Japanese Culture

Go! Go! Nippon! ~ My First Trip to Japan

Mon, 07 May 2012 20:23:08 -0400

Go! Go! Nippon! ~ My First Trip to Japan

J-List is proud to offer limited physical copies of another visual novel from Japan, one in which you take a "virtual" tour to Japan, learning about the culture and food and places while you find love with one of two different Japanese girls. The package versions of all MangaGamer titles are presented free from DRM or activation. Order a copy now! Our protagonist is a fan of Japanese anime and games. He makes friends with some Japanese people on the internet, and decides to stay with...

Moekana ~ Learn Hiragana with Mirai-chan

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:03:09 -0400

Moekana ~ Learn Hiragana with Mirai-chan

The Goodsmile Company teams up with Danny Choo and Culture Japan to bring you this series of moe moe flash cards to help you memorize your hiragana alphabet. Each of the 50 8.8 x 6.3cm (3.5 x 2.5") cards features a hiragana character, a simple vocab word to help you remember it, and a kawaii illustration starring one or more of Culture Japan's adorable mascot characters - Mirai Suenaga, Haruka Suenaga, and Kanata Hoshikawa. What a great way to study Japanese! (instock)

Handbook for Newcomers, Migrants and Immigrants to Japan

Mon, 21 May 2012 00:07:55 -0400

Handbook for Newcomers, Migrants and Immigrants to Japan

Interested in living in Japan? Not visiting, living, perhaps permanently? If so, then this bilingual handbook published in English and Japanese can help. Written by influential Arudou Debito, aka David Christopher Aldwinckle, an American who took Japanese citizenship and who has become an activist for foreigners' rights here. The book covers many areas, including how to find a job and obtain a working visa, learning how to live with Japanese culture, and even areas like how to buy or build a...

Hiragana Times May 2012 NO. 307

Mon, 21 May 2012 05:51:47 -0400

Hiragana Times May 2012 NO. 307

Hiragana Times is a highly recommended monthly publication that combines useful current events with learning the Japanese language. A monthly magazine that features articles both in English and in Japanese, complete with furigana pronunciation, to help learners who haven't mastered kanji yet. Filled with tons of cultural articles that make you think relating to current events, interviews with famous Japanese celebrities, Japanese pop culture, travel, and even articles written by readers...

Arcade Mania! - The Turbo-Charged World of Japan's Game Centers

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:41:52 -0400

Arcade Mania! - The Turbo-Charged World of Japan's Game Centers

Japan has a unique and powerful presence in the world of video games, and is a country where the game arcade scene is still flourishing. Arcade Mania! takes you on a turbo-charged tour through a typical Japanese arcade, from the crazy crane games, sticker picture machines, and rhythm games that beckon from the entrance, then on to the fighting games, shooting games, retro games, games of chance, and card-based games you'll find inside. Covering classic games from Space Invaders to Street...

Hiragana Times April 2012 NO. 306

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 04:51:21 -0400

Hiragana Times April 2012 NO. 306

Hiragana Times is a highly recommended monthly publication that combines useful current events with learning the Japanese language. A monthly magazine that features articles both in English and in Japanese, complete with furigana pronunciation, to help learners who haven't mastered kanji yet. Filled with tons of cultural articles that make you think relating to current events, interviews with famous Japanese celebrities, Japanese pop culture, travel, and even articles written by readers...

My Japanese Table

Wed, 16 May 2012 02:01:03 -0400

My Japanese Table

Bestselling author and food writer Debra Samuels uses her unique skills and deep love of Japan to make the cuisine of her adopted country attainable in My Japanese Table. Bringing a wealth of experience and a great passion for Japanese cooking to the table, Debra introduces the aesthetics and quality food that are the hallmarks of Japanese cuisine. She learned through her years in Japan that true Japanese homestyle dishes are easy to prepare once you master a few basic techniques. And now that...

Tokyo On Foot

Thu, 17 May 2012 22:19:41 -0400

Tokyo On Foot

Florent Chavouet, a young graphic artist, spent six months exploring Tokyo while his girlfriend interned at a company there. Each day he would set forth, with a pouch full of colored pencils and a sketchpad, to visit different neighborhoods. This stunning book records the city that he got to know during his adventures, a gritty, vibrant place, full of ordinary people going about their daily lives. Realistically rendered city views or posters of pop stars contrast with cartoon sketches of...

Japanese in Mangaland Vol. 2: Basic to Intermediate Level

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:28:18 -0400

Japanese in Mangaland Vol. 2: Basic to Intermediate Level

With this second installment of the world-wide known Japanese in Mangaland series, the student of Japanese will continue his dive into the process of mastering Japanese. The methods in this book will help you graduate from the elementary to the intermediate level of the Japanese language. So, strap a headband around your head, for this time things are going to get rough - from now on, forget about romaji! The 15 lessons included here continue exactly from where the first book left you...

Yubisashi mini ~ Japan (Tabi no Yubisashi Kaiwacho)

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 23:24:58 -0400

Yubisashi mini ~ Japan (Tabi no Yubisashi Kaiwacho)

A useful travel book for someone coming to Japan, this is a great yubi-sashi (lit. "finger-pointing") book that you can use to travel, go shopping, visit tourist areas, greet people and make friends, and generally have a great time while in Japan. The images are all in color and are very easy to understand, and you can find the information you're looking for in a snap. It's a full "bilingual book" with both the English and Japanese right there on the page. Actually the Japanese is written for...

Hetalia Conversation Book ~ English for Traveling All About USA

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:32:07 -0500

Hetalia Conversation Book ~ English for Traveling All About USA

Learn Japanese the Hetalia way with this Japanese > English dictionary made for vocabulary study. Since it is designed for Japanese who want to learn English, it is not recommended for true beginners of Japanese language study. However, if you already know your hiragana and katakana, then this is a great tool for expanding your Japanese vocabulary to include words like "kutabare". 150+ pages. (instock)

The New Kimono

Wed, 02 May 2012 02:28:50 -0400

The New Kimono

Recent years have seen a kimono boom amongst young women in Japan who delight in kimono as everyday wear and scour secondhand kimono stores and their mothers' wardrobes for vintage pieces to bring up to date. Capitalizing on this trend is Nanao magazine, established in 2004, and one of Japan's leading contemporary kimono publications. Nanao is chock-full of stylish fashion spreads and tips for younger women on how to dress, how to find those great but inexpensive pieces, and how to customize...

The Japanese Tea Ceremony A.L. Sadler

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 03:25:44 -0400

The Japanese Tea Ceremony A.L. Sadler

The Japanese tea ceremony, or cha-no-yu, is one of the last vestiges of an older, gentler era. Today, it resonates as a metaphor for ancient Japanese society. First published in 1933, this classic remains the gold standard for books on the five-centuries-old tea ceremony. Illustrated with traditional drawings of furniture and utensils, tearoom architecture, garden design, floor and ground plans, and beautiful black and white photographs of famous tea bowls, teahouses, and gardens, Cha-No-Yu...

The Samurai Sword (A Handbook)

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 01:24:44 -0500

The Samurai Sword (A Handbook)

The samurai sword: symbol of the spirit of old Japan it embodies the samurai's steely discipline, unswerving devotion, and peerless skill. A feat of craftsmanship by hereditary artisans, the samurai sword is often judged superior to the famed blades of Western Damascus and Toledo. This complete handbook reveals the lore of the samurai sword, fascinating both for owners and for the intrigued. Detailing the origins and development of the samurai sword, its historical background, styles, famous...

Japanese Schoolgirl Confidential: How Teenage Girls Made a Nation Cool

Sun, 09 May 2010 22:16:32 -0400

Japanese Schoolgirl Confidential: How Teenage Girls Made a Nation Cool

From manga and anime to movies, magazines, video games, advertising and music, Japanese schoolgirls are everywhere. For years, schoolgirls have shown up in internationally popular anime such as Sailor Moon , The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya , and Blood: The Last Vampire . Films such as Battle Royale inspired Quentin Tarantino to include a fighting schoolgirl in Kill Bill ; and recently, Rinko Kikuchi received an Oscar nomination for her role as a schoolgirl in the film Babel. There are...

Annual Events in Japan 2 ~ Autumn and Winter (Bilingual)

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:14:54 -0500

Annual Events in Japan 2 ~ Autumn and Winter (Bilingual)

Explore the holidays, events and culture of the Autumn and Winter seasons found in Japan, in this cool illustrated book. Every page is colorfully illustrated with cute animal characters, like bears, foxes, tanuki and rabbits, showing the traditional events and keywords for each month of Autumn and Winter. Every page is filled with artwork of a key ideas, things or events, each accompanied by the Japanese name in kanji and romaji, plus a concise English explanation. What's the name of the...

Yubisashi x Hello Kitty JAPAN English Edition

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 03:46:02 -0400

Yubisashi x Hello Kitty JAPAN English Edition

This is a great book for visitors coming to Japan or anyone who wants to start preparing. It's great because it combines everyday Japanese words that you'll need when visiting Japan (words for food, clothing, transportation, sightseeing etc.), with the most famous cat in the world, Hello Kitty. The book is fully bilingual, with both English and Japanese printed right on the page, and both Romanized Japanese as well as full hiragana, katakana and kanji . 112 pages. Product Information: Length 15...

Japanese Strange English ~ Nihonjin no Chotto Henna Eigo

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 23:30:50 -0400

Japanese Strange English ~ Nihonjin no Chotto Henna Eigo

Take a look into the world of the messed up English Japanese people use, as written David A.Thayne and lovingly illustrated Nakano Kiyumi. The book is 90% manga, featuring situations where Japanese people make English mistakes, like "Please get me off here," instead of "Stop here, please," and "My friend is trouble," instead of "My friend is in trouble." It's a fun and entertaining book that takes a look at the common mistakes Japanese people make when using English. Written in Japanese. 160...

Money Origami

Mon, 07 May 2012 02:19:33 -0400

Money Origami

Amaze your date, impress your friends, and be noticed by your waiter / waitress when you show them that you've learned the secrets of monetary origami. "Money Origami" is a fun and creative book full of unusual origami designs specific to the US dollar bill. Imagine the response if you gave a dollar bill butterfly to your girlfriend, or a talking ape to your boss. With twenty-one projects, and lots of dollar practice sheets, "Money Origami" is sure to be a hit. Includes a wonderful DVD that...

Geometric Origami

Mon, 07 May 2012 02:19:33 -0400

Geometric Origami

Enjoy the ancient Japanese art of origami, and the modern wonders of geometric math in a whole new, interconnected experience that is both exciting and complex. Geometric Origami combines the centuries old art form, where folding a piece of paper creates a new and wondrous object with the art of science of math In Geometric Origami, there is a place for everyone, starting with simple designs to master the basics, then building on the more complicated ideas to create a new geometric sculpture...

Drinking Japan

Thu, 17 May 2012 22:19:41 -0400

Drinking Japan

Japan is the home to one of the world's most diverse and exciting drinking cultures, offering all sorts of delicious tipples from the iconic sake and the increasingly popular shochu to some of the world's best whiskies. In Drinking Japan, author Chris Bunting gives a brief history of the most popular liquors in Japan, how they are made and which brands to drink and which to avoid. More than 120 of the country's best bars are featured in richly illustrated reviews, with menu tips, directions...

Japanese Traditions: Rice Cakes, Cherry Blossoms and Matsuri: A Year of Seasonal Japanese Festivities

Thu, 17 May 2012 22:17:23 -0400

Japanese Traditions: Rice Cakes, Cherry Blossoms and Matsuri: A Year of Seasonal Japanese Festivities

A delightful look at Japanese culture and family life, Japanese Traditions is an intricately illustrated romp through the childhood reminiscences of author/illustrator Setsu Broderick. Told via a series of short text blocks and lighthearted illustrations based on cats, Japanese Traditions displays seasonal festivals and activities such as O-Bon, O-hanami (cherry blossom viewing) and preparing for the New Year. While enjoying the charming illustrations of a family of Japanese cats, the author...

Unexplored Train Station ~ Hikyo Eki

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:02:21 -0400

Unexplored Train Station ~ Hikyo Eki

A superb book series for fans of haikyo , or the lonely ruins of our so-called modern world, which focuses on the smallest and most out-of-the-way train stations in Japan. The beautiful colors in each book will really bring out emotions of sadness and longing but also appreciation for how man's works are everywhere, even in the most rural places in Japan, Approximately 80 pages per book, featuring full maps of each train line and the train names in English. This is book one, which focuses on...

Kateigaho International Edition Spring / Summer 2011 vol. 27

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 21:20:17 -0400

Kateigaho International Edition Spring / Summer 2011 vol. 27

The magazine that caters to the refined traditional tastes of Japan, as well as deep, in-depth looks at beautifully photographed and illustrated elements of Japanese culture and natural beauty, is here in another amazing issue. This issue carries the focus of "woodland wisdom", and within it features the work of master craftsmen in wood, the unique tradition of wooden architecture in Japan, looks at beautiful and ancient flora and how they are preserved, and much more. Also featured are the...

Walking Japan's Ancient Castles 2 ~ Haijo wo Yuku 2

Sun, 22 May 2011 21:50:52 -0400

Walking Japan's Ancient Castles 2 ~ Haijo wo Yuku 2

Here's a fantastic publication for Japan addicts. Printed in full color and high quality paper, this issue takes you on a trip down to Japan's most rural and hidden territories, to the discovery of ancient abandoned and forgotten castles and ruins of old temples, with maps and other information provided for each. A truly mystifying trip around Japan with tons of pictures that will please any Japan enthusiast. High grade printing, soft cover 110+ pages photo magazine. (instock)

Kateigaho International Edition Autumn / Winter 2011 vol. 28

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 23:18:42 -0500

Kateigaho International Edition Autumn / Winter 2011 vol. 28

The magazine that caters to the refined traditional tastes of Japan, as well as deep, in-depth looks at beautifully photographed and illustrated elements of Japanese culture and natural beauty, is here in another amazing issue. Inside you will find articles in English about the sights, sounds, and flavors from the countryside of Japan all the way to Tokyo's downtown. Each issue is always a magical tour of events and places one might have otherwise overlooked. A true celebration of the richness...

Hiragana Times Oct 2011 NO. 300

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:46:18 -0400

Hiragana Times Oct 2011 NO. 300

Hiragana Times is a highly recommended monthly publication that combines useful current events with learning the Japanese language. A monthly magazine that features articles both in English and in Japanese, complete with furigana pronunciation, to help learners who haven't mastered kanji yet. Filled with tons of cultural articles that make you think relating to current events, interviews with famous Japanese celebrities, Japanese pop culture, travel, and even articles written by readers...

The Insider's Guide to Sake

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 22:59:05 -0500

The Insider's Guide to Sake

Anyone who has ever been to Japan has probably fallen under the spell of a soothing cup of sake at one time or another. An encounter with Japan's favorite libation is bound to be memorable, yet despite its growing popularity worldwide, information on this eminently drinkable beverage remains scarce. Written by a British expatriate who has spent more than seven years brewing sake in the exacting traditional method, The Insider's Guide to Sake is the consummate introductory handbook. It unravels...

TOKYO -- Exploring the City of the Shogun

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 08:52:15 -0500

TOKYO -- Exploring the City of the Shogun

Arriving Tokyo, the visitor is immediately struck by the sprawling metropolis in all its contemporary glory. But lost in the crowded cityscape are the traditional quarters of olden times. Fortunately, Tokyo: Exploring the City of the Shogun provides the key to uncovering these charming districts that fascinate Japanese and visitors alike. This full-color book serves as a gorgeous photographic journey of Tokyo, and as a unique walking guide to the classic areas of the city, among them the...

Hiragana Times 305 Mar 2012

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:24:29 -0400

Hiragana Times 305 Mar 2012

Hiragana Times is a highly recommended monthly publication that combines useful current events with learning the Japanese language. A monthly magazine that features articles both in English and in Japanese, complete with furigana pronunciation, to help learners who haven't mastered kanji yet. Filled with tons of cultural articles that make you think relating to current events, interviews with famous Japanese celebrities, Japanese pop culture, travel, and even articles written by readers...

Kateigaho International Edition Spring / Summer 2012 vol. 29

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 02:22:27 -0400

Kateigaho International Edition Spring / Summer 2012 vol. 29

The magazine that caters to the refined traditional tastes of Japan, as well as deep, in-depth looks at beautifully photographed and illustrated elements of Japanese culture and natural beauty, is here in another amazing issue. Inside you will find articles in English about the sights, sounds, and flavors from the countryside of Japan all the way to Tokyo's downtown. Each issue is always a magical tour of events and places one might have otherwise overlooked. A true celebration of the richness...

Kyodai Musume ~ Research of Giantess

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:08:51 -0400

Kyodai Musume ~ Research of Giantess

Here's a wonderful book that delves into one of Japan's stranger fetishes, the subulture of "giantess fetish" (macrophilia) in which giant girls attack Tokyo, shown toying with boys who can't do anything against their size and power. This is a scholarly book that provides real information on the history of the fetish, documenting the major works (both hentai and normal) related to this unique fetish. 161 pages, Japanese text. (manga) (instock)

Japanese House

Wed, 23 May 2012 05:13:55 -0400

Japanese House

The simple beauty of Japanese architecture and design has inspired many of the world's top architects and designers, such as Bruno Taut, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Terence Conran, to name just a few. The grace and elegance of the Japanese sensibility is reflected in both modern and traditional Japanese homes, from their fluid floor plans to their use of natural materials. In The Japanese House, renowned Japanese photographer Noboru Murata has captured this Eastern spirit with hundreds of vivid...

A Geek in Japan

Wed, 23 May 2012 05:13:55 -0400

A Geek in Japan

For every fan of manga, anime, J-pop, or Zen, A Geek in Japan is a hip, smart and concise guide to the land that is their source. Comprehensive and well informed, it covers a wide array of topics in short articles accompanied by sidebars and numerous photographs, providing a lively digest of the society and culture of Japan. Designed to appeal to the generations of Westerners who grew up on Pokemon, manga and video games, A Geek in Japan reinvents the culture guide for readers in the Internet...

Hiragana Times June 2012 NO. 308

Tue, 22 May 2012 21:11:10 -0400

Hiragana Times June 2012 NO. 308

Hiragana Times is a highly recommended monthly publication that combines useful current events with learning the Japanese language. A monthly magazine that features articles both in English and in Japanese, complete with furigana pronunciation, to help learners who haven't mastered kanji yet. Filled with tons of cultural articles that make you think relating to current events, interviews with famous Japanese celebrities, Japanese pop culture, travel, and even articles written by readers...