Published by Princeton Architectural Press, 2006, 190 pages

This is a sumptuous book. Kate T. Williamson spent a year in Japan, mostly in Kyoto, and this book is the result.

Through beautiful illustrations and a minimal amount of text, Williamson introduces us to Japan, its people and culture. When she arrives in Kyoto, she walks past a department store and notices a wall of patterns and colours. Intrigued, she goes in and finds that the squares of cloth displayed are washcloths, used for wiping your hands on in public restrooms. 

“The washcloths were my first exposure to the attention to detail that characterizes much of Japan—both visually and socially. I soon came to realize just how much thought lies behind appearances and actions there, and that these details of beauty and nuances of word and deed are both expected and appreciated.”

The book is full of little details of life in Japan: the dancing man on the screen of her mobile phone; the colourful book bags that fill stores during the back-to-school period; and an electric pad meant to keep her warm through the winters. 

Appreciation of nature is important to the Japanese. Families make expeditions to see the cherry blossoms and maple leaves. The old houses have towers that were especially built for viewing the moon. 

Williamson has lunch with a geisha, goes to a performance of Guys and Dolls in Japanese with an all-female cast, and studies shiborizome, “a traditional textile art that uses sewing and indigo-dyeing to create subtle and beautiful patterns”. One of the things that caught my eye was how pottery is repaired: rather than trying to hide the repair, metallic filling is used, then lacquered and painted over, making the join visible. The damaged item of pottery then becomes a new work of art. 

Then, of course, there is the food, and Williamson devotes several pages to it: tsukimi dango, sweets made especially for moon-viewing; shōjin ryōri, the vegetarian cuisine of monks; and wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets that come in different shapes and colours depending on the season. 

Williamson immerses you in the feel and colours of Japan. There is text when it is needed; otherwise, she lets her illustrations speak for themselves. It is worth owning in a print edition—this is the kind of book that will bring sunshine and colour into your life, even on the rainiest day.

This review first appeared on Women on the Road.