No comments about Look into Tokyo (Japan in Your Pocket Series, Vol 7).

No comments about Exploring Kiryu, Ashio, and Nikko: Mountain Walks in the Land of Shodo Shonin.

No comments about Japanese Tourists: Socio-Economic, Marketing, and Psychological Analysis (Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing Monographic Separates) (Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing Monographic Separates).

No comments about A Collector's Guide to Books on Japan in English: An Annotated List of Over 2500 Titles with Subject Index (Annotated Japan Library).

3 comments about On Familiar Terms: To Japan and Back, a Lifetime Across Cultures (Kodansha Globe).

1. Donald Keene is not only one of the WestÕs great literary and cultural translators of Japan, he is an important figure in the history of modern Japanese literature. In this readable and inspiring autobiography, Keene succinctly recalls his experiences with Japan, its language and its culture, and the numerous academic and literary figures he has encountered.

   Keene, like many early Japan scholars in the United States, was initially trained by the military for intelligence work during World War II in the Pacific. Most of the book deals with his life between the war years, when he first struggled with the Japanese language, through the 1960s, when he was at the height of his associations with such famous Japanese writers as Yasunari Kawabata, Kobo Abe and Yukio Mishima. Keene was a great fan of Mishima, who is probably the most legendary Japanese writer in the West. Keene knew him well professionally, and openly discusses his efforts to lobby for a Nobel Prize for Mishima. He also talks about the dejection that overtook Mishima for never winning. Keene relates his own sense of loss at the suicides of both Kawabata and, especially, Mishima, and even finds fault with himself for not recognizing sooner the trajectory of MishimaÕs demise.

   Keene's autobiography is highly recommended to anyone interested in the literature or scholarship of Japan, as well as to anyone interested in the life of an unusual and inspiring individual.




2. As someone living in Japan I enjoyed reading this book. Donald Keene is one of the great scholars on Japanese literature and equally at home in it's many facetted culture. The work Dr. Keene has delivered with this autobiography has the feel of many years of being submerged in a fascinating as well as a, for a Westerner, incredibly complex literary culture written in a wonderfully easy to understand style. Not only for those interested in Japanese literature and culture, but also for those who just want to have a good read. While traveling or before going to sleep. Nothing deep, but personal and a joy to read!



3. Donald Keene's personal story on his life-long devotion to the study of Japanese never fails to attract those interested in Japanese and Japan.

   I find his accidental first encounter with a strange language, Japanese, quite amusing. A mistake to put a record on a player has eventually led young Keene to dare to learn Japanese and finally to write one of the most comprehensive history of Japanese literature several years ago. My vivid memory is that on a new-year TV program Keene and a notable Japanese poet talked about Japanese literature. The Japanese poet was never equal to Keene on topics in Japanese literature. It might be true that Keene's profound knowledge and appreciation of Japanese literature has no rival even in Japan, maybe except Dr. Jinichi Konishi, Professor Emeritus of Tsukuba University.

   In this work, Keene puts an exciting and enchanting account of mishaps, adventures, good luck with Japanese which fascinated and nurtured the author as a distinguished Japan scholar.

   I especially love to read his struggle and clever strategy of how he finally reached Tokyo and then, without staying there for even a night he took a night train for Kyoto from which his literary quest originated.

   I believe we can enjoy reading detailed episodes that reveal his solid dedication and patience in learning Japanese and Japan. The author's well-thought-out expressions often help us discover the best way to describe in plain English some peculiar aspects of Japanese culture.

No comments about BORN TO SHOP: TOKYO (Frommer's Born to Shop).

2 comments about Fodor's Tokyo's 25 Best, 5th Edition (25 Best).

1. I have been to Tokyo several times and wanted to purchase a book about Tokyo to make sure I took my husband to all the great places in Tokyo for our honeymoon. This book is a total waste of money. If someone actually took only this book's advise the trip to Tokyo would be a total waste. It recommended going to Tokyo Tower. Yes, the Japanese people (I am half Japanese) are very proud of their tower but it really is nothing at all, not anymore at least. Why recommend more than one observation location (Tokyo Tower is very small) when you are limiting the best of Tokyo to 25 places? If you want to obeserve Tokyo from a great height I recommend the Metropolitan Government Offices, it's free. I cannot believe they recommended going to Disneyland. I guess it would be a good recommendation if your from Asia but this book is written in English so it's not exactly catering to any asian countries. Has this author even been to Tokyo? He writes about the GPS and HDTV like it is some new unheard of phenomenon. Where has he been? If you want a good book buy DK's Eyewitness Travel Guides - Japan (best!) or any Lonely Planet guides to Tokyo.



2. My husband and I are going to Tokyo in 2 months, so we checked out half a dozen guide books from the library to find the best ones for us. The two we decided to buy to take with us are this Fodor's 25 Best and the Tokyo Rough Guide by Jan Dodd. The other reviews of this are a tad unfair. It's not a comprehensive guide to all things Tokyo, but it does have concise listings of popular attractions, good directions to get to said attractions and offers a nice bullet-points model to visiting Tokyo. This book is useful if you only have a short time in Tokyo and want to see the major things.
   Another thing it really has going for it is size. Minimizing the amount of stuff you carry is a HUGE boon to traveling in Japan. This is small and handy enough to keep in the backpack, even on crowded trains.

1 comments about Time Out Shortlist Tokyo (Time Out Shortlist).

1. This book is hard to judge. Basically it's a very compact pocket sized "shortlist".
   Its resembleing a westernized summary of catgorized places.
   The book contains a vast amount of information, but it fails to make that easily accessable.
   
   On the one side I found the wording sometimes to be a bit harsh (rude) categorizing
   f.e some clubs as meat marcets etc.
   However keep in mind they do reflect the tendencies the author tries to express.
   
   
   I usually put post-it's on my books, but because of size limitations that doesn't work here.
   Its also not the type of book where you find the data quickly, rather by chance.
   Either its in the index or you have to scim through the book to find it again.
   So my advice if you buy the book read it in advance before going to Tokyo.
   
   Its attempting to show the "best" places to go to (but really showing only the main stream places).
   The best feature is its actual usable train network map (the best of what I found within 8 years living in Tokyo).
   
   The book does not reflect enough places where the average citizen goes.
   (Yoshinoya, Matsuya, Royal Host, Volks, convinient stores etc. and other type of chain and family restaurants)
   
   The Tsukiji fish marcet doesn't even seem to exist.
   If making a book about the capital of Tokyo than why would I leave out the legendary fish marcet ?
   
   Instead its recommending the best german food style like restaurant in Tokyo. Why would I come to Japan for that ? What do I miss here ?
   
   The book does include overview type maps of the main districts (Shibuya, Shinjuku, Roppongi etc.)
   The shinjuku map doesn't even include Yodobashi and BIC camera also they are just next to the station.
   Many business visitors might not have the time to go to Akihabara but may pass by Shinjuku daily, so I found that absurd that its not included.
   
   The book also does not include nearby places like Kamakura, Karuizawa, Hakone, Nikko etc. which are a typical 1-2h ride from central Tokyo.
   
   Summary:
   For people with strict time constraints (business trips etc) this seems unfortunately the best investment you can do right now.
   The size and weight make it fit into any pocket. I would consider the target group to be (preferrable singles) under 40.
   Dont expect much background on culture, asian manner and "quieter" places. For that you will want to get another book.
   
   
   Note to the editors and authors:
   
   This is EXACTLY the type of book which doesnt help an inch to break down international barriers. Japanese people do VERY much appreciate foreigners that come to Japan and know a few rules, also they are polite enough to not point it out straight away to you directly.
   
   Have you learned anything while you where in Japan ?
   Why not including common pitfalls into the book ?

No comments about Reading Japanese Signs: Deciphering Daily Life in Japan.

1 comments about JAPAN : PHOTOGRAPHS 1854-1905.

1. This is a wonderful collection of a wide variety of pictures from the period including landscapes and important structures, portraits of individuals in their normal settings and a large number of images taken in the studio. Many of the latter are attempts to show lifelike poses and situations and to record different types of dress and custom. These are somewhat stylized, but do try to convey some of the nature of the true subjects. There are a large number of pictures of samurai, peasants, nobles and geisha. Some of the photographs were hand tinted at the time, and those colors are preserved although probably significantly faded. Overall a wonderful snapshop of time at the time and actually of times immediately preceding it since many of the photographers were capturing somewhat outdated styles and customes (eg kago sedan chairs and old samurai armor).