Download or read book Walking the Kiso Road written by William Scott Wilson and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2015-10-13 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Step back into old Japan with this fascinating travelogue of the famous Kiso Road, an ancient route used by samurai and warlords The Kisoji, which runs through the Kiso Valley in the Japanese Alps, has been in use since at least 701 C.E. In the seventeenth century, it was the route that the daimyo (warlords) used for their biennial trips—along with their samurai and porters—to the new capital of Edo (now Tokyo). The natural beauty of the route is renowned—and famously inspired the landscapes of Hiroshige, as well as the work of many other artists and writers. William Scott Wilson, esteemed translator of samurai philosophy, has walked the road several times and is a delightful and expert guide to this popular tourist destination; he shares its rich history and lore, literary and artistic significance, cuisine and architecture, as well as his own experiences.
Download or read book Before the Dawn written by and published by . This book was released on 1929 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Kiso Road written by William E. Naff and published by University of Hawaii Press. This book was released on 2010-11-30 with total page 693 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: William E. Naff, the distinguished scholar of Japanese literature widely known and highly regarded for his eloquent translations of the writings of Shimazaki Toson (1872–1943), spent the last years of his life writing a full-length biography of Toson. Virtually completed at the time of his death, The Kiso Road provides a rich and colorful account of this canonic novelist who, along with Natsume Soseki and Mori Ogai, formed the triumvirate of writers regarded as giants in Meiji Japan, all three of whom helped establish the parameters of modern Japanese literature. Professor Naff’s biography skillfully places Toson in the context of his times and discusses every aspect of his career and personal life, as well as introducing in detail a number of his important but as yet untranslated works. Toson’s long life, his many connections with other important Japanese artists and intellectuals, his sojourn in France during World War I, and his later visit to South America, permit a biography of depth and detail that serves as a kind of cultural history of Japan during an often turbulent period. The Kiso Road, as approachable and exciting as any novel, with Toson himself as its complex protagonist, is arguably the most thorough account of any modern Japanese writer presently available in English.
Download or read book Utagawa Kuniyoshi written by Sarah Elizabeth Thompson and published by Pomegranate Communications. This book was released on 2009 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Originally published in 1852 and 1853, The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaid? is a richly entertaining series of woodblock prints created by master artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi (Japanese, 1797-1861). The seventy-two finely executed prints include one for each resting point along the well-traveled Kisokaid? (Kiso Road)-a historic route stretching from Edo (modern Tokyo) to Kyoto-plus views of the two endpoint cities and an additional series title page. Kuniyoshi never traveled the mountainous Kisokaid?, but he drew from historic events, kabuki plays, popular legends, and classical literature to illustrate his vision of the towns and stations along the road. This stunning collection of colorful ukiyo-e prints exhibits Kuniyoshi's artistic mastery and clever sense of humor. Each work incorporates three elements: the main picture, an inset landscape depicting the particular station, and a title block. Using parody and pun (both for humor and to avoid government censorship), Kuniyoshi associated each point on the route with one of the most beloved stories of his day-from a reimagined Odyssey to the Japanese fairy tale of Urashima to popular kabuki scenes with courtesans and other "floating world" characters. He made that story the subject of the main picture and put clues to its identity in the title block. Kuniyoshi delighted in these hidden messages and used every inch of the paper to tell his story. Utagawa Kuniyoshi: The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaid? celebrates the beauty, charm, and ingenuity of Kuniyoshi's work with more than seventy-five full-color illustrations, including reproductions of all the prints in the treasured series. Sarah E. Thompson provides an introductory essay on the history of ukiyo-e and a description of each print. Sarah E. Thompson, Assistant Curator for Japanese Prints at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, received her PhD from Columbia University. She taught Japanese and Asian art history at Vassar College, Oberlin College, and the University of Oregon and curated several exhibitions of Japanese prints before coming to the MFA in 2004. She is now supervising the Japanese Print Access and Documentation Project, whose ultimate goal is to photograph and catalogue all fifty thousand Japanese prints in the MFA collection.
Download or read book Lonely Planet Kyoto written by Lonely Planet and published by Lonely Planet. This book was released on 2018-08-01 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lonely Planet: The world’s number one travel guide publisher* Lonely Planet’s Kyoto is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Walk through thousands of vermillion entrance gates towards the summit of Fushimi Inari-Taisha; glimpse ‘old Japan’ in the lanes of Gion; and time your trip for the best cherry blossom and crimson maple leaves. All with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of destination and begin your journey now! Inside Lonely Planet’s Kyoto: Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights provide a richer, more rewarding travel experience - covering history, people, music, cuisine, politics, etiquette Covers Downtown Kyoto, Kyoto Station Area, Southern Higashiyama, Northern Higashiyama, Central Kyoto, Northwest Kyoto, Arashiyama & Sagano, Kitayama Area & North Kyoto eBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones) Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet’s Kyoto is our most comprehensive guide to the city, and is perfect for discovering both popular and offbeat experiences. Looking for just the highlights? Check out Pocket Kyoto & Osaka, our handy-sized guide featuring the best sights and experiences for a shorter visit. After wider coverage? Check out Lonely Planet’s Japan for a comprehensive look at all the country has to offer. About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world’s number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we’ve printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You’ll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, video, 14 languages, nine international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more. ‘Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.’ – New York Times ‘Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.’ – Fairfax Media (Australia) *Source: Nielsen BookScan: Australia, UK, USA, 5/2016-4/2017 Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.
Download or read book Craftland Japan written by Uwe Röttgen and published by National Geographic Books. This book was released on 2020-05-12 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A stunning photographic survey of Japan’s most ingenious contemporary artisans. Generations of artisans in Japan have forged and refined their crafts to become the envy of the world. Each of the country’s regions are renowned for specific traditions relating to local materials and the natural world in which they are produced. While tourists and design enthusiasts have long acknowledged the unique history and quality of Japanese craftsmanship, very few crafts have made their way outside the country, preventing many from witnessing the quality of Japanese workmanship for themselves. With the aim of sharing these unseen treasures with the wider world, designers Uwe Röttgen and Katharina Zettl set out to find the finest examples of Japanese craftsmanship, traveling around the country to document the makers, their workshops, and the landscapes that influence them. Craftland Japan is the result of this extraordinary journey into the heart of Japanese culture. Featuring twenty-five expert artisans, Craftland Japan reveals the techniques and materials that are used to produce a wide variety of beautiful objects, from porcelain bowls to indigo-dyed fabrics to paper. This book is a celebration of how Japan’s union of craft, design, materiality, and landscape continue to flourish in contemporary interpretation, however much the world around them has changed.
Download or read book The Kiso Road written by William E. Naff and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: William E. Naff spent the last years of his life writing a full-length biography of Shimazaki Toson. This title provides an account of this canonic novelist who, along with Natsume Soseki and Mori Ogai, formed the triumvirate of writers regarded as giants in Meijim, Japan.
Download or read book Shizuko Kuroha s Japanese Patchwork Quilting Patterns written by Shizuko Kuroha and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2019-03-26 with total page 117 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Shizuko Kuroha's Japanese Patchwork Quilting Patterns infuses a cherished American craft with an exquisite Japanese sense of color, detail, and design. This book brings a fresh eye to classic patchwork patterns in a way that is delighting quilters all around the world today. Here, Kuroha shares her intricate hand-quilting techniques and a design sense that has been refined over her 40-year career as a celebrated book author and teacher. Her easy combinations of soft colors, detailed patterns, and bold stripes show how to achieve balance and flow in any type of patchwork project--from the simplest to the most complex. Step-by-step illustrations walk quilters through Kuroha's intricate hand-piecework process. The book includes 19 sampler blocks used to make hundreds of different combinations for all kinds of quilting projects. The photos and diagrams of the block assembly are so clear, you hardly need to read the steps! A handy printable pattern sheet at the back of the book takes the labor out of drawing the pieces used to build these blocks. Detailed instructions show you how to incorporate the blocks into projects large and small, including: Pincushions in round and square designs Drawstring bags and zippered pouches embellished with patchwork Quilted tote bags and a stylish backpack Table runners and wall hangings with gorgeous color schemes Full-sized quilts destined to become cherished heirlooms This book is an invaluable introduction to the basics of hand-stitched piecework. Practiced quilters will also love it for the way it broadens their horizons. Kuroha fans will be happy to see this popular book finally available in English--where it's sure to become a treasured reference for years to come!
Download or read book Secrets of the Blue Cliff Record written by Thomas Cleary and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2002-12-10 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Blue Cliff Record is a classic text of Zen Buddhism, designed to assist in the activation of dormant human potential. The core of this extraordinary work is a collection of one hundred traditional citations and stories, selected for their ability to bring about insight and enlightenment. These vignettes are known as gongan in Chinese and koan in Japanese. Secrets of the Blue Cliff Record is a fresh translation featuring newly translated commentary from two of the greatest Zen masters of early modern Japan, Hakuin Ekaku (1685–1768) of the Rinzai sect of Zen and Tenkei Denson (1648–1735) of the Soto sect of Zen. This translation and commentary on The Blue Cliff Record sheds new light on the meaning of this central Zen text.
Download or read book Hiroshige Eisen written by Andreas Marks and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Early Japanese Railways 1853 1914 written by Dan Free and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2012-11-27 with total page 781 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Early Japanese Railways 1853-1914 is a cultural and engineering history of railway building in Japan during the Meiji era. The importance of early railways in the industrialization of the United States and Europe is a fact all of us are familiar with. To witness the amazing parallel development of the railways in Japan, happening at much the same time as America was connecting its vast hinterland to the East and West coasts, is an eye-opening realization. Early Japanese Railways, tells the fascinating story of the rise of Japanese rail amidst a period of rapid modernization during Japan's Meiji era. Leaving behind centuries of stagnation and isolation, Japan would emerge into the 20th century as a leading modern industrialized state. The development of the railways was a significant factor in the cultural and technological development of Japan during this pivotal period. Free's rare photographic and historical materials concerning Japan's early railways, including a print showing the miniature steam engine brought to Japan by Admiral Perry aboard his "Black Ships" to demonstrate American superiority, combine to form a richly detailed account that will appeal to students of Japanese history and railway buffs alike. This one-of-a-kind book, Early Japanese Railways 1853-1914, illuminates for non-Japanese-speaking readers the early history of Japanese railroads and in the process the fascinating story of Japan's prewar industrial modernization. Anyone interested in train history or model trains will find this book a fascinating read.
Download or read book Japanese Death Poems written by and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 1998-04-15 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A wonderful introduction the Japanese tradition of jisei, this volume is crammed with exquisite, spontaneous verse and pithy, often hilarious, descriptions of the eccentric and committed monastics who wrote the poems." --Tricycle: The Buddhist Review Although the consciousness of death is, in most cultures, very much a part of life, this is perhaps nowhere more true than in Japan, where the approach of death has given rise to a centuries-old tradition of writing jisei, or the "death poem." Such a poem is often written in the very last moments of the poet's life. Hundreds of Japanese death poems, many with a commentary describing the circumstances of the poet's death, have been translated into English here, the vast majority of them for the first time. Yoel Hoffmann explores the attitudes and customs surrounding death in historical and present-day Japan and gives examples of how these have been reflected in the nation's literature in general. The development of writing jisei is then examined--from the longing poems of the early nobility and the more "masculine" verses of the samurai to the satirical death poems of later centuries. Zen Buddhist ideas about death are also described as a preface to the collection of Chinese death poems by Zen monks that are also included. Finally, the last section contains three hundred twenty haiku, some of which have never been assembled before, in English translation and romanized in Japanese.
Download or read book The Golden Naginata written by Jessica Amanda Salmonson and published by Open Road Media. This book was released on 2015-04-07 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For the sake of an enchanted sword, Tomoe revolts against her father In all of Naipon, there is no samurai more famous than Tomoe Gozen. Her skill with the blade is legendary, her honor unquestioned, and evil men everywhere fear her name. No challenge is too great for Tomoe, but she is not ready for marriage. When her father announces that he has arranged a match for her—one that will mean laying aside her sword—Tomoe responds as she always does when her life is threatened: she draws her twin blades. After fighting her way out of her father’s house, Tomoe meets Azo Hono-o, a female samurai who plans to make a name for herself by killing Tomoe Gozen. Tomoe convinces Azo to join forces with her, and together they set out across Naipon in search of a golden sword, which they will use to carve a place for themselves in a man’s world.
Download or read book Roads of Oku written by Dennis Kawaharada and published by Dennis Kawaharada. This book was released on 2015 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Between 2004 and 2014, Karen and I made a dozen trips to Japan, to revisit places I went to on my first trip in 1970 and to go to places related to family and ancestral histories and myths.... Inspired by the travels of Basho and Sora, we logged over 20,000 miles across the four main islands ... up to Cape Soya, at the northern tip of Hokaido, and down to Cape Kasasa, at the southwestern corner of Kyushu"-- Author's note.
Download or read book Day of the Artist written by Linda Patricia Cleary and published by . This book was released on 2015-07-14 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One girl, one painting a day...can she do it? Linda Patricia Cleary decided to challenge herself with a year long project starting on January 1, 2014. Choose an artist a day and create a piece in tribute to them. It was a fun, challenging, stressful and psychological experience. She learned about technique, art history, different materials and embracing failure. Here are all 365 pieces. Enjoy!
Download or read book The Life and Zen Haiku Poetry of Santoka Taneda written by Sumita Oyama and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2021-04-27 with total page 346 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The fascinating and quirky biography of a disheveled poet, skillfully interwoven with his original works. Zen monk Santoka Taneda (1882-1940) is one of Japan's most beloved modern poets, famous for his "free-verse" haiku, the dominant style today. This book tells the fascinating story of his life, liberally sprinkled with more than 300 of his poems and extracts from his essays and journals--compiled by his best friend and biographer Sumita Oyama and elegantly translated by William Scott Wilson. Santoka was a literary prodigy, but a notoriously disorganized human being. By his own admission, he was incapable of doing anything other than wandering the countryside and writing verses. Although Santoka married and had a son, he devoted his life to poetry, studying Zen, drinking sake and wandering the length and breadth of the Japanese islands on foot, as a mendicant monk. The poet's life alternated between long periods of solitary retreat and restless travel, influenced by his tragic childhood. When not on the road, he lived in simple grass huts supported by friends and family. Santoka was a lively conversationalist who was often found so drunk he could only make it home with the help of a friendly neighbor or passerby. But above all, throughout his life, he wrote constantly; poetry and essays flowed from him effortlessly. Santoka's eccentric style of haiku is highly regarded in Japan today for being truly modern and free from formal constraints. His journals and essays are equally thought-provoking--the musings of an unkempt but supremely self-conscious mind on everything from writing to cooking rice and his failure to live a more orderly life. This translation and its introduction are by best-selling author William Scott Wilson, whose other works include The Book of Five Rings and The Lone Samurai. Wilson provides sensitive renditions of the haiku illustrating Santoka's life as well as an extensive introduction to the influences on Santoka's work, from contemporary haiku poets and his Buddhist teachers. Alongside the book, readers have access to a two-hour online audio recording of 331 of Santoka Taneda's haiku, read in Japanese by a native speaker, and in English.
Download or read book Impossible Journeys written by Mathew Lyons and published by Cadogan Guides. This book was released on 2005 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A wonderful gripping exploration of the bravest most fantastic and outlandish journeys undertaken over the centuries -- regardless of whether they were possible or not!
