A lavishly illustrated history of Japanese screens — limited to 3,000 numbered copies

Japanese screens (byobu, meaning “barrier against the wind”) are made of wooden lattices with two to twelve panels, covered with a paper or fabric canvas. They are unique for being beautiful artworks as well as portable furnishings, acting as backdrops for court ceremonies or partitions for intimate tea services. Artists have embraced screens as three-dimensional objects, creating dynamic compositions that guide the viewer’s eye from one panel to the next.

This sumptuous book explores the 1,300-year history of Japanese screens. The authors, leading experts on Japanese art and culture, describe how screens developed from the eighth to the twenty-first century, from their ceremonial use in palaces and temples to their functional and decorative use in ordinary Japanese homes. They examine the stylistic evolution of screens and the wide variety of subjects, such as animals, the seasons, The Tale of Genji, and calligraphic designs.

Bound in the Japanese style and housed in a handsome clamshell box, this volume also comes with a poster-sized reproduction of an exceptional screen, suitable for framing. Japanese Screens will be an essential addition to any art lover’s library.

About the Authors:

Anne-Marie Christin was professor emeritus of classical literature at the University of Paris, founder of the Center for the Study of Writing and Image (CEEI), and author of A History of Writing.

Torahiko Terada is a professor of comparative culture and literature at the University of Tokyo.

Claire-Akiko Brisset is a professor of Japanese cultural history at the University of Geneva.

Make simple and fun paper craft models with this easy origami book and paper kit.

The ancient art of origami originated in Japan, where it is steeped in traditional values. The 20 models presented in this kit include many with strong symbolic meanings, such as the carp, the frog and the crane, which symbolize longevity, good luck and perseverance. Also included in this kit are paper models which have practical uses, such as a bag in which to store spices or powdered medications, the masu box for containing small gifts, and uniquely shaped notes with elaborate closures. The more playful side of origami is represented as well: the stylized sumo wrestler with realistic moves has entertained Japanese children for centuries, and the paper Samurai hat is fun to play with.

Origami is an ideal activity for children since paper folding develops dexterity and creativity. Origami is also a craft based on a few fundamental 3D folding techniques, so Japanese Origami for Beginners Kit is a useful starting point for fans of all ages and abilities. Although this book is aimed at origami beginners, it contains projects suitable for origami fans of all ages and abilities and is the perfect book for all those who enjoy making things with their hands.

This book opens with an illustrated history of origami that highlights the masters and evolution of this pastime and art form up until the present day. A glossary of important origami folding symbols shows you how to follow the diagrams, which are commonly used to indicate how to fold origami models. Easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions follow for each of the 20 models. For those who prefer to see the models folded, this kit includes complete video instructions on a free DVD. It also has 72 high-quality origami folding papers, all decorated with a wide selection of traditional Japanese designs and patterns.

All of the folds are simple enough to be origami-for-kids projects and are a great way to learn origami. None of the projects require paint or glue; so just grab the included origami paper and start folding right away!

Among the first titles published at Timber Press, and with more than 150,000 copies in print, "Japanese Maples" is a classic.

Japanese maples are unlike any other tree. They boast a remarkable diversity of color, form, and texture. As a result of hundreds of years of careful breeding, they take the center stage in any garden they are found. In the last decade, the number of Japanese maple cultivars available to gardeners has doubled and there is a pressing need for an up-to-date reference. This new fourth edition offers detailed descriptions of over 150 new introductions, updates to plant nomenclature, and new insights into established favorites. Gardeners will relish the practical advice that puts successful cultivation within everyone's grasp.

Accurate identification is made simple with over 600 easy-to-follow descriptions and 500 color photographs.

About the Authors:

J. D. Vertrees (1915-1993) was an entomologist, nurseryman, and educator who collected rare and unusual maples. At one time, his 1A -acre arboretum at Maplewood Nursery in Roseburg, Oregon, had the largest collection of Japanese maples in the United States. He amassed an impressive list of awards during his lifetime, including a Citation for Horticulture Research from the American Horticultural Society, a Special Achievement Award from the Oregon Association of Nurserymen, and the 1980 Thomas Roland Gold Medal from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. In 1997, Japanese Maples was selected by the American Horticultural Society as one of the 75 Great American Garden Books. Peter Gregory, retired manager of the world-famous Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire, England, has researched maples and other trees for more than 40 years. He began a career in tree research with the Forestry Commission Research Division and conducted various projects for more than thirty years, including provenance studies, species trials, and experiments on various plant establishment techniques, especially on difficult areas such as exposed sand dunes, mountain slopes, peat bogs, and infertile soils. For five years he managed the Royal Forests of Yardley Chase and Salcey in Northamptonshire before being appointed as manager at the world-famous Westonbirt Arboretum, one of the largest collections of trees in the temperate world-especially famous for its wonderful variety of maples of all species, ages, shapes, and sizes. He has continued his studies of maples since his retirement, becoming Chairman of the international Maple Society, which he helped found in 1990, and Editor of the Society's quarterly journal. He is recognized internationally as one of the leading authorities in all aspects of maples. Peter lives in Cirencester, England, where - besides trees - he enjoys photography, climbing, tennis, and squash.

A fantastic journey through stories featuring a mixture of myth, excitement and mystery in 200 works by the most frightening Japanese artists of the 18th and 19th centuries
The long Pax Tokugawa was founded on the blood of 40,000 severed enemy heads. Indeed, 1600 marked the end of the period of wars that saw the defeat of the troops opposed to General Ieyasu Tokugawa.

The absence of wars, banishing the memories and horrors of past massacres, favoured the development of epic tales that gave rise to dark and terrifying atmospheres, such as the game of the hundred candles, a test of courage in which a handful of warriors meet on a summer night to tell each other scary stories populated by monsters from the national tradition.

So we have the Joro¯ gumo, comely women who reveal their true nature as enormous spiders to their victims; the Tanuki, endearing badgers able to transform themselves; the Bakeneko, monstrous cats; the Kappa, aquatic beings that pester women; the Ningyo, mermaids whose fragrant flesh can give men renewed youth or an excruciating death. The macabre ritual of the hundred candles is the great idea behind this original project that presents 200 works from the 18th and 19th centuries, including prints, rare antique books, clothes, weapons, swords, a samurai suit of armour, as well as seventy-seven precious netsuke, small ivory sculptures, from the Bertocchi private collection and a ten-metre long scroll that tells the story of Shutendoji, a mythological creature (Oni) at the head of an army of monsters that haunted Mount Oe near Kyoto.

Published on the occasion of the exhibition at the Villa Reale in Monza, the book is a real journey of discovery of Japanese imagery, ranging from Hokusai’s famous manga notebooks (alongside his other masterpieces) to the works of Loputyn, the contemporary illustrator well known to hotaku manga enthusiasts.

Following the former best-selling title; Heroes and Heroines, this title showcases the most trendy and updated illustrations by about 60 prominent character designers covering both video games and animation. Featuring a bilingual interview with Shiro Miwa, a leading comic artist who is also a character designer of 7th Dragon 2020 (cover art). Featured animations and video games designed from these titles: Girls and Panzer; Kantai Collection; Kill la Kill; Attack on Titan; METAL GEAR SOLID V; and much more.

Perfect the gift of giving. The only modern, practical guide to the ancient art of Japanese gift wrapping. Discover how to use Furoshiki - beautiful, reusable wrapping cloth, to make gift-giving extra special and joyful, and kinder to the planet too.

In Japan, gift-giving is an important cultural ritual, and the presentation is just as important as the gift itself. Learn 30 exquisite yet easy wrapping styles, involving knotted or intricately folded Furoshiki cloth, to wrap bottles, bouquets of flowers and other presents. You can also use Furoshiki to wrap and carry all sorts of everyday items.

With no cutting, sticking or waste, give thoughtful, beautiful gifts and say goodbye to single-use wrapping paper, bags and packaging for good.

About the Author:

Tomoko Kakita is a Japanese Furoshiki expert and an interior architect based in London, UK. She designs and sells her beautiful, nature-inspired Furoshiki at maspacedesign.com

"I lived in a haunted apartment." Davisson opens this definitive work on Japan's ghosts, or yurei, with a personal tale about the spirit world. Shifting from anecdotes to deep research to translation of ancient ghost stories, he explores the persistence of yurei in modern Japan and their continued popularity throughout the West. Colour images of yurei appear throughout the book.

About the Author:

Zack Davisson is an award-winning translator, writer, and scholar of Japanese folklore and ghosts. He is the author of Kaibyo: The Supernatural Cats of Japan (Chin Music Press), translator of Eisner Award-winning and Harvey-nominated Shigeru Mizuki’s Showa 1926-1939: A History of Japan, and a 2014 nominee of the Japanese-US Friendship Commission Translation Prize. Other translation works include the famous folklore comic Kitaro (Drawn and Quarterly) and the works of Satoshi Kon (Dark Horse).

A unique insight into Japanese dress from the 18th century to today, explored through sumptuous detail photography of some of the most fascinating pieces in the V&A’s collections

Bringing together more than 100 items of clothing, this book reveals the intricacies of Japanese dress from the 18th century to the present. Including garments for women, men and children, the details have been selected both for their exquisite beauty and craftsmanship and for how much they impart about the wearer’s identity, be it age, status or taste.

A comprehensive introduction, illuminating the main periods and key themes of Japanese fashion history, is followed by thematic chapters that cover all aspects of clothing, from hair accessories and necklines to hemlines and shoes. Each garment or object is accompanied by a short text exploring its structure and the fascinating range of decorative techniques employed, including embroidery, weaving, lacquering, stencilling, dyeing and digital technology. Specially commissioned detail photography and line drawings provide an invaluable resource for Japanophiles, students, collectors, designers and lovers of fashion and world dress.

Contents List:

Introduction • Necklines and Shoulders • Headwear • Sleeves • Waists • Waist Accessories • Hems • Lining and Undergarments • Footwear • Further Reading • Glossary • Picture Credits • Acknowledgments • Index

About the Authors:

Josephine Rout is a Project Curator in the Asian Department at the Victoria and Albert Museum. 
Anna Jackson is Keeper of the Asian Department at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

A major survey of the Japanese designers, artisans, manufacturers and technologies that have shaped the world of modern design

A dedication to craft and the finest production quality have been an integral part of culture and day-to-day life in Japan for centuries. For the Japanese, the concept of design is not limited to functionality or materiality, but wholly connected with ancient culture and rituals. In this sense, a chair is much more than what you sit on, a cup more than what you drink from: these objects are to be reflected upon, to be touched and cherished.

As mass manufacturing became widespread in the post-war period, fascinating cross-cultural exchanges began to take place between Japan and the West. These gave rise not only to timeless objects of great beauty and utility, but innovations in materials, form and technology. Far beyond the icons of Japanese design – the perfectly weighted Kikkoman soy sauce bottle, Yanagi’s butterfly stool, the Sony Walkman – the products and objects that have emerged from the country over the past seven decades, few of which have been widely exported, serve to delight and draw admiration. In recent years, a new generation of designers – Nendo, Yoshioka – have taken Japanese creativity into entirely new territory, reconceptualizing the very meaning of design.

No attempt has been made to present a complete overview of Japanese design, until now. Showcasing over eighty designers, hundreds of objects, and contributions from both Japanese and Western design experts, this volume will become the definitive work on the subject for many years to come.

Contents List:

Foreword by Maasaki Kanai • Introduction: The Craft of Japanese Design • The Design Titans • The Designers and Everyday Icons: Tables & Chairs • Essay by Naomi Pollock • Food & Drink • Essay by Makoto Shimazaki • On&Off • Essay by Shinji Hamada • Posters & Packaging • Warp & Weft • Essay by Matilda McQuaid • Lifestyle & Leisure • A–Z of Designers

About the Author:

Naomi Pollock is an American architect who writes about Japanese design and architecture. Her work has appeared in numerous publications on both sides of the Pacific, including A+U, Dwell, Kinfolk, Wallpaper* and Architectural Record, for whom she is the Special International Correspondent. In addition, she is the author of several books, including Modern Japanese House, Made in Japan: 100 New Products, Jutaku: Japanese Houses and Sou Fujimoto. In 2018, she was selected to join the College of Fellows of The American Institute of Architects. Masaaki Kanai is President of Ryohin Keikaku, the retailer and manufacturer of the leading Japanese brand Muji.

A lavish survey of the Khalili Collection’s world-renowned holdings of traditional Japanese kimono, from the Edo period to the 20th century.

The Khalili Collection of kimonos comprises over 200 garments spanning 300 years of Japanese textile artistry. The form of the T-shaped, straight-seamed, front-wrapping kimono has changed very little over the centuries, yet the collection reveals an astonishing variety of designs. The garments presented here convey the remarkable creativity of designers who produced works of art that would enfold the wearer. The enormous range of patterns were executed in a complex combination of techniques, with some garments requiring the expert skills of a number of different artisans.

The Khalili Collection includes formal, semi-formal and informal kimono, underkimono and jackets, worn by women, men and children. Represented are the sophisticated garments of the samurai elite and the affluent merchant classes of the Edo period (1603– 1868), the shifting styles and new colour palette of Meiji-period dress (1868–1912) and particularly the bold and dazzling kimono of the Taisho- (1912–26) and early Sho-wa (1926–89) eras, which utilized innovative techniques and drew fresh inspiration from both past traditions and the modern world.

Here, an international team of authors examine the art and evolution of the kimono in the historical context of the 17th to the 20th centuries, under the editorship of Anna Jackson, Keeper of the Asian Department at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Contents List:

Introduction • I. Edo (1603–1868) • II. Meiji (1868–1912) • III. Taisho/Showa (1912–1989)

About the Author:

Anna Jackson is Keeper of the Asian department at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and Honorary Curator of the Khalili Collection.

The first book to chronicle the golden age of Japanese bicycle design.

Japanese bicycles have long been at the forefront of both competitive and recreational cycling — from top-flight racing bicycles to collectible custom fixed-gear frames. This comprehensive and stunningly illustrated book presents a fascinating overview of the most prolific and celebrated period of Japanese bicycle design, between the 1950s and the ’80s, when uniquely talented artisanal craftsmen produced some of the most iconic bicycles of the twentieth century.

From the recognizable silhouettes of major manufacturers like Fuji, Panasonic, and Bridgestone to the rarest frames from artisanal builders like 3-Rensho or Nagasawa, Japanese bicycle designers dominated the cycling world and created machines that are still revered today. Illustrated with specially commissioned photographs of fully restored bikes, and supplemented with artifacts and ephemera from technical manuals to photography of the legendary Keirin racing circuits, this book is must-have for anyone with an interest in cycling and the phenomenon of Japanese design.

About the Author:

William Bevington is an information and product development designer, a passionate collector of Japanese bicycles and cycling ephemera, and the foremost authority on the leading Japanese brand Fuji.

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Japanese woodblock prints of the Edo period (1615–1868) were the products of a highly commercialised and competitive publishing industry. Their content was inspired by the vibrant popular culture that flourished in Edo (Tokyo). At any given time scores of publishers competed for the services of the leading artists of the day. Publishers and artists displayed tremendous ingenuity in finding ways to sustain demand for prints and to circumvent the restrictions placed upon them by government censorship. Japanese woodblock prints have long been appreciated in the West for their graphic qualities but their content has not always been fully understood. 

In recent years, publications by scholars in Japan, Europe and the United States have made possible a more subtle appreciation of the imagery encountered in them. This book draws upon this recent scholarship to explain how those who first purchased these prints would have read them. Through stunning new photography of both well-known and rarely published works in the collection of the British Museum, including many recent acquisitions, the author explores how and why such prints were made, providing a fascinating introduction to a much-loved but little-understood art form.

Fujoshi, or Yaoi fandom supporters of femme gay media aimed at teenage girls represent an ever-increasing market in Japan. Best of Bishonen presents an up-to-date art collection of beautiful boys popular with Fujoshi or Yaoi girls. 

Seventy-nine artists are featured within, with details in Japanese and English. 

Some of the artworks are actually sought-after illustrations taken from the popular online game Touken Ranbu (in which players control legendary swords anthropomorphized as attractive young men) and Vocaloid PV. 

Best of Bishonen promises to satisfy Fujoshi girls with its unique claim as the complete Yaoi art collection! Best of Bishonen is also an indispensable book for anyone wishing to sample the visual pulse of this exciting trend. Additionally, five artists have created new original works exclusively for this project. 

Featured illustrators include: Shishunnki Suzuki Jiro Naoe Marimo Nao Tsukiji Fuji Mitsuya Toinana Aomiya Kara Shikimi Nagarenaitessyu And more!...

In the field of graphic design, Japanese graphics has established its unique reputation around the world. This book sorts out the development of Japanese graphics into three stages: postwar 40 years, the golden 10 years and the 21st century to the current. Along the way, briefly talk about Japanese aesthetics, Japanese tea ceremony, Japanese traditional painting and manga in order to explore the cultural roots of Japanese graphics.

A large quantity of graphic works by Japanese designers are displayed under four categories: Logo, Poster & Book, Branding and Packaging. To deepen the understanding of Japanese graphics and its development, this book features articles written by renowned designers, including Masaaki Hiromura, Daigo Daikoku, Eisuke Tachikawa, Masaomi Fujita, Eriko Kawakami and Ren Takaya.

1. A comprehensive introduction of the development of Japanese graphics after WWII and masters emerging from corresponding stages.
2. A brief talk the cultural roots of Japanese graphics — Japanese aesthetic, Japanese tea ceremony, Yamato-e, Ukiyo-e and manga
3. Articles written by eminent designers, such as Masaaki Hiromura, Daigo Daikoku
4. A collection of excellent graphic works by Japanese designers

Ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") is an art form that originated in the metropolitan culture of Edo (Tokyo) in the early seventeenth century and involved collaboration between artist, carver, printer and publisher. Printed on fragile paper using a technique of woodcut or woodblock printing, the early black and white designs soon gave way to delicate two-colour prints and then to multicoloured prints. Favourite subjects were portraits of beautiful geisha and courtesans, popular kabuki actors and sumo wrestlers, erotica, scenes from nature, historical subjects and even foreigners in Japan.

The charming, carefully selected ukiyo-e in this book reflect not only Japan's rich history and way of life but also reveal the author's love affair with an art form that has captured the imagination of people all over the world./p>