Staff Picks
Japan 2021 for Olympics 2020
- Helene F.
- Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Collection
We now get to see Japan, her culture and history after seeing China and Korea present their cultures in previous Olympic Games. What do you want to learn about first, anime, manga, the language, the food, and the places they all come together in?
Looking for more, and in different formats? Check out our personalized recommendations here or call us at 799-9084.
Best of Japan.
Published in 2019
Seeing Kyoto
Published in 2005
Seeing Kyoto captures all the elegance of Japan's most beloved city. Dozens of gorgeous photographs reveal Kyoto's charms: the centuries-old Gion quarters where geisha still ply their trade; the quiet dignity of cobblestone corridors lined with traditional wooden houses; sacred temple grounds; classic Japanese gardens; and old palaces once inhabited by aristocrats and samurai. With insightful text, long-time Japan resident Juliet Winters Carpenter delves into the cultural history of Kyoto and looks at how the rich traditions of yesterday are becoming the strengths of today. She then takes us on a delightful side-trip to neighboring Nara, often called "the little Kyoto".
Teach Me More... Japanese.
Published in 1998
Anime and Manga
Published in 2015
Introduces the world of anime and manga--the past and how they became popular around the world.
Japan
Published in 2012
A basic guide to the history, culture, politics, environment, and people of modern Japan.
The Anime Encyclopedia
A Century of Japanese Animation
Published in 2015
Over one thousand new entries . . . over four thousand updates . . . over one million words. . .This third edition of the landmark reference work has six additional years of information on Japanese animation, its practitioners and products, plus incisive thematic entries on anime history and culture. With credits, links, cross-references, and content advisories for parents and libraries.
Japan
Published in 2019
"In this book, readers will learn about the unique and defining features of Japan. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text will engage young readers as they learn more about the key details of the country including geography, climate, culture, and resources. Compelling questions encourage further inquiry"-- Provided by publisher.
Japan, from the Source
Authentic Recipes from the People That Know Them Best.
Published in 2016
Lonely Planet presents Japan's most authentic dishes - direct from the kitchens where they were perfected. From street-food vendors to Michelin-starred chefs, Japan's best local cooks share their passion for food and 60 of their region's classic recipes - from steaming soups and silky ramen noodles to fresh, hand-rolled sushi. Recipes include: - Takoyaki - octopus balls - Sukiyaki - soy-simmered beef - Okonomiyaki - savoury pancakes - Torinabe - Chicken and vegetable hotpot - Iwashi sushi - Sardine sushi - Tonkatsu - deep-fried breaded pork cutlet - Teppo-jiru - miso soup with crab - Soki soba - Okinawan pork rib ramen with a pork broth - And more! It would be easy to assume that Japanese cuisine is all about the food itself. But no. Or at least, it's not only about the food. The cuisine of this teeming archipelago of 3000 islands is a living part of its culture. In Japan, it's believed that food should be devoured with all five senses: not just smell, taste and sight, but also touch (the texture of the ingredients, the smooth warmth of bamboo chopsticks), and even sound (a high-end ryotei is oddly quiet, the better to appreciate the experience of eating). Any Japanese meal - from a simple home-cooked fare to the most structured, formal kaiseki - aims to blend each of these elements for balance and nutrition. Unsurprisingly, this provides myriad benefits for our health, as does the act of lingering over our food and cherishing each mouthful with all our senses - the latter has been proven to aid digestion and portion control. It's clear that meals taken the traditional Japanese way are good for us. That they are such a pleasure to consume, too? Well, that's just a happy coincidence. With sumptuous, original photography and inside stories and tips from Japan's best local cooks of the history, legend, emotion, and process behind each recipe, From the Source - Japan represents global food at its most thrilling. The perfect book for foodies and travel enthusiasts alike! Also check out: - From the Source - Spain - From the Source - Italy - From the Source - Thailand
Tokyo Fashion City
A Detailed Guide to Tokyo's Trendiest Fashion Districts.
Published in 2016
The fashionable, eccentric pedestrians of Tokyo are captured with hundreds of portrait photographs in this fun guide to Tokyo street fashion. Tokyo is considered one of the world's style capitals for its vibrant youth fashion culture. Part guide book, part fashion photography album, Tokyo Fashion City takes a stroll through eight Tokyo neighborhoods, each with its own unique fashion characteristics, to see what streetwise young Tokyoites are wearing, where they're shopping, what they're eating and drinking, and where they're hanging out. Author Philomena Keet and photographer Yuri Manabe accompany the reader to Harajuku where high fashion rubs shoulders with hip-hop style; to Shibuya, birthplace of the "gal" and stomping ground for Tokyo's most sophisticated fashionistas; to hipster hangout Daikanyama; to the goth and geek meccas of Shinjuku and Ikebukuro; to bohemian Koenji and otaku neighborhood Nakano; to Ginza's lunching ladies and dapper gentlemen; to the cosplay paradise of Akihabara; and to the narrow lanes of East Tokyo, where everyday Japanese fashion gets a traditional touch. Each chapter is packed with photographs of young fashionistas captured as they go about their daily lives, with info-rich captions, and insightful text giving the background to the trends and tribes featured.
Tokyo Megacity.
Published in 2012
This photographic Tokyo travel guide explores the dynamic Japanese culture, art and architecture that make Tokyo a world-class city. This extraordinary book explores Tokyo through 250 revealing photographs by well-known photographer Ben Simmons and over 30 essays by famed author Donald Richie. Their love of the city, their sense of its history, and the deep respect and pure joy felt in being here, shine through on every page. Simmons and Richie show us how modern Tokyo evolved from a patchwork of villages that still exist today as distinct neighborhoods and districts, to the modern, trendsetting metropolis renowned the world over-that combine to make Tokyo a unique and special place. Tokyo Megacity presents the districts of the city in the order that they originally developed, starting with the Imperial Palace, sliding down to the "Low City" along the Sumida River, soaring back up to the "Mid-City," and finally, climbing the hills to the newer districts of the "High City." The combination of Ben Simmons' photographs and Donald Richie's text capture, as never before, the tremendous diversity, vitality and sheer livability of the megacity that is Tokyo.
Tokyo Geek's Guide
Published in 2017
Tokyo is ground zero for Japan's popular "geek" or otaku culture?a phenomenon that has now swept across the globe. This is the most comprehensive Japan travel guide ever produced which features Tokyo's geeky underworld. It provides a comprehensive run-down on each major Tokyo district where geeks congregate, shop, play and hang out?from hi-tech Akihabara and trendy Harajuku to newer and lesser-known haunts like chic Shimo-Kita and working-class Ikebukuro. Dozens of iconic shops, restaurants, cafes and clubs in each area are described in loving detail with precise directions to get to each location. Maps, URLs, opening hours and over 400 fascinating color photographs bring you around Tokyo on an unforgettable trip to the centers of Japanese manga, anime and geek culture. Interviews with local otaku experts and people on the street let you see the world from their perspective and provide insights on what is currently happening in Tokyo now (which will eventually impact the rest of the world)! Japan's geek culture, in its myriad forms is more popular today than ever before?with Japanese manga filling every bookstore; anime cartoons on TV; and transformer toys and video games like Pokemon Go played by tens of millions of people. Swarms of visitors come to Tokyo each year on a personal quest to soak in all the otaku-related sights and enjoy Japanese manga, anime, gaming and idol culture at its very source. This is the book they have to get!