"Shoji Morimoto was constantly being told that he was a 'do-nothing' because he lacked initiative. Dispirited and unemployed, it occurred to him that if he was so good at doing nothing, perhaps he could turn it into a business. And with one tweet, he began his business of renting himself out to do nothing. Morimoto, aka Rental Person, provides a fascinating service to the lonely and socially anxious. Sitting with a client undergoing surgery, accompanying...

Revolving around the changing of the seasons, The Makioka Sisters follows the lives of four sisters who have taken on their family's kimono manufacturing business, over the course of a number of years leading up to the Pacific War. A graceful study of a family at a turning point in history, and a poignant evocation of changing times and fading customs.

A giant talking frog and an elusive cat help a listless bank employee, his traumatized wife, and a lonely accountant seek meaning in their lives and possibly save Tokyo from catastrophe in this animated feature based on stories by acclaimed Japanese author Haruki Murakami. The feature debut of composer Pierre Foldes, the film won the Jury Special Mention at the renowned Annecy Animation Film Festival and the Grand Prize at the Anima Festival in Brussels....

Provides a walking guide for the metropolis, including facts and stories that highlight the history, culture, architecture, and spirit of the city and its neighborhoods.

An Introduction to Japanese Society provides a highly readable introduction to Japanese society by internationally renowned scholar Yoshio Sugimoto. Taking a sociological approach, the text examines the multifaceted nature of contemporary Japanese society with chapters covering class, geographical and generational variation, work, education, gender, ethnicity, religion, popular culture, and the establishment. This edition begins with a new historical...

"For the first time in English, the work of master Haruki Murakami is available in manga form. In this collection you'll find striking full-color adaptions of these iconic short stories: Super-frog saves Tokyo -- A few days after an earthquake, Katagirl-san finds a giant frog in his home. The forg promises to save Tokyo from the next earthquake, but Katagiri-san must help him. Is this real, or a dream? Where I'm likely to find it -- A woman's husband...