Product Description

With more than 700 alphabetically arranged entries, "The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Japanese Culture" offers extensive coverage of Japanese culture spanning from the end of the Japanese Imperialist period in 1945, right up to the present day. Entries range from shorter definitions, histories or biographies to longer overview essays giving an in-depth treatment of major issues. Culture is defined in its broadest sense to allow for coverage of the diversity of practice and production in a country as vibrant and rapidly changing as Japan. Including a new preface by the editor to bring the book fully up-to-date with cultural developments since 2001, this "Encyclopedia" will be an invaluable reference tool for students of Japanese and Asian Studies, as well as providing a fascinating insight into Japanese culture for the general reader.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1714459 in Books
• Published on: 2009-06-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 636 pages

From the Back Cover
With more than 700 alphabetically arranged entries, The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Japanese Culture offers extensive coverage of Japanese culture spanning from the end of the Japanese Imperialist period in 1945, right up to the present day. Entries range from shorter definitions, histories or biographies to longer overview essays giving an in-depth treatment of major issues. Culture is defined in its broadest sense to allow for coverage of the diversity of practice and production in a country as vibrant and rapidly changing as Japan.

Including a new preface by the editor to bring the book fully up-to-date with cultural developments since 2001, this Encyclopedia will be an invaluable reference tool for students of Japanese and Asian Studies, as well as providing a fascinating insight into Japanese culture for the general reader.

About the Author
Formerly Director of the Center of Arts and Humanities at the University of Albany, USA

Customer Reviews

An student's bible!
When I first looked at the book I was a little put off by its size, but then when I opened it I can appreicate why it needs its 634 pages.
It is an encylpoedia after all!
And an invaluable one to me, especially as a first year japanese student.
The book's layout is spread amazingly, it isn't too hard to find what you want. Either you look in the Thematic entry list with headings such as Fashion, or History or National Identity ans see all the headings under that. Or you can look in contents or the index page, whatever takes your fancy.
It isn't illustrated but young teens can still use it for research due to the easy spread layout. (only two coloumns per page.)
As encyclopedias do it does give you references to other books for further reading (a help for me!) and even gives you a time line of Japan just for that extra knowledge.
It's a good book all around, the only downside and it's reason for my giving it four stars is the price...