Japanese artists, musicians, actors, and authors have written much over the centuries about the creation, meaning, and appreciation of various arts. Most of these works, however, are scattered among countless hard-to-find sources or make only a fleeting appearance in books devoted to other subjects. Compiled in this volume is a wealth of original material on Japanese arts and culture from the prehistoric era to the Meiji Restoration (1867). These carefully selected sources, including many translated here for the first time, are placed in their historical context and outfitted with brief commentaries, allowing the reader to make connections to larger concepts and values found in Japanese culture. The book is a treasure trove of material on the visual and literary arts, but it contains as well primary texts on topics not easily classified in Western categories, such as the martial and culinary arts, the art of tea, and flower arranging. More than 60 color and black and white illustrations enrich the collection and provide further insights into Japanese artistic and cultural values.

About the Author
Stephen Addiss is professor of Japanese art at the University of Richmond. Gerald Groemer teaches Japanese music history and ethnomusicology at the University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Japan. J. Thomas Rimer is professor emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh.


Book Information
ISBN 9780824820183
Author Stephen Addiss
Format Paperback
Page Count 344
Imprint University of Hawai'i Press
Publisher University of Hawai'i Press
Weight(grams) 578g