Highly recommended beginner course in Japanese.

All the phrases you'll ever need.

Simple and entertaining background for understanding 300 common, written Japanese "Kanji" characters.

A wonderful guide to unique traditional shops.

A source for lesser known, fascinating corners of Kyoto.

Comprehensive, portable guide to Tokyo.

A beautifully written and illustrated book to help one prepare for understanding Japanese gardens, history and aesthetics.

A comprehensive overview of Japanese crafts throughout Japan.

The philosophical foundations of the Mingei (Folkcraft) Movement, by its founder. Fascinating study of beauty through the eyes of one of the great thinkers of the early 20th century.

If you want to read only one book on Japanese art, this is the recommended one.

This is the only English guide to Japan's contemporary art scene.

A beautifully illustrated introduction to the art of the Japanese Tea Ceremony.

Biographies of important contemporary Bamboo artists with beautiful photos of their works.

A rare glimpse of six master craftsmen of Japan, designated after World War II as "Living National Treasures" in order to preserve traditional art forms.

A well illustrated, hands-on introduction to Japanese ceramics traditions and production, including the basics, from setting up a workshop and forming pots to understanding both the techniques of, and philosophy behind, modern Japanese ceramics approaches.

Ways in which the westerner can use Japanese design in interior decoration.

A beautifully illustrated source for Japanese design elements such as stone walkways, thatch roofs, garden fences and lattice windows.

A photo essay celebrating the essence of Japanese design, and the fine workmanship of traditional Japanese crafts.

A beautifully photographed comprehensive look at bamboo and its place in Japanese culture.

English professor Davidson recounts her travels in Japan in the 1980s.

In this classic travel memoir, Donald Richie embarks on a quest to find Japan's timeless heart among its mysterious waters and forgotten islands.

A simple and insightful introduction to the Japanese sense of beauty, written by one of the greatest Japanese authors of the 20th century.

A scholarly text on Japanese history and culture.

Matsuo Basho (1644-94) was the greatest of the Japanese haiku poets. The vitality and flexibility of his genius in the strict 17-syllable form brought haiku to a level of immaculate perfection. In later life, Basho turned to Zen Buddhism, and the travel sketches in this volume reflect his attempts to cast off earthly attachments and reach out to spiritual fulfillment. We will visit sites described in this book on the Rural Northern Tour.

A fascinating and accurate fictional account of the life of an early to mid-20th century Geisha.

Iyer's part fiction, part autobiographical description of a year he spent in Kyoto. Good insights into Japanese culture, both traditional and modern.

A delightful account of family life in pre-war Japan.