New Releases by Rebecca Otowa

Structures of Kyoto explores the physical, spiritual, and artistic elements of Japan's ancient capital and beckons one to "step through the gate" to interact with them. Bookended by the insights of authors Judith Clancy (Exploring Kyoto) and Alex Kerr (Finding the Heart Sutra), readers will find themselves amidst temple gardens and gates, within a tea ceremony and a calligraphy class, observing a children's boat regatta, and amongst writers channeling their muse in literary cafes. The spirits of the city - ancestors, ghosts, supernatural creatures, and benevolent deities - also have their place. From Ryoanji Temple in the west to Mount Daimonji in the east, and from Sanzenin Temple in the north to Fushimi Inari Shrine in the south, established authors, upcoming writers, and featured artists will transport you to the cultural heart of Japan with their non-fiction, fiction, prose, poetry, and images, which together paint a stunning and informative portrait of the world's favorite city.

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PICKED AS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2013 BY THE ASSOCIATION OF BOOKSELLERS FOR CHILDREN! A perfect introduction to Japanese culture for kids, My Awesome Japan Adventure is the diary of an American fifth grader who travels to Japan to spend four exciting months with a Japanese family as an exchange student. He records all his adventures in this diary so that he can tell his friends back home about what he did and saw during his time in Japan. With the help of a Japanese foster brother and sister, he visits a Ninja village, tries new foods, learns brush painting, and gets the inside scoop on daily life in a Japanese school. Readers of all ages will love experiencing life in Japan from a kid's point of view! Dan's adventures include: My First Week of School, Visiting a Ninja Village, Fun with Origami, Practicing Aikido, Making Mochi, and much more… As a multicultural children's book, My Awesome Japan Adventure is perfect for kids who want to explore another culture and have fun in the process!

"This portrait of Japanese country life reminds us that at its core, a happy and healthy life is based on the bonds of food, family, tradition, community, and the richness of nature" --John Einarsen, Founding Editor and Art Director of Kyoto Journal What would it be like to move to Japan, leaving everyone you know behind, to become part of a traditional Japanese household? At Home in Japan tells an extraordinary true story of a foreign woman who goes through an amazing transformation, as she makes a move from a suburban lifestyle in California to a new life, living in Japan. She dedicates 30 years of her life as a housewife, custodian and chatelaine of a 350-year-old farmhouse in rural Japan. This astonishing book traces a circular path from were Rebecca began, to living under Japanese customs, from the basic day to day details of life in the house and village, through relationships with family, neighbors and the natural and supernatural entities with which the family shares the house. Rebecca Otowa then focuses on her inner life, touching on some of the pivotal memories of her time in Japan, the lessons in perception that Japan has taught her and the ways in which she has been changed by living in Japan. An insightful and compelling read, At Home in Japan is a beautifully written and illustrated reminiscence of a once simple life made extraordinary.