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japan trip info

updated thu 31 oct 96

 

Russel Fouts on tue 1 oct 96

John,

I have some friends moving there in Feb-Mar and plan to visit them next year.
I'd hate to miss even the general travel info. Do you suppose you could compile
what you're sent and post it to those interested?

I've been compiling a file of travel info on Japan (gathered from this list) for
a while now and could forward that to you if you're interested.

Currently I'm reading just about everything I can get my hands on about Japan.
Re-reading Alex Kerr's "Lost Japan" and Greenfield's "Speed Tribes". They're
sort of a counter-point to each other and very readable. Greenfield reads like a
William Gibson novel ;-)

Someone on the list sent another reading list including:

- "Gateway to Japan" Kodansha (got it, great!!)
- "The Road to Miami(?) (Don't have my book list with me. I need the Author,
Correct title, Subject and Publisher)
- "The Path of Fire(?)" (Guessing again. Again, I need the Author, Correct
title, Subject and Publisher)

The "Japan Centre" in London (Picadilly) wasn't a lot of help (although they
have been a great source for other books).

Russel (and of course, we want a FULL, DETAILED report)

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* Russel Fouts, CI$: 100021,23,
Bruxelles, Belgium
Internet: 100021.23@CompuServe.Com

"It took more then one man to change my name to Shanghai Lil."
MD
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Janet H Walker on thu 3 oct 96

Russell (and other Japan-o-philes)
One of the books you mention is "The Road through Miyama" by Leila Philip,
publisher Random House, 1989.

It is interesting in the cultural understanding dept. There is another
very interesting book (DRAT! WHERE'S MY COPY!) -- a paperback on clay,
pots, potting, clay terms, design, and so on, in Japanese, English, and
Romanji (i.e. transcribed phonetically). It is essentially an
illustrated Japanese-English dictionary of clay. I sure wish I had had
this with me on my trip last February! But alas. I got it at Steve
Branfman's shop; maybe he can supply the name if I don't find it. (DRAT).

Read Ruth Benedict's anthropological work from 50 years ago for historical
perspective. Edwin O. Reischauer (former U.S. ambassador to Japan) wrote
several books which are highly regarded I believe.

And if you get a chance, take a beginning language class. Terrific
language -- mind-bendingly different from Indo-European and in some
ways much easier.

Cheers
Jan Walker, USA

Susan Maguire on fri 4 oct 96

>>>It is interesting in the cultural understanding dept. There is another
very interesting book (DRAT { {! WHERE'S MY COPY!) -- a paperback on clay,
pots, potting, clay terms, design, and so on, in Japanese, English, and
Romanji (i.e. transcribed phonetically). It is essentially an
illustrated Japanese-English dictionary of clay. I sure wish I had had
this with me on my trip last<<<<


Could it be "The Japanese Pottery Handbook" by Penny Simpson,
Lucy Kitto and Kanji Sodeoka?

This is a charming hand fashioned paperback complete with maps of all
the main pottery places in Japan.



Susan Maguire, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

smaguire@bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us

Marcia Kindlmann on fri 4 oct 96

Subject: Japan Trip info

Janet, that book you're thinking of--

> a paperback on clay, pots, potting, clay terms, design, and so on, in
> Japanese, English, and Romanji (i.e. transcribed phonetically). It is
> essentially an illustrated Japanese-English dictionary of clay.

it must be --

_The Japanese Pottery Handbook_ by Penny Simpson, Lucy Kitto, & Kanji
Sodeoka. pub. Kodansha.

a wonderful book. A Japanese potter who spoke little English and I
who speak less Japanese were able to exchange significant
process & firing info. with the help of this little book. That
and the international language which is found in the periodic
table of elements.

Marcia
Guilford CT