Living in Japan

So rich and unique is traditional Japanese architecture that it’s nearly impossible to improve upon. Yet contemporary Japanese designers and architects keep finding fresh approaches to refurbish and take inspiration from the ways of old. Whether it’s a pristinely preserved traditional house or a sleek modern apartment, the best Japanese homes share a love of cleverly designed spaces and warm materials like wood, brick, and bamboo. From a thatched roof farmhouse occupied by a Zen priest to Tadao Ando’s experimental 4x4 House, from Shigeru Ban’s conceptual Shutter House to a beautiful domestic homage to bamboo, this elegant compendium traverses the multifaceted landscape of Japanese living today. Enriched by 170 brand new, unpublished photographs, this edition takes you on breathtaking journey through the Land of the Rising Sun—complete with a list of addresses, should you wish to undertake this journey to Japan’s most fascinating inns and homes yourself. An insightful glossary of key terms, such as tatami, shoji, and noren, will also help you come to grips with all elements of Japan’s unique aesthetic of Eastern minimalism.

Author, art collector, calligrapher, and restorer of old houses, Alex Kerr has lived in Japan and Thailand since 1964. As a writer, he is known for Lost Japan (1996), Dogs and Demons (2001), and Another Kyoto (2016).

Kathy Arlyn Sokol is a writer, interviewer, and award-winning narrator. Her published works include Rasta Time, based on her exclusive interview with Bob Marley, and Another Kyoto, co-written with Alex Kerr, on the secrets of the ancient city. She presently resides in Udaipur in Rajasthan, India.