The Land of the Rising Sun is shining brightly across the American cultural landscape. Recent films such as "Lost in Translation" and "Memoirs of a Geisha" seem to have made everyone an expert on Japan, even if they've never been there. But the only way for a Westerner to get to know the real Japan is to become a part of it. Kate T. Williamson did just that, spending a year experiencing, studying, and reflecting on her adopted home. She brings her keen observations to us in "A Year in Japan", a dramatically different look at a delightfully different way of life. Avoiding the usual cliches - Japan's polite society, its unusual fashion trends, its crowded subways - Williamson focuses on some lesserknown aspects of the country and culture. In stunning watercolors and piquant texts, she explains the terms used to order various amounts of tofu, the electric rugs found in many Japanese homes, and how to distinguish a maiko from a geisha.
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Product Description
About the Author
Kate T. Williamson, a writer and illustrator who lived in Kyoto for a year working as a sock designer. She lives in New York City
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First Sentence
As soon as I walked out of the train station on my first day in Kyoto, I knew that I would love Japan. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
As soon as I walked out of the train station on my first day in Kyoto, I knew that I would love Japan. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By DA
Format:Paperback
Frankly I found this little book disappointing. Maybe I was expecting something else, and certainly more. The collection of drawings, handwritten text and anecdotes may be fun and visually attractive, but really the book gives little of an impression of a "Year in Japan" other than a few private and maybe self-indulgent musings. The book belongs to that genre of travel "literature" which isn't really literature insofar as there's not much written - it's more like diary notes with sketches. Don't get me wrong, the book is attractive to look at and many of the drawings are competent, but if you're looking for a travel book covering a year in Japan, then this is sadly not the book for you - or me.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By RA Evans
Format:Paperback
This is a beautifully presented book but it is little observations presented in an arty way. I really wanted something more dense and informative. It's a lovely book, but not that.
By Lyndsay
Format:Paperback
I really enjoyed this book, but I was also in Kyoto around the same time, so reading it was an act of nostalgia, rather than a learning experience for me. Reading the reviews, I think that's the key to it - this is a book to buy after you've been, not before you go. The flashbulb memories were exactly the things I remembered, so I enjoyed it immensely.
By iRideK2
Format:Paperback
I bought this for my boyfriend as he is moving to Japan next year, the other reviews were pretty low and I was worried but when it turned up I was so happy with it! It's a beautiful book, it seems really well written, but yes it's not a guide book, it's more like a hand written diary with gorgeous drawings. My boyfriend is really creative so I think he'll love it too.
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