5 comments about How to Take a Japanese Bath (Zzz).

1. Though this book has few words, it conveys the sense of the Japanese bath and bath ritual with exquisite illustration and word images. There is no other book I have found that deals with this subject matter in such a poetic, thorough, yet unsentimental manner. It was especially useful prior to my first visit to Japan. It helped make sense of a simple but somewhat mystifying cultural tradition.



2. On a whim I bought this book for my fifteen-year-old daughter who is about to leave for Japan on an exchange student program. Our whole family delighted in the beautiful, gentle, and insightful explanation of this paramount of Japanese experiences. So clear, so charming, we could almost feel the sensory effects of this wonderful institution.



3. As a Japanese, I find this small book to be very accurate and informative. The procedure and the idea behind Japanese bath taking is clearly explained, without the oft-found orientalism. This is exactly the bath taking manners that our parents teach their kids (well, at least they are supposed to).

   Another great point about this booklet is the artist, Maruo. He is the Dario Argento of Japanese comics, known for his extremely detailed and beautiful drawings of the grotesque. In this book, you'll find a lot of very pleasant drawings about Japanese bath taking, but to the people who are used to his normal works, you sort of expect some blood, gore, beheadings and freakshows that are Maruo's signature themes at every turn of the page. Whether that expectation was satisfied was... I'll leave it up to you to find out.

   Highly reccomended. Informative to non-Japanese (and the younger generation Japanese --- you kids have no idea how to properly take a bath these days, shame on you), and enjoyable to Japanese.




4. Short and well illustrated, a good primer but definitely overpriced.
   Look for used if possible or else borrow a copy and read.



5. I'll never forget the first time I went into a sento in Japan, mainly because it was an unqualified disaster. I had no idea what I was doing, and had no one to show me what to do. I tried my best to watch the other bathers to see what they were doing, but staring at a bunch of naked guys isn't exactly the best way to go. The worst part was that I didn't know enough to bring along my privacy towel. You have no idea how much that little piece of cloth matters when everyone else has one, and you don't. Oh, how I wish I had had this book beforehand!
   
   "How to Take a Japanese Bath" is a simple guide, only 40 pages or so. Because of the fantastic illustrations, it is more like a manga than a book. Inside the rules of the bath are laid out in twelve simple steps, in an easy-going tone that doesn't talk down to you or lecture. It is pretty simple, if someone explains it to you as well as author Leonard Koren does here. In the back is a short overview of the history of bathing culture in Japan, and some basic Japanese phrases and kanji to help you navigate. It is, in short, everything you need to have a better experience than I did.
   
   The illustrations are what really set this apart from being just a pamphlet. I have to wonder what editor selected Suehiro Maruo, a successful contemporary artist best known for his violent and somewhat disturbing artwork, to illustrate this pleasant little guide to a peaceful and relaxing pastime. Imagine going to Japan and finding a guide to eating a hamburger, illustrated by Clive Barker, and that is what you are getting.

5 comments about Memoirs of a Gaijin: Emails from Japan.

1. I found myself laughing & smiling throughout this entire memoir, as the author takes his readers through all his crazy adventures in Japan. A well-written, thoroughly entertaining read indeed! I have recommended this book to several people, and they have really enjoyed it as well. Great work!



2. A very funny and honest account of the ups and downs of overseas-living. Whether you're a college exchange student or an ex-pat, this book is a must read for the wayward traveler!



3. So many times I've thrown a book in my suitcase to read while traveling. Whether its my favorite 'choose-your-own-adventure', the latest applied mathematics book my smart friends recommend, or the R-S volume from my mom's encyclopedia, the book usually stays in the suitcase. This one is different; I actually read it. Funny and genuine, this is worth packing.



4. A witty, honest work, Ben Hesse's Memoirs of a Gaijin should be a required read for those college grads who are contemplating the increasingly popular first "real-life" step of teaching English abroad. The meat of this book is the correspondence of E-mails between Ben in Japan and his friends and family back home in Minnesota. E-mail may not be as comforting a medium for them as the long-distance phone calls of ten years ago, but luckily for us, they allow us to peek directly at the long-stretched ties that span halfway around the globe. In between E-mails, Ben fills us in with the details that cast light onto that which, out of consideration for those who worry about him, he leaves out of his mass mailings back home.



5. Every now and then you want a book that just makes you laugh. I found myself laughing out loud while reading this book, the email and short chapter format made it an ideal read for my public transit commute to work. The email format did make me feel like I was snooping at times but also made for a more intimate experience. But hey I'll be honest that's probably why I liked it.
   
   Also I found the book reminded me a little of David Sedaris' writing - not the writing style but the way the author paints his family. I feel like I know the author's mom personally.
   
   On the but side - if you have never been to Japan (watching lost in translation doesn't count) or have never lived overseas, some aspects of the book could be lost on you.
   
   If you plan to go to Japan or are in Japan - you should read this book.

1 comments about Under the Osakan Sun: A Funny, Intimate, Wonderful Account of Three Years in Japan.

1. Despite the clumsy subtitle, "Under the Osakan Sun" is a great read for anyone interested in interested in teaching English as a second language in Japan (or China or Korea, there are some similarities in these cultures).
   
   "Teacher Hamish" takes us through his 3 year Japanese tour of duty, working in a High School on the outskirts of Osaka, Japan. It's all go from the moment, he arrives on a baking hot day, sweating profusely in his suit, at his school to be met by the School co-ordinator. The author doesn't just focus on his worklife, Japanese students and oddball workmates as a source of anecdotes, but also the foreign teachers he meets on his travels (particularly a woefully unprepared one called Rachel Brown). Hamish's adventures in the Japanese dating game as he tries to get laid is another constant source of amusement. Nonetheless, despite the situations which he gets himself into, it is very clear Japan has captured a little piece of Hamish's heart.
   
   Having taught English myself in Korea, this book has a particular resonance with me. Many of the situations which the author describes are similar to the Korean environment in which I lived, particularly the crazy or unprepared foreigners! It is extremely odd that some people will come from the US, UK or where ever, and truly expect Japan (or Korea) to be just like home!
   
   A great read, one that I whizzed through in a day and a half of solid reading. It is a shame that there weren't a few photographs to add to the very entertaining text. Still, "Under the Osakan Sun" is highly recommended!

No comments about 500 Fun Facts about Japan.

No comments about Hitching Rides with Buddha: Travels in Search of Japan.

No comments about Japan journal, 1855-1861.

1 comments about Tokyo: The Complete Guide with the Best Day Trips to Nikko, Kamakura, Yokohama and Mt.F uji (Gold Guides).

1. If you're into sushi and soba or curry and caviar you can find the best places to go in here. Also, great walking tours into the Ginza and Shinjuku. And for the adventurous, try the after dark entertainment from Kabuki to karaoke.

   The Japanese vocabularly and the food glossaries are particularly helpful.

No comments about Japan Day by Day.

5 comments about No Elbow Room.

1. Kenneth writes a detailed and fascinating read. What an experience. Having stayed in Japan myself for a while, I found No Elbow Room to confirm some things I had suspected about living in Japan. Great book!



2. Fun, Fun, Fun. A funny and informative documentary of first-hand experiences in Japan. A must if you are considering working for a few years for a company in Tokyo. Also a must if you want to get insight into the workings of a culture totally different from American and European cultures. The illustrations are hilarious. The book is precise with marvelous drawings. There are informative comments on improving the lot of women in Japan. Be prepared for a fun ride!



3. No Elbow Room is a quick and informative read into the Cultural mind set of Japanese relationships. It opens up for examination a world of contradicting correctness and sheds light on some of my own experiences in Japan. You will read it from cover to cover enjoying the wonderful illustrations and lighthearted humor.



4. Do you ever find yourself in a large bookstore overwhelmed by the sheer number of titles, and wonder how so many new ideas continue to emerge in such mass quantity? Well, this is one of those books that keep us returning to bookstores with faith in the fact that we will not always leave disappointed! This book is unique in its perspective on a subject I am interested in as a professor of international business (Zicklin School of Business; Baruch College, City University of New York) - cross cultural understanding. Written in a pen indicative of ample experience in Japan's corporate world, yet from an outside Western perspective, it reveals nuances of Japanese business culture that only an expatriate can easily discern. "No Elbow Room" is blunt to a pain yet carefully objective and fair in its exposé of little known tidbits of Japanese culture and business protocol outside of the Island nation itself. Yet while set in Japan, I found myself easily adapting lessons learned to virtually any cross-cultural setting, prompting me to list this book as required reading in my "Foreign Markets, Cultures, Regimes" class. This is a self-authored text, that no doubt a large publishing house will soon discover and market to the masses. The book is short (179 pages) and a quick yet informative read. I recommend it for not just international business scholars, but as an aid for sociology class discussions, gender-relations discussions, for anyone interested in international relations, and particularly for anyone wishing to travel to Japan, particularly from the West. And if you think you're well traveled and immune to culture shock, you must pick up this book!



5. I really enjoyed reading this book, it gives a good insight of the Japanese society from a foreigner's point of view, who lived and worked in Japan for several years.
   This only problem is that it's from the early 1990's and some things have changed since...

1 comments about Sam Samurai (The Time Warp Trio).

1. My son is not reading at this level yet (7 years old) so I read it to him. It's easy and a lot of fun to read. I read to him, at most, 2 chapters a night (chapters are short) and he'd beg me to keep reading! I could get him to finish his homework and get ready for bed quickly if I reminded him about reading "Sam Samurai". When we finished the book he wanted more, so I purchased a couple more in the series.