Japan Books

A magnificent insight of pre-World War II Japan and China by the hands of the most represantive of Greek soul of all writers.

The book proved invaluable in researching my new novel set in China as a sequel to THE SHANGHAI MURDERS. It was glorious to hear Kazantzakis's words on places that I have seen and his insights, as is true in his great fiction, are devistating in their accuracy. A book that all travel writers should read. A great treat.

This book is a 'must' for all libraries: at close to A$500, it's unaffordable for the average person.

But in terms of quality and sophistication of the art of book-making, there are few books to equal this! Japan is seen here not through rosy glasses, but as it is: the good, the bad, the ugly. The central theses of Hall's excellent 'Cartels of the Mind' doesn't find inclusion here, to be sure, but it does an excellent job of staying modestly objective about a strange and beguiling land and culture.

I rate it 10 stars for quality, 5 stars for scholarship!

This book is a 'must' for all libraries: at close to A$500, it's unaffordable for the average person.

But in terms of quality and sophistication of the art of book-making, there are few books to equal this! Japan is seen here not through rosy glasses, but as it is: the good, the bad, the ugly. The central theses of Hall's excellent 'Cartels of the Mind' doesn't find inclusion here, to be sure, but it does an excellent job of staying modestly objective about a strange and beguiling land and culture.

I rate it 10 stars for quality, 5 stars for scholarship!

I lived in Tokyo at the time this book was written, and found it to be very entertaining. It conveys with great humor some of the cultural challenges of being a foreigner in Japan.

I'm not an expert on Japan. I've never been there and I've only read a few books about Japan and the Japanese. Despite that fact, I believe that Maloney's book is a charming read. Dan Maloney was columnist for the Japan Times in the 1970s. Although the book is a bit dated, all of the topics are quite easy to relate to. It's broken down into sections such as "Travel" and "Home Life." Under each section is 10 or so of his columns. Only a page or two in length, they are funny and easy to read. His humor almost always hits the mark, and the shortness of each piece means there's a lot of variety. If you don't like one story, you'll soon be on to the next. It's worth picking up.

You will never look at rocks the same after reading this book.

Mr. Yoshimura and Dr. Covello provide all the basics of viewing stone development, preparation and appreciation. All material is well-written and presented in an easy-to-understand method that makes one want to begin this art immediately.

I am very disappointed and angry that a book published in 1984 by Vincent T. Covello and Yuji Yoshimura as co authors should now, since Mr Yoshimura has died and cannot comment, is describing Mr Yoshimura as a mere contributor. We all know that the Yoshimura name sold the book!

Mr. Carter's new book provides readers with a fine introduction to several classical Japanese art forms, while it explains how these cultural arts function as "Ways" that lead to spiritual realization. The author's many years of experience in this field are clearly evident, and the book will appeal to readers well familiar with these disciplines as well as novices.

As a martial artist with 34 years of experience, I believe I've found a real gem! Prof. Robert E. Carter has certainly outdone himself with his groundbreaking new book, The Japanese Arts and Self-cultivation. In it, Carter explores Japan's unique approach to ethics by focussing in on and examining 5 examples of its arts: Aikido, landscape gardening, the way of tea, the way of flowers, and the way of pottery. Much of this exploration takes the form of interesting personal experiences and lively interviews with great masters of these arts.

The various arts of Japan are perceived by many people either in a wholly pragmatic, utilitarian manner -- as practical methods of achieving some end -- or as mere artistry and aesthetic affectation. Some people are able to appreciate that the application of the philosophical and psychological dimensions of such training can aid technical prowess. Beyond this, precious few seem privy to a much grander vista; specifically to a realization of the extreme importance of the social, ethical, and spiritual domains, and the impact that training in the Japanese arts can have on one's personal development in these areas. All of this is clearly and forcefully articulated by Carter in this book.

In his typical fashion, Carter uses a cross-cultural, comparative approach to clarify eastern and western positions and further elucidate his thesis. The most obvious characteristic of all these arts is that they are intensely physical practices and, thus, they perfectly exemplify the Japanese means to ethical training -- the cultivation of ethical behaviour through concrete, physical action. This stands in stark contrast to the western approach to ethics which is predominantly analytical, academic, and intellectual. Carter's profound conclusion: morality and ethics are not learned through mere words, by memorizing lists of rules, but by actually, physically practising them! And the Japanese arts are avenues that can amply provide such practice. In a similar vein, an authentic morality is not based on a fear of punishment or a promise of rewards (a position that seems predominant in western religious ethical thought) but is dependent on the cultivation of specific pro-social attitudes, in particular that of empathy, a felt connection to others, and the compassion that results. It is this which is more correctly understood to be the true source of authentic ethical behaviour, and it is to the cultivation of these various attitudes that the Japanese arts aim and excel.

Throughout his book, Carter offers a penetrating analysis into the Japanese view of ethics and the cultural methods developed since time immemorial to cultivate its values. From the arts as mere practical skills, to the arts as pathways to self-realization (the discovery of one's connection to/oneness with the universe), to ethical cultivation and a strong social focus, the thing that Carter makes clear is that a practice of the different arts impacts all of these levels of self-development simultaneously. Ultimately, an immersion in the physical practice of an art can lead to the psychological state of emptiness/no-self that not only is the source of all unconscious, skilful action but is also the basis for all empathetic, ethical behaviour -- of our ability to come together in correct human relations. So far, I have not yet come across another book or author that deals with this important, seminal topic in such depth and in as clear and engrossing a manner.

In conclusion, I believe that this outstanding book would be of great interest not only to philosophers and students of philosophy (those interested in ethics generally and in Oriental ethics and arts specifically) but to the general public as well. In particular, I recommend it wholeheartedly as essential and necessary (as well as relatively easy and engaging) reading for every serious martial artist who wishes to develop a greater understanding of the deeper dimensions of the arts. I also highly recommend, as an intimate companion to this book, Carter's previous book, Encounter With Enlightenment: A Study of Japanese Ethics (Suny Series in Modern Japanese Philosophy), which provides important philosophical foundations for the very same topic.

When I've searched for a general introduction for the subject of Japanese Buddhism, I wanted to find a readable, fluent in style and information kind of a book. Among the first results I've found was Tamura's book. After I've looked at the table of content and saw the full scale of this impressive overlook into the subject, I decided to purchase it with no hesitation.I found the historical details and the philosophical explanations to be very clear, especially when comparing various Buddhist sects as "pure land", " Ten Dai" ,"shingon" and even "future Buddhism".
For me, the book was a "must" as I was starting writing my seminar on Japanese Buddhism, and I found it captivating not only in style, but also in the depth of the explanations it gave.

I wish I had this book in college going for a degree in Asian Humanities. The historic facts were well researched and yet, plainly written for academic understanding. Well done.

I just love fabric from Japan and this book is filled with beautiful pictures of children's textiles and lot's of information on manufacturers, trends in colour and design etc.! There is also a section on anime fabrics which was so cute! This book is also available from the publisher directly.

As an artist and fashion stylist, I found this book particularly interesting and resourceful. The charming cover and delightful photographs provide an excellent visual tool for inspiration and design.

I bought this book after reading John Roderick's book 'Minka' which came out in September this year. 'Minka' is all about the loving restoration of a 200 year old Japanese farmhouse. Having been fortunate enough to live in Japan for 3 years from 1997 til 2,000 and having visited several minka while there,I loved this book for its inspirational delivery. That book then lead me to this next book 'Japanese Country Style' because it is written by the Japanese architect/art dealer who was responsible for moving the original minka in the first book. It shows all the minka he has been responsible for lovingly rescuing, restoring and adapting to modern day living requirements. I am planning a trip to Japan specifically to visit some of these wonderful buildings. They have spirit and beauty.

Enjoyable reading. The author lovingly describes how he relocated and remodeled a selection of traditional Japanese farm houses that otherwise would have been destroyed. The descriptions of each house includes anectodal notes as well as beautiful photos of the houses interiors & exteriors. Thank goodness there are people who are interested in preserving a nation's cultural heritage.

I've long been fascinated by the (to Westerners) strangenesses of Japanese culture and society, and I'm also interested in "life style" design, so I was particularly taken with this book. Each of the beautifully illustrated chapters deals with one aspect of the Japanese approach to the visual -- fashion, architecture, interiors, food and drink, transport, consumer products, housewares, communication and packaging, and transport -- and the author gives as much attention to the social psyhology behind Japanese traditions and interpretations as to the art and design itself, examining Japan's communitarian aspects and the tension between colorful individualism and finely developed herd instinct. A terrific book.

A worthy update on the world of Japanese style and design. Both pictures and text provide an insightful look into the Japan of the new millenium. The architecture, packaging, and fashion sections were of particular note. Highly recommended.

This book may be the best one I have purchased in over a year, on any subject.I am so happy to have it in my collection. Photography is excellent,and if you are an artist/dollmaker, the inspirational element is fantastic. Historically, the book is loaded with info that is fascinating.I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in dollmaking as I am,and who finds Asian artifacts refreshingly different on an artistic basis.What a great book! If you love dolls,this is a must have,You will not be dissappointed!

Alan Pate's second book on Japanese dolls gives the occidental reader a real understanding of the Japanese doll within the context of Japanese culture. The work would be cheap at 2X the price. The photographs are stunning and worth the price of admission. For the collector serious or casual this (and his earlier work, Ningyo) are all one needs.
Most highly recommended.