Japan Books

I can't believe I'm the first reviewer of this superb classic "must read" on the subject of Japan and the Japanese. Forget the 1980's publication date--you can rest assured that the collective psyche of this ancient people hasn't drifted significantly since then, and probably never will, in spite of all the many but relatively superficial changes of the past two decades.

The quickest and best way by far to grok the Japanese, individually and collectively, is to read this [from the jacket blurb] "wise, entertaining and highly readable" page-turner of a book.

The distinguished and percipient author (ex-Senior Editor of Time, Oriental Studies/Yale, Pulitzer Prize administrator, etc. etc. etc.) spent 3 decades absorbing every aspect of "Japanese culture ... intellect, mores and motives".

A highly principled thinker, Christopher has extracted, and presents concisely in Chapter 2, a "framework ...of seven basic propositions" or principles that summarize the bases of "the imperatives of what amounts to an ancient tribe", and collectively outline the "perfect map of the Japanese psyche" that the rest of the book fleshes out.

"Here at last is *all* of Japan" indeed; as the jacket blurb quite accurately states, Christopher "does for Japan what Luigi Barzini did for 'The Italians'" (and I might add, what the similarly qualified Richard Bernstein did for those two perennially warring nations, France and Paris in "Fragile Glory", another utter must-read).

I'm tempted to list the principles here, but it would practically constitute copyright infringement, since those principles, briefly elaborated upon, constitute the biggest overall "Aha!" experience of the book. Read Chapter 2 alone and you're wise to the game; but read the rest of the book as well, and acquire a richly textured perspective on how the seven insights illuminate a panoply of issues, from the roles of women and children through workplace idiosyncrasies to the instincts and talents for international and cultural survival.

One teaser: the reason the Japanese seem so inscrutable by so many, and strangely the more so by those most intimate with the culture by virtue of speaking Japanese, is that (duh!) the Japanese aren't particularly eager to *be* 'scruted, either collectively by foreigners or (especially) individually--the latter even by each other!

These observations may seem relatively self-evident to many; but Christopher astutely expands on them, in connection with a few related social attitudes, to show how they paradoxically aid both individuals and the culture as a whole in the pursuit of their various aims.

As I said, the guy is percipient--just search the multiple Amazon listings for a bargain copy of the book, read chapters 1 and 2, and then cruise through the remainder of the book as through an absorbing amusement park adventure ride!

P.S. If you're as impressed with people who can extract foundational principles from a morass of data as I am, check out my reviews of "Origins of Southern Radicalism: The South Carolina Upcountry, 1800-1860 " and "Dwellings: Living with Great Style"....

I can't believe I'm the first reviewer of this superb classic "must read" on the subject of Japan and the Japanese. Forget the 1980's publication date--you can rest assured that the collective psyche of this ancient people hasn't drifted significantly since then, and probably never will, in spite of all the many but relatively superficial changes of the past two decades.

The quickest and best way by far to grok the Japanese, individually and collectively, is to read this [from the jacket blurb] "wise, entertaining and highly readable" page-turner of a book.

The distinguished and percipient author (ex-Senior Editor of Time, Oriental Studies/Yale, Pulitzer Prize administrator, etc. etc. etc.) spent 3 decades absorbing every aspect of "Japanese culture ... intellect, mores and motives".

A highly principled thinker, Christopher has extracted, and presents concisely in Chapter 2, a "framework ...of seven basic propositions" or principles that summarize the bases of "the imperatives of what amounts to an ancient tribe", and collectively outline the "perfect map of the Japanese psyche" that the rest of the book fleshes out.

"Here at last is *all* of Japan" indeed; as the jacket blurb quite accurately states, Christopher "does for Japan what Luigi Barzini did for 'The Italians'" (and I might add, what the similarly qualified Richard Bernstein did for those two perennially warring nations, France and Paris in "Fragile Glory", another utter must-read).

I'm tempted to list the principles here, but it would practically constitute copyright infringement, since those principles, briefly elaborated upon, constitute the biggest overall "Aha!" experience of the book. Read Chapter 2 alone and you're wise to the game; but read the rest of the book as well, and acquire a richly textured perspective on how the seven insights illuminate a panoply of issues, from the roles of women and children through workplace idiosyncrasies to the instincts and talents for international and cultural survival.

One teaser: the reason the Japanese seem so inscrutable by so many, and strangely the more so by those most intimate with the culture by virtue of speaking Japanese, is that (duh!) the Japanese aren't particularly eager to *be* 'scruted, either collectively by foreigners or (especially) individually--the latter even by each other!

These observations may seem relatively self-evident to many; but Christopher astutely expands on them, in connection with a few related social attitudes, to show how they paradoxically aid both individuals and the culture as a whole in the pursuit of their various aims.

As I said, the guy is percipient--just search the multiple Amazon listings for a bargain copy of the book, read chapters 1 and 2, and then cruise through the remainder of the book as through an absorbing amusement park adventure ride!

P.S. If you're as impressed with people who can extract foundational principles from a morass of data as I am, check out my reviews of "Origins of Southern Radicalism: The South Carolina Upcountry, 1800-1860 " and "Dwellings: Living with Great Style"....

An excellant source of information on the equipment of Japanese imperial naval airmen of WWII. Though unusual in that it is illustrated with color photos of the actual equipment rather than Osprey's usual drawn material. Written mateiral is highly insightful

A good book for those interested in this subject.

This is a book I highly recommend to students of WWII, aviation historians and collectors of militaria/aviation memorabilia. It is not only well researched, it is well written, concise and to the point. Whether a novice collector or a seasoned old hand, you will find information in this book, both documentary and anecdotal, that you simply won't find elsewhere. One very pleasing departure from Osprey's normal format is the use of colour photographs for the centre layouts instead of illustrations. Although Mr. Younghusband's graphics of the insignia are excellent, the colour photography, depicting authentic uniforms and flight clothing being worn, provide excellent attention to detail. Osprey books are typically great value, almost always useful and informative, but this one is a cut above. Mr. Nila has done great justice to the subject and although this is a small book, it fills a big gap on the bookshelves of WWII uniform and equipment enthusiasts.

I had the pleasure of meeting with Ms. Katz at Oxford. She is very knowledgable and insightful. Her passion for her work shows in every page of this beautiful book!

Quite a surprise to find this book and realizing that I knew the author from her Princeton days. A comprehensive examination of a wonderful collection. She pays attention to painted albums and fans. Shows the breadth of the Ashmolean's collection.

As an expat who lives in Tokyo, I have done a tremendous amount of reading on Japan. That said, I found this slim but dense volume to be, in a word, OUTSTANDING - it is by far the best introduction to Japan's rich philosophical tradition.

The first question Blocker and Starling address is simple: is there philosophy in Japan? Even the great Meiji Era intellectual Nakae Chomin once lamented that "...from anitiquity to the present day, there has never been any philosophy in Japan." The authors set out to demonstrate why this statement is fallacious.

The task facing Blocker and Starling, then, is twofold: first, to extricate elements of Chinese thought from indigenous traditions; and second, to show how borrowings from foreign cultures have in fact influenced the development of Japanese philosophy. And, for my money, they succeed in both projects without being dry or boring.

Logistically, this book is divided to chapters on Buddhism, Confucianism, modernity, and beyond modernity. While each chapter could stand on its own, what I like most about this book is its clarity and concise way of articulating each philosophical impulse. I honestly think EVERYONE will find something of value here, from those just beginning their study of Japan as well as those with copious knowledge on the subject - it is THAT GOOD!

But, for me, the best chapter is "Beyond Moderinity." Here, the authors really shine - they KNOW their subject and, though easy to understand, it is a high level discussion without being didactic. They introduce such postmodern thinkers as Yoshimoto Takaaki (yes, Banana's father!) and Karatani Kojin. Their descriptions were so inspirational that I have since read everything Karatani has written.

This is considered a general introduction, but I think it goes much, much deeper than most primers. It is a pathbreaking work in the sense that it is bringing into general discourse the idea that, yes, there is a unique and original philosophy in Japan completely its own, and not just borrowed from other cultures.

A delightful read!

This review is written from the perspective of someone who knows next-to-nothing about Japanese Philosophy, and indeed had not really considered the two words in combination before.

In short, it is a masterly introduction to this intriguing and little-known topic. The authors show tremendous erudition and ambition in covering the whole sweep of Japanese philosophy from the seventh century to the present day, and making the comparisons where appropriate with Chinese, Indian and Western philosophy. Buddhism, Tokugawa Confucianism, Modernity: it is all here. Get your copy now !

Ian Ruxton, editor of Sir Ernest Satow's Private Letters to W.G. Aston and F.V. Dickins: The Correspondence of a Pioneer Japanologist from 1870 to 1918 (Paperback), also available on amazon.

This translation, introduced by poet Gary Snyder, offers fantastic insights into Japanese culture as informed by Japanese myth and fairy tale. Ferociously intelligent, Hayao Kawai discusses the impact of ancient religion and the female-centered nature of many Japanese tales - figures such as the disappearing woman, the changeling wife, and the self-sacrificing older sister - will intrigue anyone who has wished to understand the phenomenon of strong female-centric anime or Manga, for instance, in a culture that has often been described as opressively patriarchal by those outside looking in. Also includes several translated versions of hard-to-find Japanese fairy tales.

Much of a culture's beliefs and character are expressed in its fairy tales. They are the stories everyone learns from childhood, and the motifs teach children society's moral code in easily understandable and enjoyable parables. We can all remember the legends, the handsome princes and beautiful princess, the monsters and heroes.

For most Westerners, Japan's fairy tales, called mukashibanashi or "Tales of Long Ago", are entirely perplexing. They don't end the way we think they should, the morals are not easy to understand, and the characters behave in a bizarre fashion. Often, the moral of the story seems to be "don't look in the box". In fact, "don't look in the box" is the first theme discussed in Hayao Kawai's "The Japanese Psyche: Major Motifs in the Fairy Tales from Japan".

All in all there are nine individual themes in Japanese fairy tales identified by Kawai. For each one, she discusses the ramifications of the theme, and presents several stories that exemplify the theme. The themes are along the lines of "The Laughter of an Oni" and "The Woman of Endurance", using exploring an archetypal and reoccurring character of myth.

She often compares them with Western fairy tales, especially the rarity of a Japanese fairy tale ending with a wedding, as so many Western tales do. It is also interesting how the majority of major characters in Japanese fairy tales are women, with men playing a smaller role. This is a great contrast to Japanese society itself, and is an interesting topic of discussion.

This is a serious academic study, including graphs and charts, and isn't really a good book if you just want to read some cool fairy tales. It is an excellent resource, however, for those looking to explore Japanese fairy tales on a deeper level. I am very happy that this book was translated.

Ghosts and monsters of various breeds have haunted Japanese cinemas for decades, recently culminating in the spectacular worldwide success of RINGU and its sequels/remakes. Anyone remotely interested in this strange and hypnotically fascinating sub-genre absolutely needs to read Stuart Galbraith's remarkably entertaining and informative JAPANESE SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY AND HORROR FILMS, easily the definitive work to date on the subject.

Galbraith writes in a breezy and humorous fashion, providing detailed , often witty synopses and brief critical examinations of over one hundred titles, covering any/all films released in the U.S. during the period 1950 - 1992. As such, it affords an excellent historical background to the current and much heralded renaissance of Japanese cinematic horror. Of particular interest is Galbraith's refusal to instantly demean any of the films on hand. He takes the films cultural and artistic differences from the U.S. norm at face value and attempts to succinctly explain any appeal each individual movie might have. This is not to say that some of the titles don't get mercilessly slammed--they do, deservedly so. Its just that Galbraith tends to provide a much more thoughtful critique than the usual "Bad Special Effects, Terrible Dubbing" mantra so often spewed out by xenophobic American-based reviewers.

The book's final one hundred pages are devoted to a remarkably detailed filmography, with full cast and technical crew credits to every film discussed in the main text. As the author notes, this is easily the most extensive such listing of Japanese fantasy films ever put into print. The filmography in itself makes the book an unqualified necessity for fans of the genre.

As a kid, I remember walking with my brother down to the Saturday matinee to see King Kong getting whupped by Godzilla, Rodan buzzing over the streets of Tokyo and the tiny twin fairy ladies singing their praise of Mothra. I didn't know it then but these kinds of movies were part of the "Daikaiju eiga" genre (Japanese giant monster movies) that Mr. Stuart Galbraith writes about so eloquently in his marvelous reference book "Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films".

Absolutely ANY Daikaiju eiga film released in the U.S. that you can remember (...and some that you no doubt have forgotten about! ) are described in this book. From the studios of Toho and Daiei, you will find ALL of the 20+ Godzilla and 7+ Gamera films as well as EVERY other sci-fi movie made by the incredible team of Tomoyuki Tanaka, Ishiro Honda and Eiji Tsuburaya (producer, director and SFX master of the original Godzilla films). Some of the lesser known but still wonderful films discussed include The Mysterians; Attack of the Mushroom People; Kwaidan; Onibaba; The Magic Serpent; Majin Trilogy; Atragon; The H-Man; War of the Gargantuas and Frankenstein Conquers the World.

With 424 pages laid out chronologically, Mr. Galbraith provides in-depth detail on more than 103 films including storyline, actors and their roles, production background, release notes and comments from contemporary reviews. Also included is a filmography of the genre from all Japanese studios including cast, crew and Japan/U.S. release information. A rather large bibliography and index complete this masterful work. This book was obviously written with great love and affection for the films at hand - I am quite sure that Daikaiju eiga fans will not be disappointed with their purchase of this book!

In The Japanese Way Of The Flower, Davey and Kameoka successfully collaborate to instruct the reader in the Japanese art of flower arranging and how it differs from Western floral art. The reader will learn simple meditation exercises to prepare for the process of composition; basic flower arrangements with color photos, diagrams, and step-by-step instructions; important Japanese aesthetic and spiritual concepts; the history of "kado" (The Way of the Flower) and its different stylistic schools; and where to find formal kado instructors and flower arrangement supplies. A very welcome addition to students of Japanese culture, interior decorators, florists, and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in floral arrangements, The Japanese Way Of The Flower is an impressive, authoritative, and comprehensive introduction.

Flowers--not on, but as a spiritual path. This is the principle behind kado--widely known in the West as ikebana--the Japanese art of aesthetic flower arranging. The point is emphatically made that, as with other spiritual art forms, it is not the art itself that leads to awakening and profound realizations; rather, it is how we approach the practice that determines our growth. In kado, the simple meditation exercises prepare for the process of composition; a genuine understanding of harmony of mind and body and of the oneness of nature are essential to success. Fully half of the book is devoted to preparation--a thorough understanding of the concepts, and development of effective meditation techniques. A chapter expands on the fundamental principles of kado--harmony, asymmetrical balance, artlessness, impermanence, and oneness with the universe--and to the classification of arrangements. A final chapter guides the beginner in several simple arrangements, while appendices provide sources for supplies and a glossary. Lovely and elegant line drawings illustrate important points throughout.

This book is one of the few books on US Japanese-style gardens which compares and contrasts the real gardens of Japan with efforts to recreate the essence of their beauty in the western US. Beautiful Photos

Kendall H. Brown begins his history of Japanese-style gardens with a quote from James Rose to the effect that Japanese gardens outside of Japan are fakes. Brown's attitude is, however, more ambiguous than ambivalent. He seldom says he doesn't like something. His liking may be found between the lines. At the end of his history, Brown concludes that Japanese-style gardens are meant for play. It is pleasant to think of people having a smiling time in Japanese-style gardens . . . the wistaria, azalea, carp and waterfalls call for that. Nevertheless, Japanese in Japan are as out of touch with their past traditions as are Americans with their's. There is pleasure in knowing the symbolic uses of gardens in Japan and in their transplanted versions in the United States. Gardens in both countries should be more creative as is the case with "California Scenario" by Isamu Noguchi, the last garden Brown describes. (It is popular with skateboarders!) "Japanese-Style Gardens of the Pacific Coast" is a splendid book and the only book extant that gives the historical background of West-Coast Japanese-style gardens. Melva Levick's photographs whet the desire to see the gardens, if for no other reason than to see which is better . . . the photographs or the gardens. A small objection: If Brown had included acreages, one might be better able to compare the problems and successes of the individual gardens.

This novel is about the woman who transformed theatre in Japan and founded Kabuki. I was amazed to learn that "kabuki" originally meant strange and unconventional. Ironically, women were later forbidden to perform on stage in Japan. Centuries later, Sadayakko would have to reclaim the place of women in Japanese theatre by becoming popular in the West first. But it all started with one courageous and defiant woman named Okuni portrayed so movingly by Sawako Ariyoshi.

Lovely book for inside information of a Kabuki Dancer, from her side of the room. Delightful and mind opening. I believe this is a book that is
one from the heart. I liked it, it was an aid in my research of expressions of culture.

This book is good for both those with casual interest in Japanese culture and specific interests in the field of Buddhism. Special attention is paid to the relationship between religion and the traditional theatre forms of Noh and Kyogen.

This is a truly amazing study. I read it for a class I was taking on medieval Japan. The professor warned that this book was very dense and difficult to read, but I thought - No problem! It's under 200 pages, I'm a fast reader, I like the subject.

So let me restate: this book is a DENSE read. Every sentence has deep significance, and don't be surprised if you have to reread paragraphs several times, even if you're used to memorizing things with a once-over.

That said, this book was so good that it gets 5 stars despite the difficulty of reading it. LaFleur deftly weaves together strands from medieval forms of Japanese Buddhism (specifically Tendai and Shingon) during the Kamakura and Ashikaga bakufus with earlier cultural tendencies from Heian times right through to the flowering of new cultural ideas in Tokugawa Japan. He does not shy away from appreciating art or fine points of theology on their own terms, but also does not hesitate to show how the two blended together and shaped one another.

I personally enjoyed the sections on the Hojo-Ki by Chomei more than his sections on No and Kyogen, but that's personal preference. You will also gain a new understanding of major poets and monks of the era, such as Chomei, Basho, and Zeami. Rather than try and define such difficult concepts as yugen, he illustrates them through use of those individuals and their own efforts at definitions.

Read a chapter at a time or all at once, a great book.