Ekiben: The Art Of The Japanese Box Lunch Review

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(More customer reviews)Junichi Kamekura's, 'Ekiben: The Art of the Japanese Box Lunch,' is a beautiful picture book that will appeal to foodies, casual gourmands and even those interested in food-packaging design. Highlighting boxed lunches featuring regional and seasonal ingredients sold at train stations across Japan the wonderful presentation, freshness and overall deliciousness captured by the photography will leave most American readers envious of the high quality 'fast-food' enjoyed by the Japanese.
Even though this book was published in 1989, it is good to know that the eki-ben lives on as I recognized several bentos featured in this book on my last trip to Japan (several months ago). This book may be somewhat hard to find as its been out of print for awhile so if you should come across a copy be sure to snag it.

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Shows and describes the contents of a variety of Japanese-style box lunches and discusses their background.

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Ryokan: Japan's Finest Spas and Inns Review

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(More customer reviews)The book is introducing 36 Ryokans throughout Japan.
13 for Tokyos area
6 for Kyoto, Nara and Kansai
7 for central Japan
4 for northern Japan
6 for southern Japan
One of the particularly well done features of the book are the exceptionally well written texts and a very sensitive introduction about the "Ryokan and Onsen Etiquette".
This 3 page introduction alone lists up cases which probably make up more than 80% of common pitfalls when "guests" are lacking the cultural background.
Years back I have been in those or similar situations myself and would have wished to have had such a quick rundown of what to do and what to better avoid. A few things that could be improved on the book.
1) Some pictures have homepage or newspaper like quality.
(low resolution picture zoomed up to a full page)
2) The introduced Ryokans should be numbered throughout the book as it was done on the map in the front.
3) More seasonal information should be included. Blossom of certain trees and flowers, festivals etc.
4) Perhaps a smaller sized edition would accommodate better for some of the lower quality pictures and would help making the book more portable.Summary:
With each single well crafted textual descriptions of the Ryokans you get invaluable sensitive introductions to Japans cultural background.
If you are going to Japan for business you will want to consider the book an investment into an cultural introduction.
The other above mentioned points are no deal breakers in an way, but are actually devalueing an another wise excellent book.
The book is highly recommended !!


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This book features Japanese inns, or ryokan, both old and new-from inns with a history dating back a thousand years to modern inns with the latest facilities that nonetheless capture the spirit of old Japan. Each of the properties has been handpicked by the authors for their strong design aesthetic, commitment to service and purity of their spring waters. The photographs showcase the resorts at their best, and accurately express the unique architectural design of each ryokan.Each chapter begins by introducing the area surrounding the inns and their spas, or onsen, and provides a background of its local history, culture and traditions, as well as the natural environment. The text provides information on the design and development of each ryokan, and descriptions of the owners and their clientele. For those planning a visit to an onsen, this book provides contact details and information on the number of rooms, type of facilities and food, as well as vital information on travel and booking procedures and whether English is spoken. For those fascinated by Japanese culture and design, this book is an absolute delight.

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Classic Japanese Inns and Country Getaways Review

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(More customer reviews)As one who visits Japan on a very strict budget, I found it enthralling to find out what it would be like to stay at some of these expensive inns. So much so, I have started saving just to experience one night of extravagance. Margaret Price describes beautifully the inns food,ambience and surrounding attractions as well as suggesting places to shop, things to buy and day itineraries. As well as this there are a small number of low cost ryokan recommended. There is a very useful glossary with handy phrases for bookings etc., as many of the places have no English. Language details are pointed out in the description. The maps are quite good considering the size of the area covered on the map
It is a pity that so many of the inns are well away from rail stations as for the casual traveller car transport is not a real option because of the language barrier with road signs. I think that better directions by bus from stations would improve the usefulness of the book.
Overall, an enjoyable read if you like to find out what it is like on the other side of the road. An interesting alternative to a normal guide book.

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Since Oliver Statler's best-selling chronicle of the classic Japanese inn immortalized the "inn experience," seeking out a traditional resort has become one of the cherished goals of those visiting Japan. Like England's engaging B&Bs, the refined taverns of Japan constitute one of the world's great traditions of inn-keeping. The tan tatami rooms, the soft light filtering through shoji screens, the epicurean banquets, the impeccable service-all of these are elements that make a visit to one of Japan's classic inns a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Yet, unbelievable as it may seem, until now there has never been a guide devoted to these world-class purveyors of Japanese hospitality. The reason is simple: to visit and appraise the best from among thousands of contenders would require endless research and a seemingly bottomless pocketbook. But columnist, translator, and travel writer Margaret Price has managed to combine business with pleasure to bring us, after years of effort, the first such guidebook. From the $1,000-a-night fantasy weekend retreats where visiting celebrities from Chaplin to Clapton have stayed, to the $40-a-night hidden gems run by a kimono-clad innkeeper, Ms. Price has culled the best from a vast field with a discerning eye. What each inn provides is atmosphere, exotic cuisine, and tasteful decorations(tm) n other words, a special inn experience as enchanting and memorable as anything Japan has to offer.

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Frank Lloyd Wright's Imperial Hotel (Dover Books on Architecture) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is no longer in print. As far as I know it is the only book devoted solely to the Imperial Hotel. It is a small book consisting of an introduction, 63 black and white plates, a front elevation and floor plans. It is unfortunate that color pictures could not be taken. Its original printing was in 1968.

Given the books limitations, much can be learned from this book about FLW's Imperial Hotel. The Imperial Hotel was completed in 1915. The color of the main materials consisted of beige scored brick, green volcanic stone and verde green copper roof. This was one of the first successful earthquake proof buildings. It is clear from the pictures that after only 45 years, the building was approaching a state of ruin. It appears that while the Imperial Hotel may have been neglected, the bad choice of materials in such a moist climate as Japan may have accelerated its demise. The attention to detail in the stone work is stunning. However, due to the porous properties of the stone, it appears to have fallen apart. The cost to restore and maintain this facility would have been enormous. While there was interest in restoration, the cost and the fact that this was an American designed facility within just two (2) decades of two (2) nuclear bombs being dropped on Japan, the decision to demo this facility must have been a no brainer. Another flaw that may have contributed to lack of customer interest may have been the inferior interior lighting. While the interior is stunning, the interior appears to have been dark and from the pictures, one can see various attempts to apply modern lighting to correct the problem.
Still there is no doubt in my mind, this was FLW's greatest work; a perfect example of FLW's unity in organic architecture.


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Michelin Guide Kyoto Osaka 2010, 1e: Hotels & Restaurants (Michelin Red Guide Kyoto & Osaka) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the first Michelin book I've read, but the book was absolutely gorgeous. I unfortunately could not afford to go to more than a couple of the establishments mentioned here, but I loved browsing through the book and ogling at the beautiful photos with my traveling companion (my mom!) to decide on which place we would splurge at. :)

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The guide to the best restaurants and hotels in Kyoto and Osaka, Japan.For more than a century Michelin?s obsessively-researched restaurant and hotel guides have been indispensable to travelers seeking great places to dine and stay in Europe at all budget levels.BRAND NEW addition to the MICHELIN Guide series!Two incredible cities revealing two different sides of Japan:Osaka, one of the most dynamic economic areas in Japan, and Kyoto, the heart of Japan?s cultural and gastronomic traditions.Reviews of approximately 200 hotels and restaurants, including ryokans (traditional Japanese guesthouses), time-tested Michelin symbols for easy reference, Michelin stars indicate culinary excellence Red Pavilion icons highlight charming hotels, thematic indexes (restaurants with private rooms, late-night dining, open on Sundays, index by cuisine, ku, etc.) facilitate choice of restaurant, each establishment has a two-page spread, including a page of color photos and a page of description, each spread c

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Lost Girls and Love Hotels: A Novel (P.S.) Review

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(More customer reviews)I took my first look at the cover of my newly-arrived copy of Lost Girls, and was dismayed. It screamed Chick Lit, a genre that's definitely out of my demographic (and for the most part, out of my sphere of interest). That screaming pinkness, the Japanimation cartoon, the semi-lurid font... Did I really want to subject myself to yet another neurotic-woman/child-takes-on-the-world-of-work account?
Well, shame on Harper Perennial for making me judge a book by its cover (a huge issue these days, in my very humble opinion). If I hadn't held my nose and dived into the deceptively-designed thing, I would've missed an excellent reading experience.
This book is absolutely terrific. I loved it. LOVED it. There's not a word out of place, the main character is far more engaging than the average 20-something-on-her-own, and the insights into Japanese pop culture create a fascinating backdrop to a quirky, well-turned story. I'd been to Japan long ago, but I knew nothing of Love Hotels (the cover treatment predisposed me to think of them as squalid and furtive, not the truly interesting phenomenon that they are). I felt Hanrahan's descriptions of Tokyo, as seen by Margaret, were amazing and droll. Her character's obvious, skewed love for her adopted culture not only provided succinct pictures of a world that, to the average American, might exist in another semi-parallel galaxy, but elevated her coming-to-grips tale well above the usual "lost girl" saga. There is a generosity of heart here that is hard to find in run-of-the-mill Chick Lit.
Read this book. You'll enjoy it. Forgive the committee that designed the cover; they had far too narrow an audience in mind. Such limitations, so common in the big publishing houses these days, drive me mad; I sincerely hope Ms. Hanrahan does not lose readership because somebody designed Lost Girls to be read by the young. Good writing like this deserves more than one generation of readers. And a movie, too, if you ask me.
Susan O'Neill, author, Don't Mean Nothing: Short Stories of Viet Nam

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Love Hotels: The Hidden Fantasy Rooms of Japan Review

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(More customer reviews)I am of two minds on this book. On one hand, it is full of great fantasy-land photos representing a slice of Japan that I love; the bizarre, the outrageous, the unashamed blending of cute/sexy/violent and anything else that can be thrown into the mix. On the other hand, this book completely misrepresents what love hotels are, the purpose they serve in Japanese society, and pretty much every other aspect of this unique aspect of Japanese life. Anyone reading this book, then going to a love hotel in Japan, would be sorely disappointed.
I lived in Japan for many years, and during that time I went to many, many love hotels. The vast majority are nothing like these photographs, and the themed rooms are actually quite rare. If you notice, most of these photographs are from the same couple of establishments, Hotel Adonis, Hotel Loire and Hotel Snowman (not the actual name of the hotel, which is really Gang Snowman), because they are the few out of the thousands of hotels that offer these kinds of rooms. Most love hotels are...somewhat boring in décor. They are nice rooms, with lots of services such as free movies, karaoke and a big bathtub, which are usually cheaper to stay in than regular hotels. Yes, there are some outrageous love hotels, like the ones in this book, and those are the kind worth seeking out because they are so much fun, but they are hardly the norm.
The introduction to this book, by Natsuo Kirino, author of the book Out, is depressing and also misrepresentative of love hotels in Japan. She would have you believe that they are some sort of seedy place where men live out their dark fantasies while cheating on their wives and abusing women in general. In my experience, nothing could be further from the truth. Oh yes, there are those who use them as "cheating hotels", but all of my Japanese friends and co-workers, teachers and chefs, young and old, used love hotels without embarrassment. Why? Well, for one thing because Japanese houses are small, with thin walls and families often sleeping in the same room together. Privacy is a valuable commodity. For another reason, they are just fun. It is nice to get out of the house, out of the routine, and go with your partner and indulge in a love hotel for the night. People would chat at work at which hotels they liked, in the same way people swapped good restaurants. My wife and I stayed at a great love hotel for our anniversary, complete with private roof-top pool, huge bed and massive bath. It was fantastic.
On another note, in the introduction Kirino calls Japan "a land without religion" and blames that for the moral failing of the country. Japan is indeed a "land without Christianity", but that is not the same thing as being "without religion". I was quite shocked at how poorly she represented her native country, and with such spite and venom she discussed the Japanese people. I dearly hope no one takes her opinion as indicative of the country and its populace.
So, in other words, great photos and a nice look at the more bizarre and fringe love hotels, but no one should take this as representative of the industry or the country as a whole. Without Kirino's introduction, this would have been a much better book, buts its inclusion drags it down to a sad and misinformed level.

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Sex creates odd cultural conventions everywhere, but nowhere has an institution quite like the Japanese love hotel. To be rented by the hour for amorous liaisons, the theme rooms revealed in this provocative collection of photographs are steeped in fantasy, their elaborate décor ranging from simulated subway cars to religious bondage with much kink in between. These brash rooms are fascinating in themselves, but also present a window into a very classified aspect of this society. The foreword by best-selling author Natsuo Kirino and passages from hotel guest books lend humor and context to these 80 haunting room portraits, creating an astonishing document of sex and romance, public and private space in Japan.

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