Historical, geographical, cultural and economic facts complement colourhotographs to create an introduction to Japan.

This illustrated volume presents a portrait of Japan with over 100 colourhotographs and essays on nature, arts, traditional culture and modern life.

Contains transcripts of lectures given at the Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan, Washington D.C.

Japan is arguably today's most successful industrial economy, combining almost unprecedented affluence with social stability and apparent harmony. Japanese goods and cultural products are consumed all over the world, ranging from animated movies and computer games all the way through to cars, semiconductors, and management techniques. In many ways, Japan is an icon of the modern world, and yet it remains something of an enigma to many, who see it as a confusing montage of the alien and the familiar, the ancient and modern. The aim of this Very Short Introduction is to explode the myths and explore the reality of modern Japan - by taking a concise look at its history, economy, politics, and culture. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

“Arguably the greatest living travel writer” (Outside magazine), Pico Iyer has called Japan home for more than three decades. But, as he is the first to admit, the country remains an enigma even to its long-term residents. In A Beginner’s Guide to Japan, Iyer draws on his years of experience—his travels, conversations, readings, and reflections—to craft a playful and profound book of surprising, brief, incisive glimpses into Japanese culture. He recounts his adventures and observations as he travels from a meditation hall to a love hotel, from West Point to Kyoto Station, and from dinner with Meryl Streep to an ill-fated call to the Apple service center in a series of provocations guaranteed to pique the interest and curiosity of those who don’t know Japan—and to remind those who do of its myriad fascinations.

Donald Richie takes the reader on a revealing tour of the different districts of Japan's capital city. Starting from the original centre of Tokyo – the Imperial Palace – Richie branches outwards, taking in other areas such as Yoshiwara, the original red-light district, and Ginza, the world-famous shipping street. The author has kept a diary for the entire time he has lived in Tokyo, and excerpts from it provide on-the-spot insights into the significance of fashions and fads in Japanese culture (for example the recent Tamagochi craze), as well as the various aspects of life in a small neighborhood. Richie gives a real sense of how Japanese society has changed since the Second World War, yet remained rooted in its past. With the eclectic eye and ear of a film-maker, Richie describes the flavor and idiosyncrasies of this chaotic, teeming city. Tokyo is illustrated with 30 intriguing photographs by Seattle-based photographer, Joel Sackett.

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Tokyo will lead you straight to the best attractions this city has to offer. The guide includes unique illustrated cutaways, floor plans, and reconstructions of Tokyo's stunning architecture, along with 3-D aerial views of the key districts to explore on foot. You'll find detailed listings of the best hotels, restaurants, bars, and shops for all budgets in this fully updated guide, plus insider tips on everything from where to find the best markets and nightspots to which attractions appeal most to children. DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Tokyo shows you what other guidebooks only tell you.

Specifically designed for use on a range of undergraduate and graduate courses, Introducing Japanese Popular Culture is a comprehensive textbook offering an up-to-date overview of a wide variety of media forms. It uses particular case studies as a way into examining the broader themes in Japanese culture and provides a thorough analysis of the historical and contemporary trends that have shaped artistic production, as well as, politics, society, and economics. As a result, more than being a time capsule of influential trends, this book teaches enduring lessons about how popular culture reflects the societies that produce and consume it. With contributions from an international team of scholars, representing a range of disciplines from history and anthropology to art history and media studies, the book’s sections include: Television Videogames Music Popular Cinema Anime Manga Popular Literature Fashion Contemporary Art Written in an accessible style by a stellar line-up of international contributors, this textbook will be essential reading for students of Japanese culture and society, Asian media and popular culture, and Asian Studies in general.

Explore the busy streets, exciting food, and historic sights of Tokyo. Learn the must-sees of this amazing capital city. Discover DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Tokyo. + Detailed itineraries and "don't-miss" destination highlights at a glance. + Illustrated cutaway 3-D drawings of important sights. + Floor plans and guided visitor information for major museums. + Guided walking tours, local drink and dining specialties to try, things to do, and places to eat, drink, and shop by area. + Area maps marked with sights. + Detailed city maps include street finder indexes for easy navigation. + Insights into history and culture to help you understand the stories behind the sights. + Hotel and restaurant listings highlight DK Choice special recommendations. With hundreds of full-color photographs, hand-drawn illustrations, and custom maps that illuminate every page, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Tokyo truly shows you this city as no one else can.

The DK Eyewitness Tokyo Travel Guide will lead you straight to the best attractions the world’s largest metropolis has to offer. From the looming skyscrapers, neon-bathed streets and flashing video screens of the labyrinthine Shinjuku district to the traditional shrine complex of Meiji Jingu, this guide provides all the insider tips every visitor needs, with comprehensive listings of the best hotels, restaurants, shops and nightlife for all budgets. It’s fully illustrated and covers all the major areas of the city, plus you'll find floorplans of all the must-see sites and reliable street maps. The DK Eyewitness Tokyo Travel Guide explores the culture, history and architecture, not missing the best in entertainment, shopping, tours and scenic walks, in this fascinating city. DK Eyewitness Tokyo Travel Guide – showing you what others only tell you.Now available in ebook(PDF) format.