From anime and the ways of the samurai to Yayoi Kusama’s iconic polka dot installations, we have been captivated by Japan’s rich culture for millennia. Its history and breadth of disciplines – art, photography, mythology, theatre, design and beyond – is endlessly fascinating. These ten titles reveal the remarkable impact of Japanese art and explore the country’s cultural and social histories. Stroll the streets of Tokyo with photographer Daido Moriyama or read about the myths that link past and present. Take a closer look at Japan’s rich crafts traditions or explore the explosion of avant-garde art in the 1960s. This selection of books is perfect for any Japanophile.
1. Hokusai
During the last thirty years of his life and right up to his death at the age of ninety, Hokusai created sublime works of art that explored the mutability and minutiae of natural phenomena. His late subjects and styles were based on a mastery of eclectic Japanese, Chinese and European techniques and an encyclopaedic knowledge of nature, myth and history. Hokusai: beyond the Great Wave takes a fresh approach his career based on innovative scholarship: thematic groupings of works are related to the major spiritual and artistic quests of Hokusai's life. This collection of Hokusai's works draws on the finest to be found in Japan and around the world, making this the most important publication for years on Hokusai, and a uniquely valuable overview of the artist's late career.Discover Hokusai: beyond the Great Wave.
2. The Japanese Myths
Mythology remains a living, evolving part of Japanese society, and the ways in which the people of Japan understand their myths are very different today even from a century ago, let alone over a millennium into the past. The Japanese Myths is a succinct introduction to the world of Japanese myth and legend, from the earliest recorded legends of Izanagi and Izanami to medieval tales of vengeful ghosts, through to the modern-day reincarnation of ancient deities as the heroes of mecha anime. Offering a broad overview of Japanese mythology, The Japanese Myths not only retells the ancient stories but also considers their place within the patterns of Japanese religions, culture and history, linking between the past and present in Japan, and the ways these myths live and grow.Discover The Japanese Myths and our complete Myths series.
3. Craftland Japan
Generations of artisans in Japan have for centuries forged and refined their crafts, which have become the envy of the modern world. Regions of Japan are renowned for specific traditions, many of which are born of local materials and the natural settings in which they are produced. Craftland Japan is a photographic voyage to the remote studios of Japan’s most fascinating and ingenious contemporary craftspeople. Discover twenty-five artisans, who work with natural materials to produce objects that are intended for everyday life but are worthy of museum display. Craftland Japan offers a glimpse into centuries of tradition and celebrates the union of craft, design, materiality and landscape in a manner that most cultures can only hope to emulate.Discover Craftland Japan.
4. Samurai
Discover what the cultured Samurai does between battles, how to storm or lay siege to a castle and how to conduct a tea ceremony with Zen-like composure with Samurai: The Japanese Warrior's (Unofficial) Manual. This handy manual offers a witty and informative guide to Japan's elite fighting class, trained in every manner of combat, from sword-fighting and archery to karate and ju-jutsu, and the emperor's last line of defence against the barbarians of Japan and beyond.Discover Samurai.
5. Japan: A History in Objects
Explore the history of Japan through artefacts, from the lengthy prehistoric record, through the rise of Buddhism and a military elite in Japan's classical and medieval periods, to the economic and cultural developments of the early modern and modern eras. Told through an intriguing selection of objects from the British Museum Collection, Japan: A History in Objects spans over 15,000 years, providing a rich and compelling portrait of a society and culture that occupies a special place in the imagination of its citizens and visitors.Discover Japan: A History in Objects.
6. Japansoft: An Oral History
Take a closer look at the early Japanese videogame industry with Japansoft: An Oral History. Comprising over thirty interviews with developers of the era, this title steps into the archives of companies including Sega, Enix, Capcom, Hudson Soft and Nihon Falcom. Including never-before-seen period photographs, rare press adverts and an illustrated hardware guide, Japansoft presents fresh and diverse perspectives on many of the defining games of their time.Discover Japansoft: An Oral History.
7. Daido Moriyama
After moving from Osaka to Tokyo in the early sixties to become a photographer, Daido Moriyama became the leading exponent of a fierce new photographic style that corresponded perfectly to the abrasive and intense climate of Tokyo during a period of great social upheaval. Between June 1972 and July 1973, he produced his own magazine publication, Kiroku – then referred to as Record – which became a diaristic journal of his work as it developed. In Daido Moriyama: Record and its 2024 follow up, Daido Moriyama: Record 2, his remarkable photography is on full display, enabling work from all fifty issues to be edited into a single sequence, punctuated by Moriyama's own text as it appeared in the magazines.Discover Daido Moriyama: Record and Daido Moriyama: Record 2.
8. Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now
With a career that has spanned spanning seven decades and multiple media, Yayoi Kusama is that rare thing: an artist who has achieved truly global acclaim. Emerging at the forefront of artistic experimentation in Asia in the mid-20th century, Kusama soon became a central figure in the New York art scene of the 1960s. Today, Kusama continues to communicate her highly personal and spiritual world view through her art. Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now – published in collaboration with M+, Hong Kong – is the most comprehensive survey of the beloved artist’s work to date, elucidating the aesthetic and philosophical concerns at the heart of her oeuvre.Discover Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now.
9. Japan Art Revolution
The post-war era inspired an artistic explosion of avant-garde Japanese artists at the vanguard of many disciplines, from photography and film to dance, theatre and graphic design. Taking design cues from Japanese luminaries Yokoo Tadanori and Awazu Kiyoshi, Japan Art Revolution features over 600 artworks, encompassing photographs, film stills, theatre posters and illustrations by visionary artists. Offering readers a nuanced understanding of the thriving world of Japanese avant-garde art, this comprehensive book is complemented by texts from esteemed experts, curators, academics and archivists.Discover Japan Art Revolution.
10. Ultimate Anime
Anime is a vast and vibrant universe, with worlds beyond worlds begging to be explored. From soot sprites to super robots, Dragon Balls to the Dragon Slayer, anime is drenched in Japanese culture and overflowing with must-see megahits. In Ultimate Anime: 100 Essential Films and Series, author Joe O'Connell – the founder of the popular YouTube channel 'Beyond Ghibli' – presents 100 movies and television series that reveal the depth, breadth and brilliance of Japan's greatest export. From all-time classics to cult favourites and under-the-radar gems, Ultimate Anime charts the course of the medium's most influential directors, unpacking the key genres and recurring tropes that shape anime's storytelling.Discover Ultimate Anime.
Discover all of our books on Japan.
