How to Live Japanese
by Yutaka Yazawa
Pub Date 11 Oct 2018
Quarto Publishing Group - Aurum Press, White Lion Publishing, NetGalley
Detailed and very readable book with sections covering the history, geography and topography of Japan, as well as the religions, cuisine, cultural traditions, famous landmarks and more.
This book would be good background reading for anyone traveling to Japan, to help make the land, the people, and the customs easily understandable. Religious celebrations, festivals, holidays, are all included in easy to understand and fluid prose.
Outstanding to me were descriptions of Mt. Fuji and its importance, mountain walking and trekking that are popular for so many, onsens and hot spring resorts, the unique preparation of food as in sushi and more, the geisha tradition and history, pottery making in the Kyoto region and elsewhere, other arts and crafts, farming and fishing occupations, religious festivals and celebrations.
Those already familiar with Japan will recognize many of the sections' information, and see these from the Japanese-born author's point of view. I enjoyed reading about what was new to me and what I was already familiar with.
Yutaka Yazawa
