Japanese Book Club

One Leaf Rides the Wind

Picture books about different cultures and places around the world are hot in our house (those, and world music on both YouTube and now Spotify). Recently we checked out the lovely picture book, One Leaf Rides the Wind, written by Celeste Davidson Mannis and illustrated by Susan Kathleen Hurtung. The gently illustrated book is not only a wonderful counting book for kids; it’s also a lovely introduction to Japanese culture via a haiku on each page. Read more about One Leaf Rides the Wind

First Book of Sushi

Fans of Amy Wilson Singer are already familiar with her adorable, poetry-filled picture books that are perfect for introducing young children to foreign food concepts. With chunky, colorful images and fun, lyrical text, First Book of Sushi is a wonderful way to show children what to expect when it comes to the Japanese food.

Phrases like “tekka maki” and “kappa maki” are explored, as are concepts such as eating with chopsticks. The contents of a California roll, the texture of tofu, and miso soup are just some of the many foods that children will have a chance to explore in this fun little book.

Though you might not want to introduce little ones to something like wasabi just yet, heading to the sushi bar after reading this book could still be an exciting and educational culinary adventure. You wouldn’t have to spend a fortune; just get your child a simple roll to explore and dissect. He or she may not eat it; I, for one, maintain that sushi is an acquired taste! But the simple act of seeing what it’s all about would be fun enough, and it would help put the contents of the book into perspective. Who knows, you might have a little sushi lover on your hands.

Read more about First Book of Sushi

Beginner’s Japanese - $19.76

ISBN13: 9780781811415, ISBN: 0781811414

Get this book from buy.com for only $19.76 and start learning today!

This popular instruction book, ideal for both individual and classroom use, is now accompanied by 2 audio CDs! The 25 lessons combine dialogues with easy-to-follow grammatical explanations. Sidebars feature vocabulary, cultural information, and helpful tips for travellers and businesspeople. Other features include an introduction to hiragana and katakana writing systems, and a Japanese-English/English-Japanese glossary. The aduio CDs complement the dialogue and vocabulary sections of each lesson, helping the reader to understand the language as spoken. Read more about Beginner’s Japanese - $19.76

Japan in Colors

Whether you are discussing colors with a toddler, introducing a preschooler to the country of Japan, or simply looking for some beautiful Japanese photos to mull over or draw, Japan in Colors by Sara Louise Kras is a wonderful book to begin with. From pagoda buildings to monks in prayer to gorgeous cherry blossoms, it features a lovely variety of Japanese culture that will delight both children and adults.

Each two-page spread in the book features large, detailed photos of real places, people, and animals from Japan, along with a small paragraph about them. Within the paragraph, the colors in the photo are detailed to help explain the nuances of each photo, since they may not be so obvious. It is also, of course, a book about colors! Read more about Japan in Colors

Out

Now for another crime thriller. The book is Out and it is Natsuo Kirino's gory story about four ordinary Japanese women and their link to a horrid murder. This is one of those books that really won over its readers, as can be seen from the fact that it was quickly adapted into a movie. Funnily enough, I don't think the movie did that well.

The story is dark and gory and definitely not for everyone. The four characters at the center of the plot are Japanese women from various walks of life. Each of them come from different backgrounds and seem to represent the different types of women out there – the single mom, the newly dumped young woman with bad debt, the bitter middle aged woman and the unhappy woman with an abusive husband. What's their common link? They all work in a dull factory setting and are caught up in this humdrum little life. Read more about Out

The Makioka Sisters

Yet another novel that is an interesting look at Japanese past. The Makioka Sisters, written by Junichiro Tanizaki, is a story set in the time of the second World War and it follows the life of four sisters. Well, unlike some novels that draw in a bit too much of the time period, this one talks more about personal lives of one particular family.

The story itself is meant to compare and contrast the changing ideals and social trends of its time. Interestingly enough, it was also written in this specific period, meaning that the author was in tune with a lot of the sentiment of his time. On the one hand, this book is about the way a family's comfortable life is disrupted as they face financial problems. Read more about The Makioka Sisters

Death Note: Another Note

Oh, being an anime fan of course I would set my eyes on this one. It's called Death Note: Another Note and it is a prequel to the popular manga storyline. Actually, it is effectively an elaboration of a murder mystery that came up in the manga series. A warning to all, the book probably makes sense only if you are either familiar with the DN series or are a huge fan of the main character. Fine, the story will make sense but you won't be as enthralled by the plot.

The story falls into the mystery genre where folks are trying to uncover the truth behind some horrid murders. And of course the man of the hour is lovable L, the genius detective of the DN series. You also come across Masori Naomi, the brilliant mystery-solver from the series. Read more about Death Note: Another Note

Loving the Machine

Loving The Machine: The Art and Science of Japanese Robots is a must-have for robotics fans. By this I don't mean the evil world domination type robots from the movies. Rather, these are the various types of, usually helpful, robots created by Japanese companies. Penned by Timothy N.Hornyak, this book will appeal to both general tech fans and lovers of Japanese robot culture.

The book covers a lot of the history of Japanese robot development. In this way, it also explores the way of thinking that encouraged such development. Read more about Loving the Machine

Kitchen

Blame it on the generation gap but the concept of this novel seemed outdated in light of modern trends. The novel in question, Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto, is about a young Japanese woman who is trying to make sense of her current life whilst also expanding age-old comfort zones established by her elders. Don't get me wrong; the story is delightful to read and it exceptionally touching but … I do like to think that the younger crowds don't feel this type of angst, especially where gender roles are concerned. Or am I being too hopeful here?
Read more about Kitchen

Now You're One of Us

This is one of those books that you will love or hate. Now You're One of Us is a slow, suspenseful story that revolves around Japanese culture. In a way, I think it is the various cultural elements that add to the plot and move it forward and thus, you have to keep it in mind, in order to enjoy the novel.

The story is about a woman, Noriko, who becomes part of a large family when she marries one of their sons, Kazuhito. As she gets used to the quirky ways of living with more folks in one house, she starts worrying about them. More specifically, she thinks that they have dark secrets and that no one is what they seem. Read more about Now You're One of Us

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