Japan Style

The authoritative and wide-ranging visual essay on the aesthetics of Japan, a classic volume now back in print with a stunning new cover design

‘Japan style’ is an aesthetic recognizable to everyone: a beautifully displayed flower, an elegant piece of calligraphy, or a simple rock garden, yet it is also difficult to define.

Written by one of the world’s most respected scholars of Japanese art and culture, this book does just that. Illustrated with over 150 stunning images that unlock the essence of Japanese art and culture, alongside Gian Carlo Calza’s groundbreaking and insightful text, Japan Style explores specific achievements in Japanese art and architecture and offers an in-depth analysis of the whole of Japanese culture, its vision of the world and of humankind.

Praise for the first edition:

''Images are carefully chosen and beautifully juxtaposed.'' – IDFX

''This poetic book analyses complexities of Japanese style. Instead of straightforward case studies on well-known examples, it tackles underlying aspects of culture with references to Buddhism, mythology, Zen philosophy, architecture and the visual arts. Beautifully illustrated, and far more than just Ando, tea ceremonies and Noh theatre.'' – Building Design

Gian Carlo Calza is an academic researching on Asian cultures and arts and their interplay with the West. He is a leading authority in Japanese art and aesthetics, author of many books, and curator of many exhibitions in the field.

He was a professor of Asian Art History at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and director of the International Hokusai Research Centre in Milan. Among the most important of his books are: Tanaka Ikko, Hokusai, Ukiyo-e, and Poem of the Pillow and Other Stories, all of which were published in English by Phaidon.