Customer Reviews

Japan Country Living

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This is an amazing book, as are all by Amy Katoh. I was lucky enough to live in Tokyo two doors away from her store, and visited it at LEAST weekly.

She specializes in simple but beautiful "country craftsmanship," as opposed to the opulent, such as dress kimino, and such.

Her knowledge of Japanese culture and her sensitivity has even awakened the appeciation of Japanese citizens who had previously taken their material culture for granted.

Spectacular photographs serve to illustrate a view of Japan that is far different from the bustling cities. This represents three things to me:

First is the fact that until recently Japan was a rural rountry. People lived a farming, fishing existance.

Second, the sense of using natural surfaces: wood, fabric, thatch and some rudamentory manufactured items: paper, pottery, cast iron makes for a room appearance that we could all strive to find.

Third, as with any architecture book, the ideas of style, decoration, and utility in a small space give one ideas that may well be applicable in housing designs that we may be considering.

These houses have a utility and a simplicity that is all their own. It is great to see what they have done with simple items and a rather small amount of money. These are not the million dollar homes often seen in architecture books, these are lived in.

Beautiful book.

Tuttle first released this book back in the early 90's and it has, deservedly, become a publishing hit.

The concept is simple: the design elements of Japan's traditional country lifestyle. But however, beautiful the interiors may be, this is more important as a book of photography and as a book of anthropology. Something like 375 color photographs are featured, photographs of clarity and of careful composition, showing interiors, exteriors, common objects, kitchens, clothing, set tables, prepared food, agriculture, and, to a lesser extent, the people. Since objects and reveal much about lifestyles, in this book the pace, the feel, the soul of rural Japan really shines through.

This is a wonderful book. Gave me lots of ideas for decorating. Lots of color photos. I highly recommend this book!