Photojournalist and author Stephen Mansfield's work has appeared in over 70 publications worldwide, on subjects ranging from conflict in the Middle East to cultural analysis, interviews and book reviews. A longtime Japan Times contributor, his latest book is "Japan's Master Gardens: Lessons in Space & Environment."
For Stephen Mansfield's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Green tea began in China as a medicinal brew, and grew in Japan into an aid to wakefulness and meditation for Zen monks. In time, the ceremony of its preparation became a mode of refinement for a social elite versed in introspection and aesthetics. ...
Ralph Adams Cram’s focus on traditional architecture, with design principles still relevant today, explains why his book “Impressions of Japanese Architecture,” first published in 1905, has stood the test of time.
In Karen Maezen Miller’s book, the Zen garden she restores to its former beauty becomes a metaphor for life.
Originating in India before spreading to China and Japan, bonsai art forms can now be found all over the world.
In an age where the internet provides an abundance of information, to still be unaware of the varieties of Japanese cuisine could be seen as a form of self-exile from pleasure. While curating a list of the “best” nonfiction on the topic is certainly ...
Japanese gardens come in many forms that are each interpreted differently, redefining what such spaces represent in the first place.
Yoko Kawaguchi’s book shows readers how many of Japan’s gardens incorporate Buddhist principles in their designs to function as spaces for meditation and enlightenment.
As 2021 approaches, six Japan Times book reviewers look back on their top reads released in English this year.
This comprehensive overview of Japanese family crests delves into the motifs and geometries that fill even the simplest designs with meaning.
Cathy N. Davidson’s memoir is a thoughtful and compelling account of a woman gaining a deeper understanding of herself and Japan through her travels.
