A few weeks ago, Stonebridge Press sent me an advance copy of My Year of Dirt and Water: The Journal of a Zen Monk's Wife in Japan by Tracy Franz. I've been fortunate to review a good many Japan-themed books on this blog over the years but never before have I been privileged to review the book... Continue Reading →
Review: A Tale for the Time Being
A visit to the library the other month landed me with a Japan-related book I'd never heard of (I always love stumbling across surprises like that). Ruth Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being had an intriguing premise. A lunchbox washes up on a Canadian beach, filled with the diary of a young Japanese girl. What... Continue Reading →
Crash Course: Daruma
I realize that in my post on Kurashiki's Bikan District, I casually threw out the word daruma without a second thought for an explanation. I apologize and will remedy that here and now - keep your eyes open for these little red dolls as they make classic souvenirs from Japan! Daruma are hollow, round traditional... Continue Reading →