All About Japan: Stories, Songs, Crafts and Games for Kids

(Hardback)

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Description

The Tuttle All About Asiaseries offers a journey to a new place--and ways to bring it to life. Dive into stories, try some crafts, play some games from Japan, learn some Japanese songs...it's the next best thing to being there!

A book for families to treasure together, it offers not only the most important facts about Japan, but also reflects the spirit that makes Japan one-of-a-kind. Two new friends lead us: a Japanese boy who lives in the country and a Japanese girl who lives in the city. They introduce us to their homes, families, favourite places, school life, holidays and after-school activities.

• Learn the steps of the Coal Miner's dance, a nighttime highlight of the O-Bon festival
  
• Try making your own samurai helmet, folding a leaping origami frog, or singing the Sakura (Cherry Blossom) song
  
• Make nenga-jo (New Year's cards), create your own haiku, learn to use chopsticks, and more!
  
• Enjoy traditional stories like "The Creation of Japan," "The Star-crossed Princess (Tanabata)," and "The Boy Who Drew Cats."
  
• Easy recipes are included for treats like mochi (New Year's sweet rice cakes) and okonomiyaki (Japanese fill-your-own pancakes)
  
• Bonus activities available online!

Reviews

"In this treasure-trove of information, two children, one a Tokyo urbanite and the other from a rural village, introduce readers to their country and its culture, including geography, language, traditional arts, costume, etiquette, sports, and festivals. The scope of this book is remarkably comprehensive, covering almost anything a child would want to know, from traditional folktales to contemporary video games and anime." --School Library Journal
"A book for families to treasure together. You'll dive into stories, try new crafts, play some games from Japan, learn Japanese songsit's the next best thing to being there." --Japan Today
"Enjoy a fresh view of what makes Japan special." --Mizuhito Kanehara, Dean, University of Tokyo

Author Bio

Willamarie Moore is currently the Head of School Programs and Resources at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. She previously worked as the Manager of East Asian Programs at the Boston Children's Museum, where she was also the lead content developer for the award-winning exhibition Five Friends from Japan: Children in Japan Today. She has developed many educational materials about Japan, China and other countries. Willamarie lived, studied and worked in Japan for several years and returns as often as she can. She is the co-author of Japanese Traditions: Rice Cakes, Cherry Blossoms and Matsuri, A Year of Seasonal Japanese Festivities, also available from Tuttle.

Kazumi Wilds has illustrated several children's books, including The Wakame Gatherers and Hajime in the North Woods. Her bright, vivid paintings make Japan come alive. She was born in Tokyo and attended The Women's College of Art there, where she majored in Japanese painting. She later taught elementary school in Tokyo before studying at the University of Minnesota. After living in Minnesota and New Mexico for a few years, Kazumi moved back to Japan, where she now lives in a small Japanese village with her two sons, a dog, and some cats. There, in the mountains of Shimane prefecture, she paints and teaches elementary school. See her work at wildskazumi-picturebook.jimdo.com