Kokoro no Te, translated into English as "handmade from the heart," is the philosophy behind this collection of small, high-fashion craft projects that have a distinctive Japanese flair. Featuring purses, pins, sewing accoutrements, and the author's own temari balls, the 30 original hand-sewn designs combine surprisingly simple techniques with exquisite colors and fabrics, allowing sewers to create lavish objets d'art, with delicate beading and embroidery, easily and inexpensively. A pattern for a doll-sized kimono is included. The color photographs and line drawings show multiple points of view for each project and show precisely how each artful, stylish, and charming piece comes together.--From publisher description.

Masterfully combining fantasy, science fiction and Japanese mythology, the sequel to Kojiki takes us into the heart of a war that spreads across the worlds. On the planet of Higo, without the guidance of the Great Spirits, its people are descending into religious civil war. Baiyren Tallaenaq, Prince of Higo, is exiled after causing the death of his mother. Freed from his responsibilities and the looming war, he steals their greatest weapon – a giant, sentient, armoured suit – and uses it to open a Portal to a world he never knew existed. A world called 'Earth͟'...home of a magical young woman called Keiko. File Under: Fantasy [ Worlds Beyond | The God Machines | Through the Portal | A Singular Girl ]

Bestselling author Kumiko Sudo creates 45 exquisite handmade gifts in fabric, each with a flair that is uniquely Japanese. Easy-to-follow patterns, beautiful photographs, and colorful step-by-step drawings help the projects come together quickly--many in less than an hour. Whether they are created in kimono silks or in contemporary cottons, these tiny boxes, purses, decorative toys, incense pouches, and good luck charms all make delightful gifts.

Patterns for 20 handcrafted projects, each an exquisite accessory and a tiny work of art, are provided in this step-by-step guide. The centerpiece of the handbook is a range of stunning fabric jewelry--necklaces, bracelets, and earrings--crafted from silks or cottons complemented by a colorful decorative cord that is woven or knotted into unique designs, called "kumihimo," Instructions are provided for several unusual craft techniques including Japanese knotwork, Delica beading, and fabric origami, each with color drawings and step-by-step directions. Projects are accompanied by color photographs evocative of contemporary Japanese style, and every chapter opens with a wonderful original watercolor by the author, as well as text providing reflections on Japanese life and art.

kokoro [n.] intelligent heart, feeling mind One year. Two devastating losses. Three sacred Japanese mountains. A major life transition, a heart full of grief and a revelation that changes everything. Join Japanologist Beth Kempton on a pilgrimage through rural Japan in search of answers to some of life's biggest questions: How do we find calm in the chaos and beauty in the darkness? How do we let go of the past and stop worrying about the future? What can an awareness of impermanence teach us about living well? Together you will journey to the deep north of Japan, hike ancient forests, watch the moon rise over mountains of myth and encounter a host of wise teachers along the way - Noh actors, chefs, taxi drivers, coffee shop owners, poets, philosophers and the spirits that inhabit the land. You will contemplate the true nature of time at one of the world's strictest Zen temples and nothing will be quite the same again. This book is an invitation to cultivate stillness and contentment in an ever-changing, uncertain world. It all begins with the kokoro, a profound Japanese term which represents the intelligent heart, the feeling mind and the embodied spirit of every human being. To explore the kokoro is to explore the very essence of what it means to be human in this tough yet devastatingly beautiful world. When you learn to live guided by the light in your kokoro, everything changes, and anything is possible.

Among the great authors of postwar Japan, Abe Kōbō (1924–1993) is the mechanic. Works such as "The Woman in the Dunes" (1962), which brought him worldwide renown, conduct a profound analysis of human existence, while revelling in technical detail. The early postwar years were not only formative for Abe as a writer and political activist, they were also formative years for Japanese literature, culture, and politics. While progressing, in his own words, "from existentialism, to surrealism, and on to Communism", Abe published numerous treatises, tracts and other essays of various kinds concerning revolutionary aesthetics and the historic role of the arts, between artistic autonomy and social commitment. Abe's essays show the maturing of both his artistic and aesthetic agenda, and of his essay style. This process also involves political disillusionment, raising the question of what bearing Abe's earlier radical positions have on his more mature work. This study examines Abe Kōbō's programmatic essays written between his repatriation from Manchuria in 1947 and his expulsion from the Communist Party in 1962. The texts are placed in the context of the artistic and political groups in which he was active, and of the broader literary issues of the time, centring on the quest for a new beginning in literature.

Seven authors describe the controversial nature of patriotism andcitizenship education in their country, basing their account andrecommendations upon their philosophical understanding of educationand schooling. Offers differing national perspectives on patriotism acrossthe United States, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Japan andEngland Discusses varying accounts of how patriotism and citizenshipeducation should be handled as part of the school curriculum Provides crucial insights into how schools handle social andpolitical demands on controversial topics

A young man describes his torment as he struggles to reconcile the diverse influences of Western culture and the traditions of his own Japanese heritage.

Washi papercrafting is similar to Japanese origami, but uses higher-quality paper for more permanent-lasting projects. Lear how to fold washi with this fun guide. In Japan, paper and paper crafts are held in popular esteem. The originators of origami, the art of paper-folding, and kirigami, the art of paper-cutting, the Japanese also make their own paper, called washi. A colorful printed paper, washi is used to decorate everything from boxes to dolls. Noted for its strength, durability and flexibility, washi paper is available in a rich array of colors, textures, weights and patterns. Japanese Washi Paper Crafts is a selection of seventeen washi origami designs for decorating commonly available objects, such as milk cartons, boxes and eggs, which can be used in home decor, as gifts, or for special occasions. Every project is shown with clear, step-by-step diagrams. Color photographs show completed projects, as well as imaginative ways for displaying the finished crafts.