Do you curse costly rents, cramped quarters and cluttered cupboards? Do you think tatami are terrific, futons fabulous and Washlets wonderful? If so, there's no doubt about it: You live in Japan. Whether we reside in a 1LDK, "gaijin" house or cardboard box, housing has a profound effect on our lives.
"The story of a people is largely a story of where they live and how they live -- that is, of their homes and lifestyles." So reads the book jacket of "Japanese Homes and Lifestyles," a translation of the Japanese edition originally released in 1983. This is the story of where and how the Japanese lived, from 10,000 years ago until today.
Following a brief historical overview for each chapter are detailed descriptions of housing, lifestyles and technological advances. The text could easily become bogged down with descriptions of difficult-to-visualize floor plans and engineering jargon, but doesn't, thanks to the numerous pen-and-ink illustrations on almost every page.