Japan Books

A good, continually absorbing study of a contemporary though tradtional Japanese poet names Kodojin(d. 1943). The writing style holds one's interest throughout and the story of the poet's life along with his poems,paintings and drawings is always delightful and interesting. If you love Japanese haiku by such masters as Bassho and chinese poetry from the Tang you will find this study worthy of your attention. I have never read a book quite like it.

Translations of and commentary on one author's Taoist poems are presented in a warm blend of spiritual, religious and philosophical inspection which considers the last of the great poet-painters of Japan. Over 150 of his poems are treated to an appraisal which considers both form and content in a fine coverage worthy of inclusion in any strong Asian collection.

Finding good information for research on the Japanese immigration issues has been challenging. Dr. Brody addresses many of the issues involving the Nikeijin and their return to mainland Japan. Her comparative analysis between how Japan and Germany treat returning immigrants was very informative. If you are researching Japanese immigration or just have an interest, I highly recommend this book.

The author's discussion on the theories of labor migration using the push-pull model was very informative. While the book is very specific on Japanese and Brazilian immigration, you will find the book very entertaining. If you are interested in the Nikkeijin, this is the book for you.

This was not my field of expertise, but I enjoyed reading Dr. Brody's book.

In the past, I would have wondered how I might use these designs. I like my origami to be useful for something, and Tomoko Fuse's box designs have been a mainstay for my gift giving for years now. Recently, however I purchased an origami book on jewelry making, Origami Jewelry: More Than 40 Exquisite Designs to Fold and Wear, which gave me ideas for gifts. Fuse's book provides a wide variety of ideas for jewelry pins. I also expect to combine what I've learned in both books to make large decorative wreaths for the holidays. I think this may become one of my favorite books.

Have enjoyed creating all the rings and wreaths in the book. Beautifully presented. Highly recommended.

E.H. Norman's seminal work, , is now available in other places, but when John W. Dower issued this volume, Norman's work was difficult to find in print, and so this collection was as welcome as it was valuable, especially for rising PhD hopefuls who wanted to read Norman but had trouble getting their hands on his stuff. In the end, though, it was Dower's long introductory essay that really caught everyone's attention, with its discussion of Norman's adventures in McCarthy's red scare America, and its innuendoes about other prominent Asia scholars. It set off a flurry of reviews in the scholarly journals, reviews noteworthy for their vituperative attacks on Norman's scholarship, more than for their implied criticisms of a young colleague who would presume to dignify Norman's scholarly accomplishments by editing a reissue of his work. Now at the other end of a long and distinguished career as scholar and teacher, Dower can look back on this volume as an achievement that still merits careful attention, not only by students of Japanese history, but equally by anyone interested in the politics of scholarship. Likewise, anyone interested in the historiography of modern Japan needs to come to grips not only with Norman's work but also with the political controversies that came to surround it as a result of American Cold War culture.

Before his premature death in 1957, the Canadian scholar-diplomat E. Herbert Norman had established himself as the pre-eminent Western interpreter of early modern and modern Japan. This present edition includes the classic Japan's Emergence as a Modern State. It also introduces materials by Norman never before made widely available in the West, including an essay on the role of the historian and chapters from an unpublished book, Feudal Background of Japanese Politics.
--- from book's back cover.

This book was a delight in that I managed to learn quite a lot about Japanese culture, about music, and a slew of other things all the while being wrapped up in Ginger's adventures. I was particularly fascinated by the level of cross-cultural confidences exchanged between Ginger and her Japanese host's wife, Sakiko. Of course, the handsome, mysterious Akiko with his pony tail served as just the right device to move us through the story and to motivate Ginger, at last, to overcome a psychological demon from her past.

Congratulations to Mary Claire Mahaney for her triumph in combining elements of romance, suspense, music and cuisine in this novel. I especially like her technique of following this single teacher's adventures in Japan through entries in her personal journaling. Not that she's journaling, Ginger would have you know, she detests that word. How else, though, can she put forth her most personal feelings about sushi, music, and the enigmatic Japanese man she meets on her first day in Osaka. Oh, yes, this book heats up, and it is a delightful read.

I was very excited to find out about this book. My wife and I have a burden for Japan. While we would love to be missionaries there someday we are not at that point yet. This book provides some very valuable insight on how to pray for Japan. It takes a look at some of major choices that were made by a select few and the ramifications that are still be felt today. I highly recommend this book as a historic spiritual reference point and as a guide on how to pray for the strong holds in Japan.

I am the author of this little book. I'm amazed at the life of this book! It continues to go at a steady pace year after year. I attribute this to three factors: 1) There are so few books available on Christianity in Japan that are ministry focused, as this one is; 2) A steady interest among Christians to share the Gospel with Japanese; and 3) The spiritual and cultural solutions I've outlined outlined in Overcoming Spiritual Barriers in Japan are unique.

I'm pleased with how this book helps others to understand Japan's complicated early Christian history, provides culture tools to understand why Japanese behave in the ways they do, and inspires Christians to pray more specifically and powerfully for Japan.

I hope you enjoy and are blessed by the book!

I saw this book (chinese edition)several years ago when I was almost 35 years old. It really shocked me!The author is so remarkable in understanding and interpreating the family in OZU films which is so real and convincing.Following the Mr.D. Richie, I, as a chinese, began to try to undersatnd the root of chinese family through a series of the OZU's films. I agree with author that the transcentalism for traditional Japanese and Chinese which the author express in the final charpter lies in the "everyday life world"and that I believe is quite different from western transcentalistic approach.This book is excellent....

Well there doesn't seem to be much info about this book here so for those of you who are wondering what s going on, I'll list the table of contents.
1 - Introduction
18 - Script
105 - Shooting
159 - Editing
186 - Conclusion
193 - Bibliographical filmography (to 253)
Those of you who are familiar with Richie's other stuff such as the Inland Sea will be happy to hear that in this book he combines his critical and writing gifts with a fairly pragmatic approach to his task.
Don't be overly wary of ramblings about transcendental this and that - certainly such notions do rear up but only in the context of technical discussion - e.g. in a discussion of the cut away shots to the vase at a crucial moment in Late Spring. Which isn't to say that Richie doesn't consider the social & moral aspects of Ozu's work at some length. This is obviously necessary for such a morally concerned artist as Ozu, and such topics highlight Richie's greatest strengths as a writer.
This book includes numerous excerpts and stills from production materials, shot sequences etc, which are mostly interesting and relevant; in fact if I had a criticism, I wouldn't mind a few more explicit examples (and counter examples from the work of other directors) especially in the discussion of composition. The Biographical Filmography section briefly covers all his films, mixed in with a fairly straightforward biography. Also recommended on the biographical front would be the docos included on the Criterion DVDs. Especially, "I lived, but..." which comes with the 2DVD Tokyo Story set .
In other words, for the English speaking reader, it would be hard to imagine a better match between subject and author. Highly recommended for any Ozu fans.
The back cover shows a youthful, exuberant Richie animatedly chatting with Ozu during the filming of Late Autumn in 1960. Ozu sits quietly, holding a cigarette...

My son was delighted with it. It contained the Japanese business etiquette information he was seeking.

For a first time American businessperson (woman, at that) it is a comprehensive and high-level look at doing business the Japanese way.

This is an outstanding reference for the researcher and patent attorney alike. The book provides a solid overview of patent law in the major markets, with emphasis on pharmaceutical, chemical and biotechhnology patents. What distinguishes this book from others in its class, however, is the emphasis on practical and strategic aspects of patent filing and enforcement. The author has a lifetime's worth of experience in this field, and it shows. Moreover, the book is uncommonly well-written, with clarity and occassional humor. Highly recommmended!

This is quite simply the best general work on patent law and practice I've ever read. Presented in clear, crisp language and with wit and flair, it is essential reading for anyone in the patent and allied professions and I would suggest mandatory reading for any students.

The author offers a fantastic view of the Japanese monarchy that is well worth the read. A wonderful historical take on the subject.

Kenneth J. Ruoff is an Associate Professor of Japanese History at Portland State University. Dr. Ruoff is the Director of the Center for Japanese Studies at the university.

Professor Ruoff received the 2004 Jiro Osaragi Commentary Prize for the Japanese translation of his book THE PEOPLE'S EMPEROR. The prize was given at a ceremony at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo January 27, 2005. The prize include an award of two million yen. Dr. Ruoff is the first foreigner to receive the Osaragi Prize.