Travelers' Tales Guides Japan: True Stories of Life on the Road [Paperback]

Donald Richie (Author), Alan Booth (Author), Donald W. George (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Travelers' Tales Guides | Publication Date: November 1998

The tales in this collection reveal the enig matic land that lies beneath the surface of Japan, a country that simultaneously delights, astonishes, frustrates and an noys travellers. '

Product Details

• Paperback: 411 pages
• Publisher: Travelers' Tales Guides (November 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 188521104X
• ISBN-13: 978-1885211040
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,780,565 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars To delve into the soul of Japan., May 26, 2000

By 

Kelvin S. Yew (Singapore Singapore) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Travelers' Tales Guides Japan: True Stories of Life on the Road (Paperback)

This is a guidebook, the publisher asserts. Within its pages, you won't find recommendations for dining and accomodations in myriad cities like your usual Lonely Planet. What you hold, rather, is a collection of writings from various authors, ranging from the whimsical to the reflective, the amusing to the spiritual.

Take for instance, Dave Berry's take on Kabuki, extracted from his book "Dave Berry Does Japan". He presents his own candid views on how the artform looks to the untrained western eye. The tradition of the onnagata (male actor playing the role of a female), is described much to my hilarity as "(John) Belushi playing the samurai whining transvestite". In contrast, are the writings of Lafcadio Hearn, whose zen like reflections betray his contemplative nature.

The rest of the chapters examine topics as diverse as the indoor ski slopes in Japan, Tsukiji fish market, Sumo wrestling, and a Lesbian's night out. The latter is particularily telling, on how one can come out of the closet and yet remain repressed in preconceived gender roles that is, in essence, very Japanese.

It is hoped, apparently, that the collective consciousness of the authors gives an invaluable insight into the psyche of this nation. Most of the chapters are excerpts from books on Japan by noted authors. The more well known being Pico Iyer, Nikos Kazantzakis, Alan Booth, Alex Kerr and Lafcadio Hearn. Having also read most of the cited references, I can vouch for the editor's ability to choose the excerpts which are both poignant and yet typify the author's style.

Recommended for additional reading, not as a guide (as the publisher claims) to finding your way around.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Anthology of impressions, March 8, 2002

By 

Zack Davisson "japanreviewed" (Seattle, WA, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Travelers' Tales Guides Japan: True Stories of Life on the Road (Paperback)

"Japan : True Stories of Life on the Road" is a collection of anecdotal stories told by people who have journeyed to Japan.

The strength of the book lies in the different points of view. Each traveler experienced a different Japan and has different things to say about the country and it's people. Some of the tales are funny, some are serious and some are informative. The book has a nice balance of styles, and there is very little replication. What is it like to go to a Love Hotel? What do you do when you are served living squid for dinner? What is a Kabuki play like? These are the type of questions answered by this book.

It's weakness lies in the fact that many of these tales have been published elsewhere. If you have read many books on Japan, chances are you will have already read many of these stories. Several selections from "Learning to Bow," "Dave Barry does Japan" and "36 Views of Mt. Fuji" are here.

All in all, it is a good book, and worth reading.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars informative but fun to read, March 6, 2001

By 

Ping Lim (Christchurch) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Travelers' Tales Guides Japan: True Stories of Life on the Road (Paperback)

The concept for this travelling book is different from the others. Rather than providing readers with hard facts, it condenses essays written by travellers who have been to Japan to give the readers a feel of the country. To be truthful, I enjoy this format thoroughly as there's a human dimension to it. Some essays are compiled by Alan Booth, who is rather well known for his works about Japan & who has since passed away due to cancer but his legacy remains. Anyhow, some of the highlights of the book are writers' experiences in the love hotel & thus, collecting many green hair elastic band along the way; feelling like a Godzilla for crushing into everything due to the space constraint in Japan & the difficulty of adjusting to Japanese custom; skiing & playing beach volleyball INDOOR; visiting to the renowned Ryoanji Temple; disturbing visit to the Peace Park in Hiroshima; groping & fondling problem in the subway & thus, destroying the myth of all Japanese males being gentlemen; significance of cherry blossoms during spring time; a new but boring visit to the Noh theatre for the undiscerning & not to mention the sumo wrestling; the chaotic but harmonious existence among the fishmongers in Tskuji, the biggest fish market in the world; Osaka for having the rebellious spirit, dare to be different from the rest of Japan etc. Because the writers write as they see Japan, not all articles are for Japan but rather, the other Japan that you haven't seen before. I thoroughly enjoy the experience of reading the book as if I were there already. Highly recommended.