appreciation of traditional Japanese and Shinto crafsmanship eventually got the better of him. Before long, carpenters were hoisting massive beams, laying wide wooden floors, and attaching the split-bamboo ceiling. In just forty days they rebuilt the house on a hill overlooking Kamakura, the ancient capital of Japan. Working together they renovated the farmhouse, adding features such as floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors and a modern kitchen, bath, and toilet." "John Roderick's architectural memoir Minka tells the compelling and often poignant story of how one man fell in love with the people, culture, and ancient building traditions of Japan, and reminds us all about the importance of craftsmanship and the meaning of place and home in the process."--BOOK JACKET.
A book about Hiroshima and the bomb that explicitly captures a Japanese child's point of view. Step by step, Hiroko records the changes that took place in her home life, her school life and the lives of all Japanese people during the years 1930-1951.
PICKED AS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2013 BY THE ASSOCIATION OF BOOKSELLERS FOR CHILDREN! A perfect introduction to Japanese culture for kids, My Awesome Japan Adventure is the diary of an American fifth grader who travels to Japan to spend four exciting months with a Japanese family as an exchange student. He records all his adventures in this diary so that he can tell his friends back home about what he did and saw during his time in Japan. With the help of a Japanese foster brother and sister he visits a Ninja village, tries new foods, learns brush painting, and gets the inside scoop on daily life in a Japanese school. Readers of all ages will love experiencing life in Japan from a kid's point of view! Dan's adventures include: My First Week of School, Visiting a Ninja Village, Fun with Origami, Practicing Aikido, Making Mochi, and much more… As a multicultural children's book, My Awesome Japan Adventure is perfect for kids who want to explore another culture and have fun in the process!
A unique exploration of Japanese tea culture, featuring the personal narratives of individuals whose lives are deeply rooted in the world of tea. Tea Stories: Japan is a unique exploration of tea culture in Japan, documenting personal narratives of individuals whose lives are deeply rooted in the world of tea. It captures an esoteric aspect of Japanese tea that is not readily discovered. Interest in Japanese tea and tea culture has grown considerably in recent years, and although Japan is known throughout the world for its long-standing traditions and ritualized customs, there are still many aspects of tea culture that little is known about. Stories include the experiences and daily lives of individuals, mostly based around the Kyoto and Shizuoka prefectures, which are both important regions for tea production. Included in the various aspects of the tea industry is the farmer who looks after the tea bushes and harvests the tea, the factory worker who processes the leaves, several highly skilled artisans in ceramics and a wagashi sweet maker. Information and imagery, photography and illustrations highlight details on Japanese tea ware, the evolution and uses, rare Japanese types and regional specialty teas, and various schools of the Japanese tea ceremony. Modern uses of tea are explored, including tea recipes. This book provides an insight into how tea is an integral part of life in Japan, providing an intimate examination of customs and processes. This book will appeal to readers who have an interest in Japan and its culture and to those curious about specialty tea--whether they know very little about Japanese tea and want to learn more or would like to dig deeper into the subject.
Originally published in Japanese under the title If There Were No Japan: A Cultural Memoir, this book was acclaimed for its insights into Japanese life, bringing together aspects of history, culture and everyday life to paint an original and revealing portrait of the Japanese people and the pressing issues facing them today. During his decades of passionate engagement with Japan, Pulvers became close friends with many of the most gifted writers, artists, filmmakers, actors and journalists in the country. Whether delving into ancient traditions or providing vivid accounts of contemporary customs, analyzing characters in Japanese fiction or recounting personal encounters with individuals, the author illuminates those inventive elements that have made Japanese culture and design the envy of the world--and that signal a way forward through the twenty-first century. "Roger Pulvers's life reads like an adventure story. His recollections of life in Japan in the 1960s are bound to become a part of Japan's national heritage."-Ryuichi Sakamoto, composer and musician "This book is a delight. Few Japanese intellectuals have absorbed Japanese culture to the extent that Pulvers has. If there were no Pulvers, Japan would be a much less interesting country!"-Seigo Matsuoka, author and editor "Roger Pulvers ... is a master at transcending borders. He builds a convincing case for Japan as an indispensable presence on the world stage." -Mitsuyoshi Numano, author and professor at the University of Tokyo "Roger Pulvers delves into and examines values that the Japanese have lost sight of. His notion that there is much diversity in Japan refutes the conventional wisdom with great persuasiveness." -Yoshiharu Fukuhara, Honorary Chairman of Shiseido
Take a visual journey to Japan's vast northern island of Hokkaido. This stunning guide covering all the places foreign and Japanese tourists alike find so fascinating here--spectacular volcanic landscapes, the world's best powder skiing, and some of Japan's most incredible food. Author Aaron Jamieson is a professional photographer, film-maker, and journalist who has lived on Hokkaido for more than a decade--devoting his time to seeking out the hidden wonders of this very special island. In this book, he provides personal recommendations for places to explore in and around the main cities of Sapporo, Otaru, Hakodate, and Asahikawa, then leads you on a tour of the wild and lesser-known places around the island, including: The resort areas around Lake Toya and Niseko, now famous as ""the Aspen of Asia"" Remote offshore islands and scenic byways along the western and northern coasts The vast hinterland with its rainbow fields of lavender and tulips and towering volcanic peaks The rugged eastern region--home to the aboriginal Ainu people and their traditional culture Hokkaido's stunning national parks, with their hot springs, waterfalls, and distinctive wildlife This unique book--the first of its kind--allows you to view Hokkaido through the eyes of a local and to explore one of the last undiscovered regions of Japan.
Married to a Zen monk in training, an American woman in Japan chronicles her own year of growth and discovery In February 2004, when her American husband, a recently ordained Zen monk, leaves home to train for a year at a centuries-old Buddhist monastery, Tracy Franz embarks on her own year of Zen. An Alaskan alone—and lonely—in Japan, she begins to pay attention. My Year of Dirt and Water is a record of that journey. Allowed only occasional and formal visits to see her cloistered husband, Tracy teaches English, studies Japanese, and devotes herself to making pottery. Her teacher instructs her to turn cup after cup—creating one failure after another. Past and present, East and West intertwine as Tracy is twice compelled to return home to Alaska to confront her mother’s newly diagnosed cancer and the ghosts of a devastating childhood. Revolving through the days, My Year of Dirt and Water circles hard questions: What is love? What is art? What is practice? What do we do with the burden of suffering? The answers are formed and then unformed—a ceramic bowl born on the wheel and then returned again and again to dirt and water.
