Since moving to Japan in 1947, Richie has written hundreds of books, directed several films and befriended dozens of Japanese celebrities, including composer Taru Takemitsu, novelist-icon Yukio Mishima and filmmaker Akira Kurasawa. Richie has also been the point of contact for non-Japanese artists such as Francis Ford Coppola, Truman Capote and Igor Stravinsky. But what will interest most readers are not so much Richie’s erudite observations on Japanese cultural life as his rather saucy descriptions of his experiences in the country. A self-confessed "sexaholic," Richie declares that he’s slept with "thousands" of people, and sex and sexual relationships are themes that dominate the journals. Richie does give some sense of how Japan has changed in the 50-odd years that he has lived there, but this perspective is constrained because Richie’s context rarely transcends his immediate surroundings. As such, the entries sometimes read like a series of cryptic pieces. There are moments where Richie shines, such as when he describes his divorce and his experiences with Mishima. His views on the intersections of xenophobia, racism "and all the rest" are both poignant and disturbing. For example, after being solicited by a couple of schoolgirls, Ritchie wonders how anyone could think prostitution is wrong, except "if the person does not want to sell, well maybe." But the journals live up to his reputation as a charming wit, and if the erratic narrative sometimes seems surreal, enough bits and pieces come together to inform readers of the Japan Richie experienced as an American insider. 75 b&w photos.

Product Description
Over one hundred years after his death, author, translator and educator Lafcadio Hearn remains one of the best-known Westerners ever to make Japan his home. His prolific writings on things Japanese helped shape Western views on Japan well into the twentieth century.
This masterful anthology compiled by Donald Richie is organized into two parts.
Part One, "The Land", chronicles Hearn's early years, when he wrote primarily about the appearance of his new home.
Part Two, "The People", records the author's later years, when he came to terms with the Japanese themselves.

Donald Richie is one of the foremost authorities on Japanese cinema, and has produced several classic works, including books on the world-renowned directors Kurosawa and Ozu. Richie here offers a highly readable insider's look at the achievements of Japanese filmmakers. He begins in the late 1800s, when the incipient industry took its inspiration from the traditional stories of Kabuki and Noh theatre, and finishes with the latest award-winning dramas showcased at Cannes. In between, Richie explores the roots and uniqueness of Japan's contribution to world cinema, illuminates the careers of Japan's rising stars and celebrated directors, and offers a fascinating view of the strategies and politics of the movie studios themselves.

Tokyo is a city unrivaled. It stands on the cutting edge of the future and thrives on an inimitable blend of technology, trend, and tradition.
It is a bundle of contradictions sprung from a melding of East and West. The highrises of Shinjuku may rule the skyline, but the Imperial Palace, quiet and dignified, remains the spiritual and geographic heart of the city. The trendsetting boutiques of Harajuku may sate Tokyoites' appetite for the
latest in spangle and chic, but it is to the peaceful backstreets of tradition-bound shitamachi that they turn to steep themselves in the Tokyo closest to their soul.
lntroducing Tokyo visually explores this complex city in a way that mere words could never do. Photographer Ben Simmons, a long-time Tokyo resident, knows his city, and every shot radiates with unmistakable Tokyo vitality. Author Donald Richie writes with wit and sensitivity about the city he has
called home for over forty years.
For the visitor, this volume is an invaluable memento of sights seen (Ginza, Shinjuku, Akihabara, Asakusa--they are all here). For the general reader, Introducing Tokyo delivers precisely what its title promises, an incisive look at one of the world's most vital, modern, and multifaceted
cities.

Donald Richie takes the reader on a revealing tour of the different districts of Japan's capital city. Starting from the original centre of Tokyo – the Imperial Palace – Richie branches outwards, taking in other areas such as Yoshiwara, the original red-light district, and Ginza, the world-famous shipping street. The author has kept a diary for the entire time he has lived in Tokyo, and excerpts from it provide on-the-spot insights into the significance of fashions and fads in Japanese culture (for example the recent Tamagochi craze), as well as the various aspects of life in a small neighborhood. Richie gives a real sense of how Japanese society has changed since the Second World War, yet remained rooted in its past.

With the eclectic eye and ear of a film-maker, Richie describes the flavor and idiosyncrasies of this chaotic, teeming city. Tokyo is illustrated with 30 intriguing photographs by Seattle-based photographer, Joel Sackett.