Japan Books

This is the definitive book on Maritime Operations in the Russo-Japanese War. Originally a classified document in the British War Ministry it was finally published by the Naval Institute in the 1990's. Used as a principal reference document at the U.S. Naval War College. No longer available anywhere. Corbett provides a insightful contrast to Mahan in the examination of many core concepts on early 20th century naval strategy. The war itself is a perfect vignette on how a lesser power can defeat a more powerful foe given the right political and geographical situation. All the main themes of Land and Sea, Joint Military Operations are displayed in this too often overlooked "first" modern war.

Julian Corbett is a great contrast to the likes of Alfred Thayer Mahan. While presenting the Russo-Japanese War in an unbiased play-by-play way, he does not guide his analysis by mathematical strategies nor does he judge battles solely by their tactical outcome.

The more interesting Strategic topics covered herein are the ideas of "Fleet in Being," naval blockade and torpedo warfare. It is an eye-opening analysis for the way it shows the naval war between Japan and Russia as being in a far more precarious situation than anyone might have expected. Thorough and well-written, Corbett has produced a solid, well thought-out and intriguing analysis of the naval strategy of the Russo-Japanese War.

Excellent introduction to a variety of asian cooking. Helpfully explains some of the more esoteric foodstuffs, et al. Based on the straightforward presentation I intend to buy more of his books. Also, I found the written forum a much more direct way to learn from Yan than his cooking show.

Even if you find his television show to be over the top, you have to admit that Martin Yan always presents very tasty recipes. This book is an introduction to a variety of Asian cuisines with recipes and helpful hints not just on preparation, but on eating as well.

I've prepared roughly 40% of the dishes included in this book and have yet to find one that wasn't delicious. I was sufficiently impressed to buy his other books as well.

The most commonplace items of the past occasionally become treasured collectibles today. But miniature advertising graphics that adorned Japanese matchboxes were more striking (forgive the pun) than common as one discovers in this delightful introduction to Matchibako by Maggie Kinser Hohle.

The matchbox labels depicted in forty-two full-color plates are from the collection of designer Naomichi Kawahata. The collection itself spans the 1920s and 30s and provides snapshots of a country in transition and internal turmoil, both embracing and decrying modernist influence of industrialist nations.

Above all, the images in this micro gallery had one intent, to advertise anything from sox to sex. These palm held billboards enticed the holder with promises of "modern" life, euro-hairstyles, jazz cafés with sexy moga (modern girls) or pitched the entaku (yen-taxi) delivering fares anywhere in Tokyo for only one yen.

It is said that "good things come in small packages" as does this superb gallery of 42 plates, with one matchbox label to a page, perfectly frames the near-actual sized labels so that each reproduction appear larger than life.

Another highly unique aspect of Matchibako is the accordion page format, which if you were to unfold would stretch over fourteen feet from cover to cover. Hohle's 4.75 x 4.75 inch art book was not meant for the bookshelf, but to be left in plain view to entice closer inspection in the same way the original matchbox labels delivered their messages over seventy years ago.

This tiny little book is a perfect gift for any Japanophile or matchbox collector. Built like an accordian, its pages exhibit gorgeous Japanese matchbox covers from the 20's and 30's, images like I've never seen before, accompanied by explanations chronicalling why the covers are so unique: they were manufactured during a time when Japan was transforming from traditonal to modern, from culturally-singular to Western-influenced. One panel, for example, shows a Japanese girl depicted in a strikingly untraditional manner, not simply because of the flapper haircut she sports or the cigarette hanging from her mouth, but because of the decidedly cubism-influenced illustration style.

This is a wonderful book that demystifies and illuminates the role of the exuberant textiles and costumes at Shinto-Buddhist celebrations. Through her extensive ethnographic research, she uncovers not only the symbolism and social significance of Japanese festivals, but also how modern people today actively engage and exult in this tradition. Particularly fascinating is the chapter on imported textiles in Kyoto's Gion festival. Gonick's investigations in Japan and China reveal a story of trade and transmission that unexpectedly links several cultures. Central Asian tribal artisans, Indo-Persian ateliers, as well as Ainu chieftains create or convey the astonishing artworks which adorn Japanese festivals (matsuri). I recommend Matsuri! as the epitome of a crossover book that will interest academics and general readers alike.

This book documents the fascinating history of Matsuri - colorful Japanese village-level festivals. It seeks to convey an understanding of Shinto, the indigenous belief-system of Japan, through color illustrations, field and studio photographs, as well as scholarly descriptions of the lively artworks that accompany Shinto rites. The text parts of the book are interesting and well-researched. The high-quality images add elegance. "Matsuri!" is an academic resource and a lavish coffee table book. I recommend "Matsuri!" it to anyone who enjoys learning about Japanese culture and history.

This book seems to me the best book on the topic. It tells you why and how the revolution took place in Japan in the mid 19th century. It doesn't compare different ways of modernizing but tells the story from the Japanese side only. By this revolution Japan became a modern industrialized state. Beasley explains also why it isn't called a revolution but a restauration. The book starts with the problems Japan was facing round 1850 and the different ways different classes reacted on these problems. It also pointed out in which way the West influenced the internal and foreign policies of the Bakufu and their advisaries. The revolution from above was followed by anarchy from below. After beating the power of those anarchists the upperclass lost their power to middle-grade samurai. The reason for this were the emotions the anarchists unleased in the people of Japan. All this was disguised by a formal appeal to the Emperor, who was in the end "restored" to his power. In reality a group of lower samurai sized power in name of the emperor. Beasley explaines why they used traditional ways to introduce a new kind of governement. The book is well written in a clear style. Beasley knows what he is talking about and knows well to tell a story. His explanation why things went this way is convincing. A great book about a difficult topic.

Beasley takes on an wide and very complex period of Japanese history with "The Meiji Restoration". Although the book is somewhat aged, and somewhat expensive, it is still a serious work on the period, and offers a fantastic introduction into the time of the Meiji Restoration and the end of Tokugawa rule.

Beasley basically views the Restoration from an "internal" perspective, attempting to see it from Japanese angles, rather than foreign angles. In so doing, he deals with a broad range of aspects including economic, social, military and political spheres. Seen from this viewpoint, you gain a very interesting insight into Japanese society in the late Edo period until the early Meiji. Despite this, Beasley does not neglect the massive impact contact with Western powers and the West's activities in China had on Japan.

The bewildering number of figures that come and go during the book presented me with some problems. It was difficult to keep track of which person came from what class and what domain, especially when they had similar names, likes Okuma and Okuba. This might require a bit of flipping through the index to refresh one's memory, as it did with me.

Particular points of interest for me included the increased social mobility between the classes in later Edo times, such as people moving into the lower Samurai ranks, and even Samurai leaving the class to become merchants and the like, to make more money. Additionally, I found the fact that many of the middle and lower Samurai survived and became major players in the Meiji government very interesting. It was not simply Samurai versus the merchant and village classes, but actually a lot of it was samurai working against the Bakufu.

Despite the age and the expense, this is one book anyone interested in the Meiji Restoration should get. This is definitely a book that upholds the adage "Don't judge a book by its cover". It doesn't look much, but the plain cover hides an excellent addition to your Japanese history collection. It is still an authoritative exposition on the time.

If you are a fan of modern Japanese Film and have the Internet, it is most likely that you are familiar with the website Midhight Eye opperated by Tom Mes and Jasper Sharp. The website is a treasure trove of not only movie and book reviews, but interviews with numerous directors and actors, including the likes of Suzuki Seijun and Asano Tadanobu.

The book covers around 50 years of film, beginning with older, but still popular, directors Imamura Shohei and the above mentioned Suzuki Seijun to younger directors such as Tsukamoto Shinya and Ishii Sogo. The book portrays well known directors such as Kitano Takeshi and Miike Takashi as well as lesser known directors such as Kawase Naomi, also the only female director in the book, whose base of opperation is the ancient capital of Nara rather than Tokyo or Osaka.

The book covers a wide variety of films from yakuza numbers such as Fukasaku's fierce _Battles without Honor and Humanity_ to the Kore-eda's pseudo-documentary _After Life_. horror films, pink films, science fiction, and documentaries are also covered.

The writing is quite clear and informative, and one learns interesting tidbits of information about their favorite directors. this book would be a good guide for fans of Japanese films as well as newcomers.

For modern Japanese film, Midnight Eye is the definitive information source. Tom Mes and Jaspar Sharp's website covers film reviews, interviews, DVD releases, feature articles, a calendar of events and film festivals, and absolutely anything an interested person would want to know. With such a pedigree, there are no more qualified people to write a guide of this kind.

"The Midnight Eye Guide to New Japanese Film" is as excellent as one would expect, an essential book for those interested in modern Japanese film. The layout is well-balanced, covering director profiles and film reviews, using both original material and previously featured articles. The writing is crisp and clear, and each chapter provides insight even on topics where one is knowledgeable. Over 100 photos show some of the visual highlights of this visual media.

Each chapter focuses on a director, from history to motivation to style, with a review of that director's top five or six films. Being new Japanese film, the profiles begin in 1956 with Seijin Suzuki ("Elegy to Fighting," "Tokyo Drifter"), a complicated and controversial director. With the Criterion Collection currently making a push of Suzuki's catalog on DVD, this makes a great starting point and leaves me looking forward to each new release. All of the major directors are profiled, such as Shohei Imamura ("The Eel"), Kinji Fukasaku ("Battles without Honor and Humanity" "Battle Royale") Masato Harada ("Bounce KoGals"), Kiyoshi Kurosawa ("Cure"), Studio Ghibli luminaries Isao Takahata ("Grave of the Fireflies") and Hayao Miyazaki ("Spirited Away"), Takeshi Kitano ("Hanabi"), Takashi Miike ("Ichi the Killer," "Audition"), Hirokazu Kore-eda ("After Life"), and Hideo Nakata ("The Ring"). Other, lesser-known directors are also given their due, such as Nara-based naturalist Naomi Kawase ("Suzaku.")

The final section covers what they call "The Other Players," those who have put out a film or two of exceptional quality but hadn't yet established a solid career in the same rank. Animator Satoshi Kon's "Perfect Blue," Masayuki Suo's "Shall We Dance?," Mamoru Oshii's "Avalon," Juzo Itami's "Tampopo" and Mitsuo Yanagimachi's "Fire Festival" are all given their due. More than just simple film-reviews, the authors pack each spotlight with as much interest and insight as their director profiles.

With Donald Richie's seminal "100 Years of Japanese Film" covering the past, it is great to see such a qualified inheritor of the future. Anyone interested in Japanese film will be pleased with "The Midnight Eye Guide to New Japanese Film," both for its insights into current favorites as well as the host of new favorites that they will undoubtedly discovered.

With so many books out there on Zen (or spirituality for that matter) this leads you in not just a mental way of getting something more, but of experiencing a totality of what Buddhism is teaching. It is not an easy book, but with a flood of books trying to simplify spirituality or creating some kind of attitude as if spirituality was a way of teaching how to live a better lifestyle, this book is truly refreshing and unique in all ways. As you journey in this book (which does take time) you will come to understand that awareness, enlightenment or "just being" is more than a state of mind or some kind of mechanism you can attain as if strolling through Wal-Mart.

This is a weighty book but if you persist and stay with it, 'Mind to Mind' delivers! An excellent look at post-war Japan and a thoughtful demonstration of real Buddhism in action. A real gem and highly recommended to buddhist and non-buddhist alike.

I loved this book! Rarely have I read a book that combines the richness of Japanese architecture, history and culture with the personal experiences of an American correspondent who simultaneously adopted a Japanese son and eventually gained a 18th century Japanese farmhouse in the process. It is a lively and fascinating account of John Roderick's life over a 50 year period of living in this country that remains an enigma to most foreigners. This is a refreshing look at a bit of Japanese archecture and family life accompanied by a witty, candid, and entertaining writing style. I strongly recommend it!

Describing the loving restoration of an 18th century Japanese farmhouse by a well-known AP correspondent, this book also gives intriguing glimpses into Japanese culture of today and yesterday. John Roderick is careful to point out that he could not have accomplished the restoration without the Japanese family who "adopted" him. I found the book hard to put down, so skillfully is it constructed.

I found this book by accident while waiting for someone, and I was enthralled by it. Ross uses the sensational circumstances of Mishima's very public and gruesome suicide to explore Japanese martial culture in general and tries to explain his own fascination with it along the way.
While he keeps tracking Mishima's life and death as a guide to his narrative, it becomes clearer and clearer that Mishima is conceivably of no importance outside his role as a popular author of nationalist appeal, and that his very theatrical life and death actually stand for very little. His careful reconstruction of himself and his image is not so uncommon, and in the end there is just another guy coming to terms with the very big chips on his shoulder, although he does so in a spectacular way.
But along this way Ross manages by description of his travels and interviews to highlight and clarify Japanese history and fascination with death in a highly insightful way.
Sometimes this book is just about Christopher Ross: For instance there is a whole section, where he describes feeling unwell and having to interrupt his stay in Japan to return to the UK. One can't help wondering if his editor slept through that part, since it seems to have very little to do with the rest of the story.
Fortunately these deviations are relatively brief, as is the whole book, and you have basically read past them before they really trouble you. The rest of the ride is wonderful for people who share Ross' fascination with the martial aspects of Japan.

Christopher Ross goes on a quest for the sword used to assist in the suicide of Yushio Mishima, one of Japan's most famous authors. Along the way, the reader is treated to a history of Japan, lessons on Kendo, and insight into Mishima himself, and icon (or iconoclast?) of Japanese literature. In essence, the quest for the physical sword takes secondary importance, behind Ross's quest to understand the man, the times, and the context of his suicide.

For those that read Twigger's Angry White Pajamas, this book is a more serious, and more culturally detailed view of the same genre. Perhaps the connection comes as Christopher Ross was the uber-guru that Twigger wrote about...

If there's one issue I have with the book, it's that the writer at times talks down to the reader. For example, most anyone reading this has experienced international travel - the audience is a cosmopolitan set. Explaining the details of an inflight entertainment system detracts from the overall story.

That said, the book is still concise and well written, and worthy of a read from any afficianado of Japan. It certainly earns a prominent place on my bookshelf!

This is a great cook book! Very readable with an excellent introduction on miso and its medicinal qualities. For the miso beginner, this book is a must. I particularly enjoyed the authors's introductory paragraphs that proceed each recipe. They offer a personal touch and often set the stage for the recipe to follow. Good stuff. I've used miso to treat my high cholesterol with great success, and I'm always looking for new recipes. Other miso cook books I've seen are full of complicated recipes with exotic ingredients not found on the average person's shelf. The Miso Book is refreshingly diferent. Most of the ingredients can be found in any cook's pantry. I've tried a few recipes, and so far, my favorites are Brother Steve's Zesty Crimson Dressing (pg 66), and Broiled Catch of the Day with Salsa Verde (pg 166). The Salsa Verde is a knock-out punch. Excellent, with a variety of flavors that assault your taste buds in rapid succession. But, don't limit the sauce to fish. We tried it on pasta. It was yummy. The Belleme's have done it again. You gotta to get this book.

Great book! Explains all the different kinds of miso, how each is used in cooking. A good book for anyone.
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