Japan Country Living: Spirit Tradition

Rating:
Summary: My vacation photos turned out better
Review: Sigh, disappointed: poorly composed, lousy photos inside the covers make this book visually un-stunning. Houses and vignettes looked dull, close, shabby, untidy, underexposed, overshadowed, and only very rarely triggered a moment of interest. I felt that I've seen better Japanese country design books and magazine layouts, and I was truly disappointed. Feh.

Rating:
Summary: A MUST for Japanophiles
Review: This is an amazing book, as are all by Amy Katoh. I was lucky enough to live in Tokyo two doors away from her store, and visited it at LEAST weekly.

She specializes in simple but beautiful "country craftsmanship," as opposed to the opulent, such as dress kimino, and such.

Her knowledge of Japanese culture and her sensitivity has even awakened the appeciation of Japanese citizens who had previously taken their material culture for granted.