Japanese Art

A stunning new English translation—the first in more than forty years—of a major novel by the father of modern Japanese fiction Natsume Soseki's Kusamakura—meaning “grass pillow”—follows its nameless young artist-narrator on a meandering walking tour of the mountains. At the inn at a...

The Book of Tea (1906) by Okakura Kakuzō is a long essay which examines the role of chadō (Teaism) in the aesthetic and cultural aspects of Japanese life. The author explains Teaism as “a philosophy founded on the adoration of the beautiful among the sordid facts of everyday existence”. Originally written in English for a western audience, the essay deals with the spiritual traditions of Zen and Taoism, as well as the secular side of tea in Japanese life.

No number has captured the attention and imagination of people throughout the ages as much as the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. Pi—or ? as it is symbolically known—is infinite and, in The Joy of pi, it proves to be infinitely intriguing. With incisive historical insight...

Whisky Rising: The Second Edition is the most up-to-date, comprehensive resource on Japanese whisky. This fully updated guide by whisky authority and Japanese whisky expert Stefan Van Eycken takes you on a tour of some of the most coveted whiskies in the world. Japanese whiskies have become some...

Dionne Brand, author of the Griffin Poetry Prize-winning collection Ossuaries, returns with a startlingly original work about the act of writing itself. On a lonely wharf a clerk in an ink blue coat inspects bales and bales of paper that hold a poet's accumulated left-hand pages—the unwritten...

Who knew the path to enlightenment could start with a cup of tea? Learn the hidden significance behind the deceptively simple Zen tea ceremony - one which can lead directly to Buddhahood and its absolute truth. D.T. Suzuki, once Japan's leading authority on Zen Buddhism, describes the tearoom and the tea ceremony and explains the guiding principles of harmony, reverence, purity, and tranquility.

Wa means harmony, a central tenet at the heart of the Japanese belief that to live well is to live in balance. In this book, wellness expert Kaki Okumura shares the practices and psychology behind Wa and the Japanese health secrets that allow anyone, at any point in their life, to improve and sustain their health. Her method to bring Wa into your life is based on four pillars: nourish, move, rest, and socialize.

We are living in a time when behavioral change is necessary for our health and survival. Yet we find it exceedingly difficult to transform our own habits, let alone those of other people. Enter Naohiro Matsumura, whose powerful new design method is as astonishingly simple in its logic as it is sophisticated in its psychology. It allows any of us to address challenges in our homes, our public spaces, and our social interactions.

**Kirkus Best Books of the Year (2013)** **Kansas City Star Best Books of the Year (2013)** A passionate student of Japanese poetry, theater, and art for much of her life, Gretel Ehrlich felt compelled to return to the earthquake-and-tsunami-devastated Tohoku coast to bear witness, listen to...

Rain in the Mountains brings together some of Ruskin Bond’s most beautiful works from his years spent in the foothills of the Himalayas in the town of Mussoorie. Through vivid images and lucid writing, Bond evokes the everyday sights and sounds, and captures the essence of mountain life. The...

A mágica da arrumação se tornou um fenômeno mundial por apresentar uma abordagem inovadora para acabar de vez com a bagunça. Aos 30 anos, a japonesa Marie Kondo virou celebridade internacional, uma espécie de guru quando o assunto é organização. O ponto principal da técnica é o descarte. Para decidir o que manter e o que jogar fora, você deve segurar os itens um a um e perguntar a si mesmo: “Isso me traz alegria?” Você só deve continuar com algo se a resposta for “sim”.

In Jараnеѕе mythology, before thе fоrmаtiоn оf thе world, thеrе wаѕ a jelly-like and fоrmlеѕѕ mаѕѕ аnd at thаt time the vеrу first gеnеrаtiоn of the dеitiеѕ саmе intо bеing аt thе high plain of heaven, nаmеd Tаkаmаgаhаrа.Thе firѕt thrее рrimаl kаmi (gоdѕ) who came intо bеing wеrе Amеnоminаkаnuѕhi, Takamimusubi, аnd Kаmimuѕubi.

Kondo's recommendation is to handle each and every object in your home - literally picking it up and holding it in your hands - to consider whether or not it "sparks joy." If the object makes you happy, it's a keeper. If it doesn't, it should be discarded or recycled. It's essential to frame this decision as "What should I keep?" rather than "What should I throw away?" Once you have culled your belongings in this way, Kondo estimates you should have only about one-third of what you started with, perhaps less.

Incorporating practicality and acting on our dreams for purpose is the essence of Ikigai, the ancient Japanese philosophy of living an intentional life with meaning, mission, and fulfillment. Finding your Ikigai connects you to a deeper part of yourself and gives you the intrinsic motivation to align your lifestyle with the very things that energize you and make you feel happy to be alive!

Japanese animation, in many ways, has been a major influence in my life. Since I was a toddler, anime always provided me with a sense of comfort. The crazy characters, the beautiful backgrounds, the engaging plots, and the wonderful music gives me so much joy. It is such a treat to be able to zone out and immerse yourself in the story.

【警告! 常識人は決して読まないでください!】　
常識を壊すから、アタマに効く! 「刺激と裏切りの本」ついに発刊。

"A fascinating glimpse into the intersection of art, class, and the complexity of adult friendship. . . . I couldn’t put this book down.” —Waubgeshig Rice, author of Moon of the Turning Leaves An intimate, explosive story of creativity and friendship between two young Japanese women in...

Lacquerware that uses Japanese lacquer is known as shitsugei (lacquer art).

これまでのような「分析」「論理」「理性」に軸足をおいた経営、いわば「サイエンス重視の意思決定」では、今日のように複雑で不安定な世界においてビジネスの舵取りをすることはできない――「

From ancient times to the modern era, martial arts has consistently evolved over the centuries and continues to evolve and thrive today. At the turn of the 20th century, martial arts saw perhaps its greatest evolution as many Japanese and Okinawan martial arts masters of the time no longer looked at martial arts as a mere tool of warfare, but instead as systems that have immeasurable mental and physical health benefits.