Lonely Planet Lost Japan

by Alex Kerr

Book Overview

An enchanting and fascinating insight into Japanese landscape, culture, history and future. Originally written in Japanese, this passionate, vividly personal book draws on the author's experiences in... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0864423705
• ISBN13: 9780864423702
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Lonely Planet
• Length: 269 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.1" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

The Modern Day "In Praise of Shadows"

I was hooked by "Lost Japan" immediately and could not put it down until I finished the last page. This book should be required reading for anyone who's lived in Japan, anyone who's interested in Japan, or even anyone who thinks all there is to Japan is samurai and geisha (or alternatively, anime and Pokemon). Lost Japan is very reminiscent of Jun'ichiro Tanizaki's "In Praise of Shadows": they are both works lamenting a disappearing Japan, and both are told in a series of seemingly unrelated essays and anecdotes. Unfortunately, as several reviewers have mentioned already, sometimes Kerr goes to the point that his stories are so self-focused that they detract from the big picture. The entire chapter on literati, for example, did not add much to the story for me at least. However, overall Kerr's style is a success.What impressed me the most with this book is how well Kerr was able to avoid falling into the easy traps of Japan Bashing or Japan Worship. It is obvious that he loves Japan, but at the same time his vision is clear enough so that he can view Japan objectively and speak hard truths. Most likely, any reader of this book who has been to Japan for any period of time found themselves nodding along to many parts of this book that were both critical of and in praise of modern Japan. Kerr says so many things that seem so obvious, and yet they feel so novel because the Japanese themselves have not publicly admitted that there are serious, fundamental problems in contemporary society. The sad thing is that it has been about a decade since Kerr's essays were published in Japan and it is questionable whether Japan has made any real progress in that time. To that end, I look forward to reading Dogs and Demons to see how Kerr's thoughts have changed in the interim after writing Lost Japan.I did not agree with everything Kerr had to say, but I found his arguments and ideas stimulating and fresh. I hope Japan pulls itself out of its cultural and economic recession soon, but as Kerr hints at, a mere decade is no cause for panic in a country where events are measured in centuries and millennia. Japan has suffered worse destruction in its past; here's hoping that the difficulties of the past decade will be made worth it with the rebirth of a new Japan that is able to combine features of its past with the realities of the present.

Thought Provoking and Insightful

I found the subtle convincing argument style of the author to be quite remarkable and effective. He leads his reader through a series of interesting personal experiences occurring over the many years he has lived in Japan - each one making up a single chapter within the book. He carefully explains the essential characteristics of each experience as to why it has had a profound positive or negative lasting affect on him. He describes how his friends, his educational background and his teachers, all of the highest caliber, helped him to appreciate the artistic values he encounters within the scope of the experience. Finally, when least expected, he hits the reader with a profound, but obvious, truth or conclusion that helps to explain deep aspects of Japanese culture of surprising significance. It should be noted that the original text was written as articles submitted to a Japanese magazine, and that this series of articles was so well received by Japanese readers that they were incorporated into the original version of this book that was written in the Japanese language. Again the book was well received. The only criticism that I might venture to make was that I didn't find this compilation of articles to provide me sense of inevitability to make me feel that the book as a whole was going to reach a timely conclusion and final ending. On the whole, though, I think it's a really nice piece of work.

Arrigato Gozaimasu Alex Kerr

Alex Kerr has authored the best book I've read on contemporary Japan. I lived in Osaka from 1992-1994. Mr. Kerr's observations on everything from the arts and environment to business and education struck familiar chords. This book is excellent for foreign nationals currently living in Japan, and for anyone who's ever lived there. The book was originally written for a Japanese audience so some points may be lost on readers who've never made the trip. However, if you're planning to go to Japan and want to learn about more than cultural stereotypes, Lost Japan is your ticket.

Best Available Look at Japanese Esthetics

Having lived in Japan for almost 15 years and read about everything worth reading (and much more not worth reading) on the topic, Alex Kerr's book remains the most intelligent description of modern Japan in recent memory. This is not fiction; not some ennui for a Shogun inspired cultural Disneyland, but a look at what is being lost now. This moment. Beauty and loss are central to Japanese arts. No book on Japan by a foreign resident has ever succeeded as well at making felt both elements. As a supplement, any writing by Alan Booth is to be recommended (yes more beauty and loss).

You will love this book if you have actually lived in Japan

This was one of most superb books I have ever read on Japan. Having lived in Western Japan for two years, I found Kerr's insights right on. I have read and kept up on a number of Japanese analysts and Kerr's assessment of the beauty and losses of Japan is subtle and genuine. Ignore the readers on this page who gave it 1-star. This book is best for those who have actually lived in Japan for a significant amount of time, have studied various works on Japan, and better yet, have been to the Kansai region. I have lived in Kyoto and I absolutely LOVED the chapter "Kyoto hates Kyoto." No one who has ever been to that historical city can deny that glass-box architecture-loving Japanese-futurists promoted the 'uglification' of the most important city in Japan. I didn't find Kerr elitist; he is interested in different art forms than many regular citizens in Japan, but I urge anyone who loves and has lived in Japan to consider this book. Awesome.