Wishing to have good fortune in the new year, an old man tries to trade his wife's kimono for rice cakes. Characters from the Japanese alphabet are incorporated into the text.

Presents an overview of Japan's geography, history, government, cities, culture, people, and everyday life.

"Often translated as "the art of remaining unseen," Ninjutsu has a long history, and is probably the most renowned and misunderstood of all martial arts. Still an active school, Ninjutsu continues to thrive today, and the idea of the ninja as a black-clad "super spy," combat master and secrecy expert continues to hold power over the imagination. Despite its popularity, the history of Ninjutsu is still murky, its origins surrounded by mystery and legend....

In Japan during the 1930s, a young man and his father discover they have conflicting views on patriotism, in a novel examining the nature of Japanese fanaticism in the years that led to war.

Learn about Japan's history, economy, and daily lifestyles.

A new thriller, set in Tokyo's criminal underworld, pits an ordinary man against a group of talented and very unusual assassins.

A comprehensive guide to the appreciation and appraisal of Japanese swords, complete with historical background, terms and the workmanship of the foremost schools and smiths.

Dr. Sanada is an alcoholic, in part due to the despair that constantly assails him as he tries to keep the inhabitants of a post-World War II Tokyo slum as healthy as possible. Food and medical supplies are scarce, the neighborhood is around an open sewer, and the only place to buy medicines is the black market-- controlled by the Yakuza. Matsunaga, a young yakuza with a violent temper, seeks Sanada's help to remove a bullet from his hand, but Matsunaga's...