Japan Books

I am currently researching teaching opportunities in Japan, and they are plentiful. While I have yet to go to Japan, reading Don Best's book has answered a lot of questions I had had (e.g. how can one afford to live in Japan?). It includes information on the English industry in Japan, qualifications for teaching, suggested preparation before leaving for Japan, finding jobs, surviving in Japan, the interview (including hints on creating a demonstration lesson), pay, work visas, and settling in.

One concern I had was that this book was written in 1994. I wrote to two address in the book and both letters were sent back to me claiming the addresses were incorrect. I suggest checking (possibly through internet searches) addresses before writing to them. There are also a lot of informative websites to check out. If you are looking to get hired from outside Japan, look for websites of these employers: Aeon, Nova, Geos, Berlitz, and ECC.

Overall, this book seems like an excellent place to start if you're interested in teaching English in Japan. Even if some of the information may be outdated, it answers a lot of questions that readers will have about teaching in Japan and about Japan itself.

Just returned from teaching in Japan. The truth is that finding a job is a lot more difficult than it was, say 5 years ago. But if you are the least bit interested, this is by far the best book available. Felt like I had a friend telling me the ins and outs of how to get my job. If you are really interested in the experience then go for it!

I taught English in Japan for about 2 years in the mid 90's. The experience was fantastic, and I made some of the best freinds of my life. Unfortunately, I read this book after the fact (after I had my job), but I certainly could have avoided some of the common pit-falls. This book really tells it like it is, and is a MUST BUY for anyone contemplating the adventure of a life-time.

I ended up reading the book, Manchurian Legacy, in one sitting even though I had a lot of other things to do. That is rare for me. The story mesmerized me as I felt like I was learning something about my roots, my mother.

My Japanese mother, to get away from the merciless firebombing of her city, at the age of 19 volunteered as a member of a repatriation team assigned to travel to Manchuria and to help in the repatriation of Japanese colonials there. After training for about a month, she flew to a city in the center of Manchuria on what happened to be the same day that the Russians invaded. She had quite an adventure hiding, being captured, incarcerated, starving, transported by rail in box cars and then force marched thru Korea, to be saved ironically by the enemy American soldiers that she was trying to escape. I am amazed at what she had to go through to get back to Japan.

Not only did this book gave me an insight to what life was like in Manchuria for the Japanese during the end of World War II, it also gave me a glimpse of post-war Japan where both my father and father-in-law were stationed as part of the occupation forces. The stories about the period during the Russian invasion and how they and the local Chinese treated the Japanese colonials was very revealing. Even though Mrs. Kuramoto's experience was not so harrowing as my mother's adventure, the description of the area and the everyday life of the colonials helped me to understand this period of history in this part of the world.

Even though the second part of the book about post-war Japan did not relate to my mother since she had a support system in place when she returned to Japan, the description of Mrs. Kuramoto's experiences with members of the American occupation force helped me to understand the situation that my father lived through during his term of duty in Japan.

Enough of how the book impacted me. Here is a synopsis of the book: The Manchurian Legacy is a story about the life of a young woman born in Manchuria to Japanese parents living there during World War II. Her father is a minor Japanese government official which gave the family trappings of luxury which were not enjoyed by the local occupied Chinese residents. Kazuko was a patriotic 17 year old and to her parent's dismay, volunteered to join the Red Cross to aid in the war effort against the corrupt capitalists and communists. When Japan surrendered, the Russians invaded and the Chinese revolted, sending the Japanese colonialists into hiding. How the colonialists fared over the next year is a testament to their entrepreneurship and tenacious desire to survive in a culture hostile to their former oppressors. The post-war portion of the book focused on how Kazuko coped in Japan after being shipped there on U.S. transport ship and after being rejected by other relatives. This is also a story of her relationship with soldiers and contractors with the American occupation forces, and her struggles in a country not so accepting of the returning colonialists.

A great read and highly recommended.

Recently I was given this book to read by a friend who is preparing to teach a university course on Japanese culture and women's narrative. I am voraciously reading the books that she is considering for her course and giving her feedback. I couldn't put this book down and cried at the end. What more can one say? I sit here now as a foreigner living in Japan and find this book offers me a window into Japanese history, culture and the voice of women that is not normally acknowledged. Everyone should read this book.

Manchurian Legacy is the book,I wished that I could have read when I was in the sixth grade.Readers of that age group could easily identify with the character of Kazuko as a young woman. It is rare to find a book that can appeal to both young and old readers. The author, Kazuko Kuramoto apologizes for her writing, as English is her third language. I believe, this is what makes the book so readable. She does not bog the reader down with flowery language. What Kazuko does give the reader is a feeling of what it was like to have lived in Manchuria as a colonialist before and doing WW II.The real charm of the book is that it does not assume the reader has any knowledge of the historical events that shaped the narrative.A brief explanation that doesn't bog down the story gives you a context to understand and enjoy her memoir. The immense popularity of a book, "Angela's Ashes" shows that readers have a desire for personal stories of the ordinary man. Kazuko's story deserves to be read by as wide a audience as "Angela's Ashes"

I would recommend this book to anybody interested in reading or making manga. It is inspirational and provides an insight to the profession like no other book.

This book has no value what so ever for teaching you how to draw. That's not what this book is for, it's actually a interview with the hottest manga artist's ever known! I thought it would be a good idea to buy this book, just so I can get a preview of my favorite manga artists'art works, as well as what they have to say to other inspiring manga-ka's. I truly enjoyed reading this book, and I'm sure fans of golden boy,clamp, silent mobius, etc would love to hear about what their idol manga artist have to say. I loved everything about this book, and I would recommend this book to those who are interested in a behind the scenes look at the world of manga. If you are looking to buy this book for other reasons, then don't bother buying this book, you will be sorely dissapointed.

As a fan of the many styles of Manga, this book caught me rather by surprise. Most books in my collection that deal with manga analyze the work itself. However, this book is truly unique in that it explores the process of the actual creation of manga art. The methods used are delved into in a very fascinating way. The interviews with the artists themselves are well composed and the questions asked are far more novice.

The other outstanding aspect of the book is the use of various manga illustrations as well as photos of manga artists at work. These two items really serve to represent the many aspects of manga art.



If you are a fan of manga, then you owe yourselves this book. A definite recomendation.

No word can ever describe the emotions you will live in the reading of this book. It is sad that no one cared to mention that John Stevens,(the author) is himself a Marathon Monk. (I finished translating this book into French, in 1991)

Aucun mot ne peut décrire les émotions que vous vivrez à la lecture de ce livre. Il est triste que nul n'a fait mention que John Stevens, (l'auteur) est lui-même un moine du marathon. (J'ai terminé la traduction de ce livre, en français, en 1991)

If you are ever dragging to get out for your morning run...the marathon monks will guilt you into calling in sick so you can run all day. This is absolutely one of the single most amazing books I've ever read, and even if it were fiction, it would be incredible.

This book will shock and amaze!

These monks are so inspirational any person facing hardship should read this book to give some perspective to life.

After running for 2 years you finally get to wear your rain hat-- if a monk fails to finish his run-- he is supposed to kill himself.

no nike cross-trainers.. they run in straw sandals--

I must read for any martial artist

Lee's masterful account draws you in like a spy novel, even though you already know the ending! His book provides the clear reasoning behind why allied leadership made decisions that, until this book was written, looked like blunders. As the reader learns how Marshall and his generals applied the information gained from the routine interception and decryption of high-level enemy communication, his understanding of the grand strategy of WWII will be greatly enhanced. A stunning achievement, this book will become a "must read" for WWII historians and buffs alike. Everyone who has read this book on my recommendation has been equally impressed.

It further provides clear information which soundly debunks the convoluted rationalizations of those "politically correct" Smithsonian historians and their fellow travelers who have been so eager to portray the allied side (or at least America) as the "bad guys" in the war.

Read it. It takes away the schroud of politics into the reality of a very difficult world situation, with life and death decisions, troubling potential alliances, and knowledge available to only those who could be counted on by the fingers of one hand. A must read.

Marching Orders reveals for the first time what the Allies knew about Axis plans and strategies during WW II . The combined information revealed to them by Ultra and Japanese codes is staggering. Throw everything you know about WW II out the window, for this book will teach why events unfolded as they did. Direct quotes from Axis leaders read by the Allies in real time. An amazing fountain of information that must be savored! You will never view Allied generals in the same light again!

Vilhar and Anderson, a husband-wife photographer-writer team, have put together a superb book. Through mainly visual images and pithy explanations/picture captions, they have encapsulated Japanese matsuri (festivals). The Japanese have festivals for everything and Vilhar has collected a good mixture: Gion, of course (Kyoto's most famous festival), kites framed by Mt Fuji (for Children's Day), young geisha, etc. Nobody today is doing better work in Japan/on Japan than Vilhar & Anderson. The only "problem" with this book is that it was too short. I, for one, would pay more to get more.

Matsuri, World of Japanese Festivals is a masterwork of photography. Vilhar's eye and skill with the camera captures the exquisite detail that exemplifies traditional Japanese culture and sensibilities. Like a door into historic fantasy, Matsuri gives both the well-travelled and arm-chair travellers a chance to immerse themselves in a world of beauty and ritual that took Vilhar and his wife Charlotte Anderson nine years to collect for this presentation. Well worth the price, I only wish there were a companion book of text to describe the ritual festivals in greater detail.

Matsuri - Shrine festivals, which catch the spiritual essence of Japan. This book is a MUST, if you have ever visited to or are interested in Japan.The photographs are just amazing (how did Vilhar get these shots?) and the captions very informative. I am living for >10 years in Japan, and Matsuri is one of my favourite books. Order two: one for you and one for your best friend!

In over 43 years of martial arts and thousands of books,this book is the supreme historical work on modern arts such as Judo,Karate,Aikido,and Shorinji Kempo. Donn pulls no punches which may insult some Shorinji Kempo teachers but the truth is the truth.And as the tired old adage says "The Truth will set you free" BUY THIS BOOK!

A well researched book. An excellent source to use as reference book. Since it was published in the early 70's many other books have been written on the topic. But few can compare to Draeger's fine work.

It is the best book on the concepts behind the arts that I've ever read. Draeger gives outstanding insights into the origins, history and myths of the major martial arts forms that can only come from a true authority. He puts the development of the modern arts into perspective by presenting a cohesive explanation of the times, politics and motives of their development. His writing can be a bit hard to follow at times, but overall the book is well organized and spellbinding.

this book has nice pix of interesting, inspiring houses with some usable ideas

This beautiful book is obviously a must-read for architects and designers; it more than fulfills their expectations as to tge ingenuity and esthetic genius of the new wave of Japanese home-builders. That is not what inspired me to write this, my first on-line book review. Rather, it is the book's essays on current changes in Japanese culture, life-styles, and domestic paraphenalia that make it, surprisingly, a treat for anyone interested in cintemporary Asia.
Rutherford Poats, New York
rudpoats@aol.com

The book is a very complete review of modern japanese houses, divided in very accurate categories. Naomi Pollock is very clear in explaining the evolution of each subject and she describes each house in a superb way. The photographs are gorgeous.Excellent quality, very recommendable, it's worthy paying for a book like this.
Cecilia Domenech

What a beautiful book! I have always loved the story of Momotaro (Peach Boy) and the wonderful paintings by Kano Naganobu add another dimension to the story. It is just exquisite!

"Momotarô-san, Momotarô-san
Please give me one of those
Millet dumplings you're carryiing.
I'd gladly give one to you
If you'll go along with me
To conquer the ogres!"

Momotarô is a popular hero from Japanese folklore and the above verse is from a Japanse folk song about his famous exploits. His name literarly means Peach Tarô (Momo meaning Peach and Tarô meaning the eldest son, ergo Momotarô is often translated as Peach Boy). This is because the popular story of Momotarô, which dates from the Edo period, tells of this extraoridnary boy coming down to earth inside a large, golden peach. He is raised by his adoptive parents and grows to be stronger and wiser than his elders. Then when he is fifteen he sets off to battle the evil ogres that have been terrorizing and robbing the people of the region for such a long time.

"Momotarô and the Island of Ogres" is told by Stephanie Wada and follows the young hero's arrival and his upbringing by the old couple. To bring good to his parents and to other people, Momotarô decides to defeat the terrible ogres of Onigashima and begins his journey carrying some of the kibi-dango (millet dumplings) that are his favorite food. Along the way he picks up a large spotted dog, a monkey, and a pheasant who join him in his quest. The rest of the story is devoted to their journey to Onigahsima and the great battle in which they defeat the blue, red and gren ogres and return home in triumph.

As interesting as the story is the big treat here are the exquisite handscroll paintings by the Japanese artist Kano Naganobu (1775-1828) that illustrate the tale. Naganobu painted in ink, colors, and gold on silk. The book's postscript explains how the original image do not exist as separate paintings or scenes, but as a pair of handscrolls. The first tells Momotarô's story till our hero and his animal friends approach Onigashima, the second illustrates the battle between Momotarô's allies and the ogres through the return home. The postcript also highlights that Naganobu's illustrations are filled with various symbols of long life and good luck (e.g., water, the peach, crane, etc.). So be prepared to go back and look at the wonderful illustrations when you have read up on what all there is to find there so you can better appreciate them the second (or third or fourth) time around.

This is a classic Japanese legend, which is told with illustrations from an old scroll. The illustrations are wonderful, and the story is a lot of fun.

It's a beautiful story to read aloud, it has a pleasant rhythm. The story is about a little mouse looking for a strong husband in order to make up for her own weakness. She searches high and low only to find that what she was looking for was there all along. I love the ending. The illustrations are gorgeous.

This books is especially good for young girls who need self validation.

I was so disappointed to see that this book is out of print. I'll treasure my copy all that much more! This book is illustrated so beautifully and has such a sweet message, it is one of my all time favorites in my childrens' collection. It keeps you guessing right up until the end, when it seems pleasingly obvious where the story was heading all along! I love the characterization of the different elements. A very warm and interesting book. If you're looking for something special for a child in your life, this is it!

I work in the children's Department at a library and see many books. When I came across this one I instantly fell in love with it. It is beautifully illustrated. The story line though having a predictable ending is quite enchanting and very entertaining. I am so sad to see that it is out of print. It is one I would love to have in my private collection.