"Ma—the emptiness in which time, space and thoughts are suspended—is an invitation to awareness."The traditional Japanese concept of ma refers to a pause or a space, "the moment of no action, the stillness and silence that is filled with more powerful energy than the moments of action" on the classic Noh stage. It also refers to the pauses taken in between notes by a shakuhachi flute player or the spaces between stones in a Zen garden which reveal unexpect...

The first book to present the amazing swords and armor belonging to the most famous Samurai in Japanese history!Paul Martin, a world-renowned scholar of Japanese swords, takes us on a journey of discovery of samurai culture through an examination of valuable weapons and armor belonging to thirty of Japan's most celebrated warriors, many of which are classified as Important Cultural Propertiesor National Treasures and therefore rarely seen by the p...

This prize-winning book is both an illustrated tour of a Tokyo rarely seen in Japan travel guides and an artist's warm, funny, visually rich, and always entertaining graphic memoir.Florent Chavouet, a young graphic artist, spent six months exploring Tokyo while his girlfriend interned at a company there. Each day he would set forth with a pouch full of color pencils and a sketchpad, and visit different neighborhoods. This stunning book records the city that he got ...

Traveling to Japan has never been so much fun—visit the land of anime, manga, cosplay, hot springs and sushi!This graphic Japan travel guide is the first of its kind exploring Japanese culture from a cartoonist's perspective. Cool Japan Guide takes you on a fun tour from the high-energy urban streets of Tokyo to the peaceful Zen gardens and Shinto shrines of Kyoto and introduces you to:the exciting world of Japanese food—from bento to sushi a...

The only resource you need for travel to Japan!This award-winning guide puts the whole country in the palm of your hand. With a map and tips on all the best sights, travelers can be sure they are seeing the best of Japan without wasting any time!Explore energetic, ever-changing Tokyo—or immerse yourself in the country's rich cultural past in ancient Kyoto. Take to Asia's best ski slopes in Hokkaido or sun yourself on the beach in subtropical Okinawa. Experi...

This Tokyo guidebook provides an intimate and detailed look at Japan's dynamic capital.Walking is the best way to get to know any city and here is a walker's guide to Tokyo—one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Author and Tokyo native Sumiko Enbutso leads readers through Tokyo's old downtown. Sensitive to the character of each varied neighborhood, she brings a sharp eye to its half-hidden history, its traditional shops, and its most appealing restaurants...

This pocket atlas and Japan travel guide is an indispensable tool for getting around Tokyo—whether as a first-time visitor, or a local resident.The travel book is conveniently divided into chapters that enable the user to know what to do on arriving at Narita or Haneda Airport, and then how to get into and around the city using all available means of public transport.Area maps for all the key districts of Tokyo show the locations of hotels, shopping centers...

This travel pictorial and Japan travel guide captures the sites and soul of Kyoto—Japan's historical and spiritual center.An elaborate kaleidoscope of craft, artistry and religion, Kyoto is one of the world's most popular travel destinations. Art and design form the weft and warp of this vibrant 1,200-year-old city, home to hundreds of gardens, palaces, villas and magnificent wooden temples, including seventeen UNESCO World Heritage sites.Like a Zen koan, K...

Complete with maps and extensive advice, this guide to Japan's hot springs is an invaluable resource for anyone travelling to Japan.Easier to get to than many might imagine, Japan's hidden hot springs are among the few remaining repositories of ancient Japanese ambiance and sensibility. Bucolic and charming, they bear little resemblance to the sterile, clinic-like spas of the West or to the concrete jungles of Japan's best-known onsen towns. The hot springs introdu...

This helpful Kansai travel guide explains where to find the area's best restaurants, sights, bars entertainment, shopping, and services.Opinionated entries include addresses, phone numbers, hours of operation, maps, and whether English is spoken-the complete information you need to find your way to the best and most fun places in Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, and environs.Whether you live in the region or you're just visiting, The Best of Kansai is the perfe...

Children turned emperor, emperors turned priest, and priests turned poet are just a few of the colorful characters described in Kyoto: A Cultural Guide.The fascinating facts, larger-than-life characters and grand events described within offer abundant proof that, more than just a treasure house of shrines and temples, Kyoto is indeed one of the most enticing cities in the world.For example, Benkei, an eight-foot-tall monk with a wildly combative nature, was...

The Temples of Kyoto takes you on a journey through these environs and presents twenty-one of these marvelous structures that are unique creations which, while quintessentially Japanese, somehow speak a universal language readily appreciated by people the world over.Donald Richie, called by Time magazine, "the dean of art critics in Japan," turns his attention to these twenty-one temples with scholarship and an eye for the dramatic. Drawing off such classi...