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The greatest accomplishment of any civilization is the heritage of culture it produces and passes on to future generations. By this assessment, in fields as diverse as literature, music, art, and cuisine, the richness of Japan's culture is renowned worldwide. This book presents an overview, through sixty-eight original and informative essays, of some of Japan's most notable cultural achievements. Unquestionable, the Japan of today is fully modern, Westernized society in nearly every regard. Yet even so, the elements of an earlier age are clearly visible in the country's arts, festivals, and customs. This book focuses on the essential constants that remain in present-day Japan and their counterparts in Western culture. Through its well-researched articles, color photogrpahs, and line illustrations, this book provides a compact guide to aspects of Japan that often puzzle the outside observer. This very informative text is also a needed primer on the cultural make-up and behavoirs of the Japanese, certain to fascinate the student, tourist, or anyone who seeks to know and understand the Japanese and their world.
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