Japan: Profile of a Nation (English and Japanese Edition) [Paperback]

Kodansha America Inc. (Author), Kodansha International (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1999

This compact reference work contains over 200 articles organized into thematic sections on the geography, history, government, economy, society, culture, and lifestyles of Japan.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Information on Japanese culture and history profiles the nation’s past, present and future, packing in statistics and facts with a commentary on the nation’s growth and development. This isn’t a travel guide per say, offering none of the usual itineraries and recommendations for accommodations; but it’s an essential cultural guide reviewed here as a major contribution to understanding the nation as a whole. -- Midwest Book Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Following is the introductory section to Japanese cooking, slightly reformated and minus the Chinese characters in the original. After this introduction, there are 23 discussions of various types or aspects of Japanese cooking.

Japanese cooking (Nihon ryori)

There are three fundamental types of traditional full-course Japanese cuisine: honzen ryori, an assembly of dishes served on legged trays at formal banquets; chakaiseki ryori, a series of dishes sometimes served before the TEA CEREMONY; and KAISEKI RYORI, a series of dishes for parties, often served at restaurants specializing in Japanese cuisine (ryotei). Other types are osechi ryori, dishes traditionally served on important holidays such as NEW YEAR'S, and shojin ryori, Buddhist vegetarian dishes.

Ingredients

The main ingredients in Japanese cooking are seafood, vegetables, and rice. The consumption of raw seafood has long been a distinguishing feature of native cuisine, and its preparation requires that fish be very fresh and that it be skillfully cut with a very sharp knife (hocho). Because of the abundance of foods supplied by the seas surrounding Japan and the influence of Buddhism, which militated against the killing of animals, Japanese cooking formerly made little use of the flesh of animals and fowl, dairy products, and oils and fat. Principal seasonings are fermented products of soybeans, such as SOY SAUCE and MISO (soybean paste) or of RICE, such as SAKE, vinegar, and mirin (sweet sake). To preserve the natural flavors of ingredients, strong spices are avoided in favor of milder herbs and spices, such as kinome (aromatic sprigs of the tree known as sansho), yuzu (citron), wasabi (Japanese horseradish), ginger, myoga (a plant of the same genus as ginger), and dried and ground sansho seeds.

Tableware

In preparing foods for serving one arranges them in a manner that harmonizes colors and textures, on plates or in bowls that accord with the season of the year; for example, glass and bamboo are considered appropriate for summer. Dishes of contrasting shapes, sizes, and patterns are used during the course of a meal to achieve an aesthetic balance between food and receptacle that pleases the eye and stimulates the appetite.

Product Details

• Paperback: 520 pages
• Publisher: Kodansha International (JPN); Revised edition (August 1999)
• Language: English, Japanese
• ISBN-10: 4770023847
• ISBN-13: 978-4770023841
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5.1 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #994,695 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The most comprehensive sourcebook on Japan, March 13, 2001

By 

Thomas BONDIGUEL (Rennes,FRANCE) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Japan: Profile of a Nation (English and Japanese Edition) (Paperback)

Upon receiving that book, I was a little impressed by the amount of bilingual information provided on all kinds of topics, ranging from history to politics and society. Albeit looking austere, the writng style is (surprisingly) very accessible and non-Japanese speakers ,like me, will be able to fully seize the characteristics of the Rising Sun's culture. However, for anyone with a command of Japanese , this encyclopedia offers countless opportunities since all the notions and keypoints are translated in Japanese. I certainly regret the absence of pictures which would have made this encyclopedia more lively, but first and foremost it was pointed at condensing the great Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japan, which I recommand more to people looking for a pleasure cruise along Japan's wonders and culture. Furthermore , I wish they had put some extra information over certain particular aspects of Japan such as the Samurai, the War in traditional society, the relation with the outside world, etc... Nonetheless, this condensed encyclopedia is best for people looking for a comprehensive view on Japan at a reasonable price.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, May 14, 2002

By 

Hildur (Iceland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Japan: Profile of a Nation (Paperback)

I liked this book very much. It gives a good overview of Japan; past and now.
I recommend it!