Find answers to the age old questions: What do Japanese people eat other than sushi? What is wabi sabi? Why are there so few garbage bins in Japan and yet everywhere is so clean? How do Japanese people stay so slim? Why is the cherry blossom the essence of the Japanese aesthetic?
I write about Japanese cuisine, manners and concepts as well as travel adventures throughout Wakayama, the "hidden gem" of Japan. Learn why it has become the number one location for Japanese travellers. What is it about Wakayama that makes it such a desirable “off the beaten path” travel destination?

Best Books to Read About Japan

Japan has such a unique culture, and reading about it before you go will add to your overall enjoyment of the country. Here are some top books about Japan including non-fiction, classic novels, cookbooks, travelogues, and mysteries all illuminating the reader about the Japanese way of life.

Non-Fiction

IMG_4219 3.jpg — Karin Mueller’s year in Japan in search of “Wa”, the Japanese word for harmony, is humorous and sensitive. Countless misunderstandings arise as she tries to experience as much as she can during her time there. Overall a very funny read!

IMG_4220 2.jpg — As a journalist married to the Canadian Ambassador to Japan during the 1990s, Catherine Bergman spent five years experiencing daily life in the Land of the Rising Sun. Her perceptive account of life in Japan according to her interviews with an eclectic variety of individuals - geishas, politicians, artists, rebels, teenagers, scholars - is fascinating and thought provoking.

athomeinjapan — “What would it be like to move to Japan, leaving everyone and everything you know behind, to become part of a traditional Japanese household?” Rebecca Otowa’s account of her life in a 350-year-old farmhouse in the Japanese countryside is delightful and informative.

cuttingback — Leslie Buck is a garden designer from San Francisco who loves the traditional elements of Japanese style landscape gardening. She writes about fitting into Japanese society as a foreign woman pursuing her passion in a traditionally male occupation.

thelife-changingmagicoftidyingup — Life changing book! Marie Kondo is now tidying up the planet with her Zen-like attitude towards clutter. Her de-cluttering formula examines each piece of clothing, book or knick knack - after thanking each object for its usefulness, she says good bye to it and then ascertains whether it should be placed in a give away pile or the garbage heap. Now a popular series on Netflix.

untanglingchopsticks — Imagine leaving a great job, wonderful boyfriend, and rent-controlled apartment in New York for one whole year! As Victoria Riccardi studies the ancient art of tea kaiseki cuisine in Kyoto, her approach to food changes along with her outlook on the world. Interspersed throughout her writing are twenty-five popular Japanese recipes. Foodies will enjoy this memoir.

lostjapan — Alex Kerr writes a fascinating tribute to the country that has become his permanent home. Read how he restores a traditional Japanese house in Shikoku and lovingly fills it with antiques he discovers in the *kura* (storehouses) of family homes. Originally written in Japanese, *Lost Japan* is an engaging tribute to a unique people.

36viewsofmountfuji — In her title Cathy Davidson alludes to the famous series of woodblock prints by Hokusai whose portrayal of Mount Fuji from multiple perspectives depicted the diversity of Japanese life between 1826-1833. Davidson, a professor at Duke University, gives us a beautifully written account of her take on Japan after many years of teaching there.

Travelogues

hokkaidohighwayblues — Cherry Blossom season is a BIG DEAL in Japan, so much so that the daily news documents its journey across the country. On a whim, Will Ferguson decides to follow the progress of the sacred pink blossom and hitchhikes from the southern tip of Japan to Hokkaido in the north. Along the way he records his hilarious experiences with a variety of locals and cultural situations. All in all, a very funny travelogue.

lookingforthelost — Alan Booth was an expat from England who adopted Japan as his true home. In *Looking for the Lost,* he travels by foot through three remote areas of Japan striking up conversations with ordinary Japanese people along the way. His comments on the disappearance of the traditional Japanese culture are astute, and he portrays an endearing picture of rural Japan coping with massive modernization.

kansaicool — From manga and monasteries to coffee culture and haute cuisine, Christal Whelan’s fascinating collection of essays gives the reader a multidimensional view of Kansai, the prefecture containing the ancient cultural cities of Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe. This book is very readable and very illuminating.

unbeatentracksinjapan — Isabella Bird was an extraordinary woman. Already a seasoned world traveller, she visited Japan in 1878 for seven months in order to explore parts unknown, namely the interior of Japan as well as Hokkaido. Her travel details were written down in a series of letters to her sister in England. At the time, Japan was an exotic location almost unknown to Westerners; but Bird bravely travelled by herself to experience life off the beaten track.

Classic Fiction

thetaleofgenji — A classic, *The Tale of Genji* is regarded as the first modern novel. Written in the 11th century by Murasaki Shikibu, a noblewoman in the Heian court, it illustrates the society, politics, and culture of the time. Outside of Kyoto is the lovely town of Uji, famous for green tea and as the setting for this ancient story.

iamacat — Natusume Soseki parodies human nature from the point of view of a cat. In particular, he satirizes Japanese society during the Meiji era (1868-1912), a tumultuous time when western customs began influencing traditional Japanese life.

themakiokasisters — Lauded as the greatest Japanese novel of the twentieth century, Tanizaki’s story follows the lives of four sisters from an upper middle class family living in Osaka before the war. Their prestigious way of life is quietly vanishing, and the sisters try to preserve their traditions and lavish lifestyle while also having to face the inevitability of World War 2. A visually beautiful film was made of this story in 1983.

thesoundofthemountain — Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature for his novel, *Snow Country,* Kawabata is known for his beautifully lyrical prose. In *The Sound of the Mountain*, he focuses on an elderly Tokyo man who is coming to terms with his memories, mortality and legacy. Kawabata’s imagery and writing style verges towards poetry.

Cookbooks

Mysteries

Japan Guide