2 comments about Seeing Tokyo.

1. Trying to capture the spirit of Tokyo is a complicated venture. As the author admits in her introduction, there is no "One Tokyo," no single character or landmark that unites the sprawling capital. A huge mess of cities-within-a-city, Tokyo can only be seen by the parts that make up the whole.
   
   In "Seeing Tokyo," Kaori Shoji has attempted to map and present the faces of the city, the old and the new, the various districts and their flavors. Landmarks such as the giant red lantern of Asakusa and the metal spider of Roppongi are beautifully displayed. The magnificent shopping districts of Shibuya and Ginza have rarely looked better. A peak inside Kanetanaka, perhaps Japan's most famous and expensive restaurant, shows something that most of us will never get to see in real life.
   
   However, these are only buildings and places. What's missing from "Seeing Tokyo" is people, and Tokyo is all about people. All of these photographs seem false and misleading, due to the lack of human presence. I was shocked to see a picture of the Shibuya crosswalk, one of the world's busiest, almost completely unoccupied! There are a few shots, such as Ueno park during Sakura season, that give the true flavor, but the constant human presence is not captured, sacrificed for a more aesthetic viewpoint.
   
   So while beautiful and enticing, this is not Tokyo. It is a beautiful photography book, and can be appreciated for that. However, it is a tourist's pamphlet's view, far removed from the real wonders of one of the world's most interesting cities.



2. According to my Japanese Literature Professor at Sophia University, Professor James Shields (back in the day), Tokyo was originally designed as an incomprehensible maze resistant to foreign invasion, thus the city was riddled with dead ends and detours making it impossible to march directly to the city center. Kyoto, he would point out, on the other hand, was designed according to Chinese Geomantic principals and was laid out in a grid-like sensible fashon. There lied the difference, he would say. Chaos versus Cosmic Order.
   I was a reporter, in another life for the Yomiuri Shinbun, from 1993 to the end of 2005, the last two 1/2 years spent covering the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, specifically vice, drugs and organized crime. I spent most of 1999 and 2000, covering the fourth district, where the seedy Kabukicho is located as well. I've had the mis(pleasure) of crawling through the dregs of Tokyo while passing through the worlds of luxury and excess. I generally don't like picture books but this one does a fine job of showing you all aspects of Tokyo. Kaori Shoji writes eloquently about the city and she's amazingly familiar with some aspects that escape most foreigners and many Japanese as well. Whether you've been to Tokyo and want to relive it or have never been want to get a preview of the city, you could not go wrong by buying this book. I would have liked to have seen more of the seemy side of the city in the book but then again my vision of the city is slightly askewed and depraved. The city looks very different in daylight.
   --Jake Adelstein, ex-reporter/Japanese UE researcher

4 comments about The Donald Richie Reader: 50 Years of Writing on Japan.

1. "During the last fifty years, Donald Richie has been our greatest guide to the East. An outsider turned insider-a beautiful and subtle writer with an eye for the wild life as well as an ear for the silences of Japan."
   MICHAEL ONDAATJE

   "Donald Richie is the Lafcadio Hearn of our time, a subtle, stylish, and deceptively lucid medium between two cultures that confuse one another: the Japanese and the American."
   TOM WOLFE

   "Richie is the only foreigner I know who can take [Japan] on its own terms, as few newcomers do, yet bring to it a freshness that almost every long-time resident has lost."
   PICO IYER, THE TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT

   "This wonderful book can be read as a work in progress of almost fifty years. No writer about Japan matches Richie's breadth of knowledge, depth and variety of experience, and his love of the people he writes about. The book of a lifetime, which will last."
   ......P>http://www.stonebridge.com/RICHIEREADER/richiereader.html




2. Having lived in Japan for nearly twenty years, I can still
   recall those early days when I first set foot upon these shores
   and began a love-hate relationship with this island nation that
   has persisted to this day. Richie's writings prior to l984 helped
   to shape my initial perceptions of this often bewildering and
   enigmatic culture where a smile and crafty deceit are almost one
   and the same. Like a latter day Hearn, I was enchanted at first
   by what was to prove a vanishing glimpse of an older Japan that
   fell victim to the Bubble Economy. How swiftly values changed.
   The thrift of the past, the frugality of earlier times gave way
   to materialistic and ethical abandon in the greed and gilded
   Bubble world (l986-93). I rate his book with only two stars
   because the Japan that existed in the late 50's or early 60's
   has all but disappeared. In its place is a darker, nihilistic
   society that continues to dream of global economic power and
   nationalistic supremacy as envisioned by such neo-fascist
   leaders as Shintaro Ishihara. For those readers who have never
   been to Japan, be very skeptical of books that portray Japan as
   a peace loving and friendly nation that seeks to be a more
   active member of the international community. Japan loves to
   remain isolated and aloof, wishing merely to 'trade with the
   world' but not wishing to involve itself in the sordid affairs
   of inferior or dangerous nations (the USA is considered a
   crime ridden society that is semi-barbaric and thrilling at
   the same time). Richie and his generation of Chrysanthemum
   lovers did little to prepare newcomers to ugly realities that
   he turns a blind eye to or else glosses over. Read Alex Kerr's
   'Lost Japan' to better understand what I mean. Those of us
   who became jaded over the years mockingly refer to Lafcadio as
   'Lafcadio Hearnia'! He, too, was culturally myopic and chose
   to ignore the more disturbing events taking place in Japan in
   the early Meiji era such as the rise of a very aggressive
   military regime and the plight of a very large under-class that
   remained shackled to feudalistic level serfdom. The foreign
   residents in Japan today are still kept outside the society.
   Both India and Japan are caste conscious societies with very
   clearly defined ranks for all members. Richie may be a celebrated
   writer in Japan but outside of the publishing world, he's just
   another Gaijin, the foreign intruder.



3. Donald Richie is the Dean of American writers and observers in Japan. He casts a favorable but critical eye on this complex culture. This book captures the twist of his observations over time, first appreciating Japanese culture, but eventually wearying of it. Perhaps its a cycle seen by many longtime Gaijin.

   The writing covers a wide gamut of topics: Art, Film (Donald Richie is the pre-eminant Gai-jin critic of Japanese movies), Culture, Society, and even sex. It's truly a broad based reflection of a long time participant and observer in Japanese society. The writing is crisp, refreshing, and unabashedly biased. While many of the critiques are on serious subjects, this is not an academic work.

   Overall it's an iteresting book for those interested in Japan, but may not be appropriate for the general reader.




4. Humanity and insight. That is what separates Donald Richie from the numerous authors of that swollen genre, "books on Japan." Throughout his career, he has concocted a subtle blend, both of his own perspective and that of the people in a land foreign to him but home to them. He has shown Japan as a living place populated by these people, as opposed to of a set of cultural rules to be memorized, food to be eaten and temples to be visited.
   
   If Donald Richie offers insight into Japan, then "The Donald Richie Reader: 50 Years of Writing on Japan" gives a similar insight into Richie. An anthology, or course, it sifts through Richie's lifetime of work and condenses the finest, most representative pieces. A keen observer, Richie acknowledges his own eyes as part of the observation process. He is, first and foremost, a writer, and the fact that Japan is his muse is only a lucky happenstance. The essays and chapters here are as much about Donald Richie as they are about Japan.
   
   From masterpieces like "The Inland Sea" and "Ozu" to unpublished fiction like "The View from the Chuo Line," Richie's unique insight can be gleaned from this volume in a way that no single book could encapsulate. Some of his rarest works, such as "The Erotic Gods," his 1966 anthropological study of Japan's fading phallic religions, can possibly only be found in this volume. Same to this are passages from his first book, "Where are the Victors?," giving a rare view on Occupation Japan, when Richie first arrived.
   
   A further look into Richie is the excellent and long introduction by Arturo Silva. Heavily foot-noted and photo-referenced, the introduction sets the stage for the journey into Richie's psyche that you are about to take. The photos make Richie human, from the young robustness of his early days in Japan, to the wisdom of the Old Guarde that Richie has become. It is amazing how many Japanese people of note that Richie has known. Kawabata Yasunari, Ozu Yasujiro, Mishima Yukio, Kurosawa Akira...
   
   "The Donald Richie Reader" should probably not be your first Donald Richie book. For that I recommend "The Inland Sea" to start, and you should probably have a few of his smaller books, such as "The Honorable Visitors," under your belt before you come to this anthology. After that, I can recommend nothing better than this anthology.

No comments about Culture Shock! Tokyo (Culture Shock! Guides).

No comments about Japan: A Traveler's Literary Companion.

No comments about Tokyo 2005/2006: Japan Regional Maps (Periplus Travel Maps).

1 comments about Unbeaten Tracks in Japan: The Firsthand Experiences of a British Woman in Outback Japan in 1878.

1. Isabella Bird's firsthand account of the Japanese countryside and its inhabitants is fascinating for its detailed description of nature and is full of interesting observations of the customs and characteristics of both the Japanese and Ainu people. Isabella Bird deliberately chose to avoid the main routes as she traveled northward, and for the villagers she meets along the way, she is the first foreigner that they have ever laid their eyes upon. The reaction that she provokes is enough to make you laugh as Isabella does a good job of describing the scene before her eyes. Last but not least, I especially enjoyed reading the insightful Forward which gave me some food for thought as I read through the book.

No comments about Japan: A Self Portrait.

2 comments about Wallpaper City Guide: Tokyo (Wallpaper City Guide Tokyo).

1. The Wallpaper City Guides (WCG) are not comprehensive, and there is a bit of an 'extended travel magazine article' aspect to them: however, I like WCG's differences from Luxe City Guides, the travelogues in closest competition with WCG. Luxe engages in snarky comments, and its prose (rather like a slick, smug club kid writing for middle-aged wannabee hipsters with bottomless pockets) is of a sort that I've always found grating. I tossed my Luxe Tokyo guide for this very reason.
   
   The WCG style is meant to whet your appetite and give you some ideas about what to see if you have but a few days to check Tokyo out. I like its brevity.
   
   The WCG gives hotel and restaurant options both expensive and reasonable, making it worthwhile for the traveller on a more modest budget, whereas Luxe covers only the most expensive places to stay, eat, etc. WCG assumes you have very good taste, and lets you decide whether or not that entails 'blowing the bank' (I made a reservation for a Tokyo ryokan based on WCG Tokyo's recommendation, as it combined style with thrift): Luxe assumes you'll be paying the $700 Mandarin Oriental or Grand Hyatt rate, and that nightclubbing and shopping is all you're interested in. WCG has attractive photos and great layout that's easy to read: Luxe has no pictures and a tiny, crammed-to-the-rafters typeface. WCG has a servicable fold-out map of the Tokyo subway system inside its back cover: Luxe has a list of taxi, limo and private car-hire companies.
   
   The list could go on forever, but suffice it to say I like the Wallpaper City Guide Tokyo's style.



2. I live in Tokyo and a friend of mine who recently visited brought this as her only guide book. As a stand alone guidebook, she would have been completely and totally lost without me, my Tokyo City Atlas, and my explicit step by step instructions on how to get to places without me. If you're traveling on your own or without a friend here to play guide, this book is not enough - it doesn't give you webaddresses, metro/train station stops, or the names of certain places written in Japanese so you can ask people for help.
   
   Having said all that, as a complementary guide, this book was FANTASTIC. Every place that we went to in the book looked as good as they were pictured. Every food recommendation was truly amazing and never a waste of time. Although it does have recommendations for all around the city, I would say that it is pretty Omotesando/Minami-Aoyama centric.
   
   I am planning to buy the new edition coming out next year for myself. This is a great book for anyone who lives in Tokyo and wants to find restaurants, museums, and temples that are perhaps off the beaten path, but on the modern architecture and interior settings path. This book generally makes no recommendations that you would see in the typical guide book (e.g. Asakusa, Shinjuku Tochomae, Kamakura day-trip), but that's fine, because if you're coming here by yourself, you will need a Lonely Planet or Frommer's anyway and those books will provide you with more comprehensive travel info.
   
   Particular food faves in this edition: a great, Kyoto-style food izakaya across from Aoyama Gakuin, and Beige, Alain Ducasse's restaurant in the Chanel bldg in Ginza (you can get an amazing lunch set there starting at 6000 yen - a great combo of top-rate French food with impeccable Japanese service, something you can't experience in France. Definitely worth the splurge.).

No comments about Knopf MapGuide: Tokyo (Knopf Mapguides).

5 comments about 31 Months in Japan: The Building of a Theme Park.

1. Reviewed by Kelli Glesige for Reader Views (3/06)
   
   Co-author Larry K. Collins was a project engineer assigned to the construction of the amusement park Universal Studios Japan, and Lorna, his wife was in Document Control. For 31 months, Larry and Lorna lived in Japan during the building of Universal Studios Japan, moving to Osaka in August 1998 from their permanent home in Dana Point, California until the park opened on March 31, 2001. "31 Months in Japan" is the story of the culture shocks the Collins encountered, the wonderful friends they made, and the sharing of their many interesting challenges and adventures, beginning with the first obstacle in May 1998 when they learned their building site was contaminated and the subsequent 18 month clean-up.
   
   "31 Months in Japan" will entice those curious about traveling to or possibly living in Japan. The behind the scenes work that goes on during the construction of a theme park is also covered, so if you are enthralled with all the plans that go into building a theme park from the obtaining of the land until the gates are opened to the public, you will be entertained.
   
   The book is written like a journal, Larry writing about his encounters as a project engineer, working on the Jurassic Park and JAWS water rides, along with the Water World show, then Lorna sharing her experiences with obtaining housing, cooking and working in Japan. They cover the gamut in telling us about Japanese fashions, home furnishings, festivals, holidays, weather, roadways, maps, parking, waste removal system, communal bathing, golf, rituals, work ethic, appropriate social behavior, and obtaining and preparing familiar food.
   
   At the beginning of each chapter, a new Japanese word is introduced with its pronunciation and meaning, and we are then told a story of how that Japanese word relates to an encounter shared by the Collins. By the end of the book, we should have a few Japanese words in our memory.
   
   The differences between America and Japan were eye opening. Larry experienced driving with only ½" between his left front tire and a three foot ditch running along the side of the road. When passing another vehicle, Larry relates there would be only a scant 1/4" space between the two vehicles door-to-door. Also, before purchasing a car in Japan, the Collins learned one must first have an assigned place to park it. A final random thought I found interesting was that American pizza in Japan has corn atop, is drizzled with mayonnaise, and has toppings of seafood and seaweed.
   
   The Collins eagerly and enthusiastically share with us their experiences of Japan. They tell us about Jurassic Mark, Raouf Iskander, the Nihon Cowboy, their Japanese "daughter" Yasuko and Jurassic Jack. The Collins came back changed individuals but only for the better. It is obvious of the great love they felt for the many special friendships solidified by their times in Japan. The Collin's book is a tribute to the great number of colorful personalities that came together to make the building of Universal Studios Japan a success!



2. From the very first chapter, "31 Months in Japan : The Building of a Theme Park" by Larry K. and Lorna Collins, immerses the reader in a fascinating discovery of Japanese culture and the ingenious secrets that make the magic of a theme park real. This detailed and personal account of the trials and surprises involved in creating Universal Studios Japan is told in a warm familiar voice that many times had me musing that I would have reacted the same way as the narrators.
   
   The Collins embark on their adventure with enthusiasm and open hearts, and this attitude enables them to make meaningful contact with their Japanese hosts, not just in the workplace where they face the challenges of turning dreams of an exciting theme park into smoothly-functioning reality, but also on the busy and often confusing streets of Osaka. If you wish to experience a view of another culture that goes beyond rapid tourist impressions or the surface veneer of international negotiations, this book is for you.
   
   Another wonderful layer of the book is the intriguing behind-the-scenes perspective of the complicated mechanics that make all the parts of a major theme park mesh together to form a magical world of imagination come to life. I was spellbound by the innovative solutions that the team of engineers used to solve the complex problems involved in making giant mechanical dinosaurs and sharks interact with an artificial landscape and waterscape to produce a living theater capable of thrilling visitors again and again.
   
   By the time you finish "31 Months in Japan" you will know the Collins well, and will appreciate having joined them on their rich journey to Japan and back. The theme park they helped create is a testament to how drawing on the strength and vision of many individuals and even different cultures can take a project to admirable and unexpected heights. I strongly recommend this outstanding book.



3. I was utterly charmed by the experiences related from the viewpoint of the author husband and author wife. Not only were the glimpses of the Japanese culture intriguting and fascinating, but I was also awed by the descriptions of the different places visited by the authors. The insights into the actual building of a theme park in a foreign land kept me turning pages.
   
   Having had the opportunity to see the authors at the recent Epicon made it even more interesting as I could imagine them as I read their words.
   
   This is definitely a book for anyone who likes to read about new places and learn more about a different culture from first hand sources.
   
   Thank you for many pleasant reading hours.
   
   Marilyn Meredith, author of Wingbeat, latest in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series.



4. Genre: Travel
   
   Title: 31 Months in Japan: The Building of a Theme Park
   
   Author: Larry K. and Lorna Collins
   
   How do you prepare a traditional Thanksgiving dinner in Japan? Every step is a challenge, from procuring the turkey to making the pumpkin pie. But Larry and Lorna Collins of California thrive on such adventures, and they've written an enthralling account of the joys and frustrations of their "31 Months in Japan."
   
   Larry worked as an engineer on a major theme park project in Osaka. He writes about topics such as unexpected engineering challenges involving dinosaurs and sharks, field-testing the park's rides (and restaurants!), surfing Japanese-style, and the bureaucratic hassles of buying a car. Meanwhile Lorna delighted in the people they met, and she writes with warmth and enthusiasm of cross-cultural experiences shared with new friends. She also devotes a chapter to typhoons and another, perhaps even scarier, to driving in Japan.
   
   This is a super book that radiates joie de vivre. You'll be inspired as you read of life-enriching episodes, and a little overwhelmed as you learn about the many small misunderstandings and irritations of expatriate living. At times humorous, surprising, and moving, "31 Months in Japan" is a must-read for all travelers, armchair and otherwise.
   
   
   Highly Recommended by Reviewer: Julie Falkner, Allbooks Reviews.



5. This book accurately captures the experience of the working expat in Japan - coping with culture clashes in the office as well as adjustment pains in a foreign land. Larry and Lorna Collins tell the story of their trip to build Universal Studios Japan - the preparation, the work, the life in Japan and then the return.
   
   As a reader with similar experiences, there were many, "The same thing happened to me" moments as they peeled the onion of Japanese culture, encountering and then digging through stereotypes. The book also provided quite a few "I wish I knew that back then" lessons. The old Japanese hand will also note the odd ironic event here and there, for example, being complimented on using chopsticks is a universal experience.
   
   The mix of good nature and naive wonder experienced by Larry and Lorna come through strong. Perhaps the sincerity is why they made so many connections. Of course the cultural cynic won't be able to finish the book.
   
   Worth the read, and makes me want to return to Japan.