tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post8835275050998666763..comments2023-05-18T03:08:41.920-07:00Comments on 1000 Things About Japan: "Things Japanese" (A Book Review and Contest)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-77396983158402614992014-07-28T01:57:11.769-07:002014-07-28T01:57:11.769-07:00I'm really surprised to see that I'm one o...I'm really surprised to see that I'm one of the winners. Thank you! I've also sent the email. I know my address sometimes doesn't make it past spam filters.modzy78https://www.blogger.com/profile/09933350622390547031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-78508218746047679812014-07-26T10:31:02.348-07:002014-07-26T10:31:02.348-07:00Wow, I'm one of the winners, thanks! (Apologi...Wow, I'm one of the winners, thanks! (Apologies to anyone else who really wanted the book).<br /><br />Orchid64, just confirming I've sent you an email, in case it was eaten by your spam filter.LostInThoughthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08676603923006136755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-6137112755393155072014-07-22T11:55:28.198-07:002014-07-22T11:55:28.198-07:00Nice! My favorite book about Japan is probably Hok...Nice! My favorite book about Japan is probably Hokkaido Highway Blues. While I don't remember everything about it, I do recall Ferguson's stories being entertaining. I also remember being impressed, or at least satisfied with the level of writing (he's a fellow former JET, and my expectations of these sorts of books by JET alumn have been sadly lowered).Blue Shoehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08474339066187087545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-69457481181582219872014-07-20T13:05:31.592-07:002014-07-20T13:05:31.592-07:00I'm finding it difficult to pick a favourite b...I'm finding it difficult to pick a favourite book, so I'll go with what I've read most recently, which is Jake Adelstein's Tokyo Vice. It's an interesting account of Japan's underbelly from a foreign perspective. An easy read so maybe a good one to save for a flight.LostInThoughthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08676603923006136755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-51251845813379491902014-07-19T12:10:02.020-07:002014-07-19T12:10:02.020-07:00I'd like to win the book. From the cover I wou...I'd like to win the book. From the cover I would have guessed it's not but pretty pictures (which gets boring after the first 40 pages) but it sounds really interesting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-69633294040123596192014-07-18T10:48:57.548-07:002014-07-18T10:48:57.548-07:00Joining late to the game, but it's a great top...Joining late to the game, but it's a great topic. Reading books (usually fiction) from or about a place before I visit is one of my favorite things.<br /><br />For me, what got me interested in Japan, long before I moved there for a relationship, was a mystery series by Sujata Massey set in Japan. <br /><br />And, although I'm not an exceptionally big fan of her work in general, Banana Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-70509376383310133652014-07-18T08:14:41.127-07:002014-07-18T08:14:41.127-07:00I've always enjoyed the blog "This Japane...I've always enjoyed the blog "This Japanese Life" so the book he published of blog posts has been a great read! http://www.amazon.com/This-Japanese-Life-Eryk-Salvaggio/dp/1489596984<br /><br />I used to work at Borders, so I spent a lot of time going through Japanese Art and Pop Culture books, too. So many good things!Darrell M. Starkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12419334301630321820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-8556420809360015542014-07-15T12:33:14.693-07:002014-07-15T12:33:14.693-07:00My favorite book on Japan is definitely "Embr...My favorite book on Japan is definitely "Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II" by Dower. When learning about WW2 in school as an American, it always felt like Japan leaped into existence for Pearl Harbor and disappeared til the 80s after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but what happened in the mean time is absolutely fascinating. <br /><br />The situation Sine Nominehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03135093870236335598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-56562348565373531962014-07-11T08:25:08.423-07:002014-07-11T08:25:08.423-07:00I really enjoy this old fiction series from the mi...I really enjoy this old fiction series from the mid 1900s called "We Japanese." The books are chock-full of interesting Japanese legends and short stories, as well as the origins of Japanese culture, so you are able to learn quite a lot in one novel (not to mention, the books are great bedtime stories!) They also contain a few passages in Japanese. Some of the text and characters are a Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13895084301987578401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-86714117444382081622014-07-11T01:22:05.131-07:002014-07-11T01:22:05.131-07:00My favorite book about Japan has to be "Hokka...My favorite book about Japan has to be "Hokkaido Highway Blues" a true account of a guy hitchhiking from one end of Japan to the other following the cherry blossoms. This book helped alleviate the "mystique" of Japan and showed how, deep down, everybody is the same. Plus, it is very funny!Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00664504872330461102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-86247177184307800982014-07-11T00:40:30.610-07:002014-07-11T00:40:30.610-07:00I found the Lonely Planet Japan guidebook to be an...I found the Lonely Planet Japan guidebook to be an invaluable companion when I was in Japan a few years back.<br /><br />As for fiction, I enjoyed Murakami Haruki's Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, though I'm not entirely sure I'd say that's about Japan, per se. Also a big fan of anime and manga. =)Belthazarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04500556529161620550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-45881018415854098842014-07-10T17:03:44.100-07:002014-07-10T17:03:44.100-07:00I stayed up until about 3:00 this morning writing ...I stayed up until about 3:00 this morning writing a long (possibly TOO long) comment about my three-year quest to learn Japanese and the fact that the language is so difficult and so different in sentence structure that constructing a simple Japanese sentence is still beyond me. Unfortunately, mine was one of the comments that disappeared and I didn’t save a copy.<br />Therefore, this time it Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03115679256724550318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-45308642315500396002014-07-09T23:04:45.368-07:002014-07-09T23:04:45.368-07:00I read 36 Views of Mt. Fuji by Cathy Davidson some...I read 36 Views of Mt. Fuji by Cathy Davidson some years ago and found it fascinating. I thought it gave a clear-eyed, nuanced account of an American's experience of living and working in Japan -- largely positive but not overly romanticized.the wrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15493132971086859606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-43427843212470935892014-07-09T17:11:27.104-07:002014-07-09T17:11:27.104-07:00My comment is missing too... doesn't matter pa...My comment is missing too... doesn't matter particularly, but it's the second time recently. Maybe I comment too much and blogger has decided I am a spam bot?!Sopheliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09891110033136610235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-11355877624041519512014-07-09T12:59:14.316-07:002014-07-09T12:59:14.316-07:00I love the book Kansha: Celebrating Japan's Ve...I love the book Kansha: Celebrating Japan's Vegan and Vegetarian Traditions by Elizabeth Andoh. I think Japanese food presentation is so beautiful. Kirsten <br />Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17660506813169087927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-61428370920608344502014-07-08T17:01:14.985-07:002014-07-08T17:01:14.985-07:00I have the first of this book! There are actually ...I have the first of this book! There are actually two parts, published separately, for some of the later editions. I only have the first of two, but I'm looking for the other of the same printing. I thought of that book as soon as I read this post- glad to see someone else has an edition.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-2679730285623067952014-07-08T11:11:52.852-07:002014-07-08T11:11:52.852-07:00Not a book, but music. I listen to a whole lot of...Not a book, but music. I listen to a whole lot of J-Rock, which is probably fairly unusual for an American who's older than you are. I also like many Japanese jazz artists. I visited Japan a few years ago and spent several nights in Shinjuku Ni-Chome, not for its usual draw but for the Shinjuku Pit Inn, with its small but vibrant jazz scene.Geovikihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14861530016931620322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-33867544930632993772014-07-08T05:59:32.145-07:002014-07-08T05:59:32.145-07:00I have to admit that I also liked Dave Barry Does ...I have to admit that I also liked Dave Barry Does Japan. It's a humorous source of insights from someone visiting the country. I could identify with some of what he wrote and was fortunate enough to experience living in Japan for two years. That gave me a chance to gain a deeper insight, even though there was a great deal I still don't know. I would love to learn more.<br />I personally modzy78https://www.blogger.com/profile/09933350622390547031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-2538844598992605442014-07-07T13:46:58.029-07:002014-07-07T13:46:58.029-07:00Amazing book - I have always wondered the same abo...Amazing book - I have always wondered the same about the tatami mats!!<br /><br />My favorite book about Japan is "Japanland: A Year in Search of Wa" by Karin Mueller. While not entirely factually accurate about culture in Japan, it's the autobiographical story of an American woman who works for National Geographic and studies judo who is graciously invited to Japan by a Japanese Rikahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01372566622346733578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-7781288992503675062014-07-07T13:39:10.589-07:002014-07-07T13:39:10.589-07:00I enjoy learning about Japanese clothing, from the...I enjoy learning about Japanese clothing, from the earliest records to the modern day. The affect of various factors on fashion; such as availability of materials, influence of other cultures, and politics, is something I find very interesting. Thank you for holding this contest, your blog is great.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-27450176150046003522014-07-07T13:34:30.336-07:002014-07-07T13:34:30.336-07:00I like learning about Japanese clothing. From the ...I like learning about Japanese clothing. From the earliest records to the modern day, and all the changes in-between. The affect of various factors on fashion; such as availability of materials, influence of other cultures, and politics, is something I find very interesting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-61295114937705096812014-07-07T11:49:16.667-07:002014-07-07T11:49:16.667-07:00I really enjoyed Kenta and The Big Wave by Ruth Oh...I really enjoyed Kenta and The Big Wave by Ruth Ohi. It's a children's book, but the artwork was so beautiful and the story was touching -- I have no problem admitting that I enjoyed it as an adult! It tells the story of the 2011 tsunami that hit Japan, and how a boy lost his ball in it and how a boy in America found it and mailed it back to him.Thistlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11690194443059755509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-47541158002868285402014-07-07T08:13:49.822-07:002014-07-07T08:13:49.822-07:00Hello, my favourite fiction book(s) is 宮本武蔵 by 吉川英...Hello, my favourite fiction book(s) is 宮本武蔵 by 吉川英治 (the English version is one book called Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa; the Japanese is spread over eight books). I've had to read a bunch of non fiction books about Japan for school but none of them really stand out as something to recommend, with the exception of the 古事記 (Kojiki, but it would be a long stretch to call it non fiction). Other RH94https://www.blogger.com/profile/02650473287242647288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-3319065296580645142014-07-06T20:46:38.220-07:002014-07-06T20:46:38.220-07:00Most of my glossy coffee table books and heavy his...Most of my glossy coffee table books and heavy history texts have long been passed on to people still in America. What gets the heaviest use in my house is an assortment of reference books. Most of them are aimed at Japanese kids, like my daughter’s giant picture dictionary. However, when I need to make sure I’m communicating with just the right subtlety I usually turn to my copy of Sanseido’saudiblehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13282569252533471927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-75396270449633143042014-07-06T11:40:45.501-07:002014-07-06T11:40:45.501-07:00Only one of many favorites is "We Japanese: B...Only one of many favorites is "We Japanese: Being Descriptions of Many of the Customs, Manners, Ceremonies, Festivals, Arts and Crafts of the Japanese Besides Numerous Other Subjects," published by Fujiya Hotel Ltd. and bound in the traditional style. The hotel began publishing these brief essays on menu-cards in 1934 and eventually had them collected into a book. They reflect a pre-warWally Woodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17653591053915868274noreply@blogger.com