2 comments about Longfellow's Tattoos: Tourism, Collecting, And Japan.

1. Charles Longfellow was the son of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Charles visited Japan in the 1870s intending a brief visit, and stayed for two years, returning to Boston with photos and elaborate tattoos he had 'collected' on his body. But Christine M.E. Guth's Longfellow's Tattoos: Tourism, Collecting, And Japan is not so much a survey of collectible items nor even tattoo history, as a cultural expose of Japan in the 19th century travel world. Chapters survey the state and nature of Japanese culture in the world of the times, using art and curios as a focal point.



2. This is one of the most fascinating stories I have ever read. Politically correct academics have succeeded in erasing Longfellow from the American canon, replacing him and his contemporaries with names you've never heard and will never know how to pronounce. Perhaps this bit of exotica if not to say erotica will give life back to this former pillar of American culture. It is the son, not the sage of Cambridge whom Professor Guth has chosen as her subject. But what a character he is. Longfellow Jr. had very little going for himself besides boredom and a nearly limitless bank account, so he went on an extended grand tour of the Orient, setting himself up in a Japanese harem, stocked like a koi pond which nubile Japanese maidens. Besides an addiction to Asian flesh, young Longfellow seems to have keyed into that great American pastime known as shopping with the result that he brought a warehouse full of souvenires back to fill Boston's museums and the mansions of his father's aristocratic friends. Any way you look at it, this story has legs. It's a miracle Hollywood hasn't grabbed hold of it. Stay tuned.

1 comments about A Guide to the Japanese Stage: From Traditional to Cutting Edge (Origami Classroom).

1. Japanese theater is at once compelling and uninviting. Compelling, due to its flamboyant and exotic nature, with the outrageous flair of Kabuki, and the obfuscation and mystery of the masks of Noh and the puppets of Bunraku. Uninviting, because of the ancient and ceremonial language, the centuries old symbolism and buried nature of the storyline. Even to Japanese people, the worlds of Japanese theater can be a complex and incomprehensible realm, requiring significant amounts of study before appreciation. Like Shakespeare, the more familiar one becomes with the meter of the language and the flow of the story, the more one can enjoy the pathos and humor.
   
   "A Guide to the Japanese Stage" is a fine introduction to Japanese theater, both traditional and contemporary. It showcases the four main styles of traditional theater, Kabuki, Noh, Bunraku and Kyogen, then offers a whirlwind tour of all the variety of modern plays and dances. The traditional theaters are covered in-depth, complete with popular play synopsises, styles of make-up, origins, famous actors, clothing and a surprising amount of detail for such a manageable book.
   
   Packed with photographs, the stunning visual element is richly displayed. While definitely not a photo-book, "A Guide to Japanese Stage" illustrates the text with examples of wigs, masks, puppets and all the stunning flair that is a hallmark of Japanese theater. There is a nice collection of Yakusha-e, popular woodblock prints of Kabuki actors that have been sold over the years during performances. Further illustrations detail the male, female and special masks of Noh, the significance of the make-up styles of kumadori Kabuki make-up and the various quick costume changes and special effects of Kabuki.
   
   Unlike most books on Japanese theater, modern theater is given its due as well, covering such things as Super Kabuki, Takarazuka's all-woman musical revue, Western-influenced Shingeki, and the grotesque dance of Butoh. Japan's theatrical tradition certainly doesn't end with the four classic styles, and an amazing breadth of work is on display. This is a rarely-covered area, and very interesting.
   
   Immediately after reading "A Guide to the Japanese Stage," I went to see a Kabuki performance and it was astounding how much more appreciation I had from previous performances I had seen. Able to recognize the "mie" poses, knowing the purpose of the onnagata dance, and able to piece together the plot from the "typical play" synopsises of the book, it was a much more rewarding experience. True appreciation of these theater forms does only come from years of study and exposure, but this book is an excellent place to begin this journey. I look forward to learning more, and to experiencing more Japanese theater armed with my new insight.

1 comments about A Year in Japan.

1. If you liked A Year in Japan (the book), you will love this, because it's reproductions of the best parts of the book, in postcard form. I may never actually send any of these postcards because they're almost too beautiful to send.

No comments about A Birdwatcher's Guide to Japan.

1 comments about The Sky Burns Red.

1. Hi, folks, and welcome to the world of Kindle.
   
   I'm a consultant turned novelist. I'd like to say I'm a John Grisham of the business world, but my writing style is definitely more James Patterson.
   
   [...]. Throughout my travels, I marvel at the excitement in the world of business, and was yet, surprised at how little we see in terms of good business novels.
   
   So as an arrogant consultant, I decided to write one. Set in modern day Japan, The Sky Burns Red follows the deal maker king of Japan as he uncovers a conspiracy within the trans-Pacific Airline industry that could topple the government of Japan. With tensions escalating because of the conduct of US troops on Japanese soil and the growing nationalism in the Far East, this novel is a reminder that businesses are inevitably tied to the socio-political environment.
   
   Three junior high school girls out on a date with US Servicemen are brutally raped. A struggling US airline announces a major strategic alliance with the national carrier of Japan. Demonstrations spread throughout Japan to throw out the Yanks. Kentaro Kawakami weaves through the intricate web so that he could seal the deal of the century. And in his quest for economic supremacy, he faces the ghosts of his own past--a failed marriage and a destroyed family life. When he meets an angel in the sky, his life is turned around.
   
   The Sky Burns Red was translated into Japanese and released there by major publisher Gentosha. In the US, you can only get it through Kindle.
   
   [...]

No comments about Excursions in Identity: Travel and the Intersection of Place, Gender, and Status in Edo Japan.

2 comments about Rediscovering the Old Tokaido: In the Footsteps of Hiroshige.

1. I have just finished walking in the delightful, enthusiastic and quirky company of Patrick Carey, the 303 miles of the Old Tokaido. Unlike the author who was footsore and weary at the end, I felt refreshed, enlightened and keen to learn more about Japan, its history, its people and its artists particularly, naturally, about Hiroshige. Prior to reading this book, I have to confess to an almost total ignorance of the subject, so it was with a virtually blank canvas that I started to read. Armed only with copies of the wood block prints made by Hiroshige following his 1832 journey along the Tokaido, a couple of photocopied sketchy maps, a rucksack and boundless enthusiasm, the author set out to trace the old road, seemingly lost among the modern arteries of rail and trunk roads. The prints are grouped together near the start of the book and I only came to look at them closely as the author reached each one stage by stage - it was a bit of a fiddle flicking back and forth, but once I mastered marking the print with the front cover and my place in the story with the back, I found it quite practical and well worth the effort. At each stage of the journey we are entertained by historical facts, topographical notes, encounters with a variety of people all of which contribute to a good read.



2. I have just finished walking in the delightful, enthusiastic and quirky company of Patrick Carey, the 303 miles of the Old Tokaido. Unlike the author who was footsore and weary at the end, I felt refreshed, enlightened and keen to learn more about Japan, its history, its people and its artists particularly, naturally, about Hiroshige. Prior to reading this book, I have to confess to an almost total ignorance of the subject, so it was with a virtually blank canvas that I started to read. Armed only with copies of the wood block prints made by Hiroshige following his 1832 journey along the Tokaido, a couple of photocopied sketchy maps, a rucksack and boundless enthusiasm, the author set out to trace the old road, seemingly lost among the modern arteries of rail and trunk roads. The prints are grouped together near the start of the book and I only came to look at them closely as the author reached each one stage by stage - it was a bit of a fiddle flicking back and forth, but once I mastered marking the print with the front cover and my place in the story with the back, I found it quite practical and well worth the effort. At each stage of the journey we are entertained by historical facts, topographical notes, encounters with a variety of people all of which contribute to a good read.

2 comments about The Search for Sushi: A Gastronomic Guide.

1. I have been looking for a book like this ever since my interest in sushi became deeper. Even though I've been eating sushi for many years now, my knowledge was vastly expanded by this book. I personally enjoyed seeing the nutrient content of the fish per piece and when the best season was to consume certain fish. Carl was also able to share little extras he learned in his search of sushi. For example, I didn't know that the wasabi we get is most likely not true wasabi or the proper etiquette one should have at the bar. I believe that as the name implies this is a truly gastronomic guide to the world of sushi.



2. This is a very nice sushi guide,in Japan and out of it with great advices for places to go eating..

4 comments about Behind the Japanese Bow.

1. Truly the best book I have ever read on Japan.



2. Boye Lafayette De Mente has a handle on the origins of Japanese culture and conveys that knowledge in a fascinating manner. Just buy it!!



3. The author has written quite a few books on how Japanese persons behave, but this one goes a level deeper to try and explain why they act the way they do. To do this, he puts forth the concept of analyzing behavior through the lense of kata, forms for the proper way of doing things in a Japanese context. Using this as his key, he outlines what he sees as about 15 influential kata patterns and how they've been incorporated into various levels of Japanese society. Going beyond mere description, he offers a critique of the weaknesses of a kata based culture, and gives some idea how things will change as the kata patterns are weakened by foreign influences.



4. Interesting tidbits, like any book, but I thought this book was stereotypical japanologist..., and this is the exact type of book japanophiles should steer far, far away from. I didn't find his explanations for "kata" a reason why japanese culture is the "superior society". Nor he does he explain "kata" in dilligent detail. This book really wasn't about japanese bows anyway. While I don't doubt De Mente has written some good books, I think this book was his attempt at flattering and complimenting japan for cash.

2 comments about Historical and Geographical Dictionary of Japan.

1. Found this book to be extremely helpful in researching Japanese history and to help deepen my understanding of all the events in Japanese history. There are a few errors in it that I've found, but overall, it's a very informative book.



2. This book is excellent and unequalled. Though written one hundred years ago and re-released in the 1970's and 1980's by Tuttle, it is the best historical reference for Japan up to the 20th century that I've seen. I bought my copy 20 years ago and have lived in Japan for 12 years and still often reference it.