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Viewed Sideways: Writings on Culture and Style in Contemporary Japan
"An indispensable guide to Japanese cinema and culture." — Library Journal
"Viewed any which way, Japan through the eyes of Donald Richie is an interesting and rewarding place to read about. This is...yet another reminder that he is a master of the short essay and a thought-provoking guide to his subject." — Jeff Kingston, The Japan Times
This definitive new collection of essays by the writer Time calls "the dean of arts critics in Japan" ranges from Kyogen drama to the sex shows of Shinjuku, from film and Buddhism to Butoh and retro rock 'n' roll, from wasei eigo (Japanese/English) to mizushobai , the fine art of pleasing. Spanning some fifty years, these thirty-seven essays—most never anthologized before—offer cross-sections of Japan's enormous cultural power. They reflect the unique perspective of a man attempting to understand his adopted home. The writings of Donald Richie —film critic, reviewer, novelist, and essayist—have influenced generations of Japan observers around the world.
"Viewed any which way, Japan through the eyes of Donald Richie is an interesting and rewarding place to read about. This is...yet another reminder that he is a master of the short essay and a thought-provoking guide to his subject." — Jeff Kingston, The Japan Times
This definitive new collection of essays by the writer Time calls "the dean of arts critics in Japan" ranges from Kyogen drama to the sex shows of Shinjuku, from film and Buddhism to Butoh and retro rock 'n' roll, from wasei eigo (Japanese/English) to mizushobai , the fine art of pleasing. Spanning some fifty years, these thirty-seven essays—most never anthologized before—offer cross-sections of Japan's enormous cultural power. They reflect the unique perspective of a man attempting to understand his adopted home. The writings of Donald Richie —film critic, reviewer, novelist, and essayist—have influenced generations of Japan observers around the world.
- GenresJapanNonfictionEssays
264 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
8 people are currently reading
61 people want to read
About the author
Donald Richie
119 books104 followersDonald Richie is an American-born author who has written about the Japanese people and Japanese cinema. Although he considers himself only a writer, Richie has directed many experimental films, the first when he was 17. Although Richie speaks Japanese fluently, he can neither read nor write it.
During World War II, he served aboard Liberty ships as a purser and medical officer. By then he had already published his first work, "Tumblebugs" (1942), a short story.
In 1947, Richie first visited Japan with the American occupation force, a job he saw as an opportunity to escape from Lima, Ohio. He first worked as a typist, and then as a civilian staff writer for the Pacific Stars and Stripes. While in Tokyo, he became fascinated with Japanese culture, particularly Japanese cinema. He was soon writing movie reviews in the Stars and Stripes. In 1948 he met Kashiko Kawakita who introduced him to Yasujiro Ozu. During their long friendship, Richie and Kawakita collaborated closely in promoting Japanese film in the West.
After returning to the United States, he enrolled at Columbia University's School of General Studies in 1949, and received his Bachelor's Degree in English in 1953. Richie then returned to Japan as film critic for the The Japan Times and spent much of the second half of the twentieth century living there. In 1959, he published his first book, The Japanese Film: Art and Industry, coauthored with Joseph Anderson. In this work, the authors gave the first English language account of Japanese film. Richie served as Curator of Film at the New York Museum of Modern Art from 1969 to 1972. In 1988, he was invited to become the first guest director at the Telluride Film Festival.
Among his most noted works on Japan are The Inland Sea, a travel classic, and Public People, Private People, a look at some of Japan's most significant and most mundane people. He has compiled two collections of essays on Japan: A Lateral View and Partial Views. A collection of his writings has been published to commemorate fifty years of writing about Japan: The Donald Richie Reader. The Japan Journals: 1947-2004 consists of extended excerpts from his diaries.
In 1991, filmmakers Lucille Carra and Brian Cotnoir produced a film version of The Inland Sea, which Richie narrated. Produced by Travelfilm Company, the film won numerous awards, including Best Documentary at the Hawaii International Film Festival (1991) and the Earthwatch Film Award. It screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 1992.
Author Tom Wolfe describes Richie as: "the Lafcadio Hearn of our time, a subtle, stylish, and deceptively lucid medium between two cultures that confuse one another: the Japanese and the American."
Richie's most widely recognized accomplishment has been his analysis of Japanese cinema. From his first published book, Richie has revised not only the library of films he discusses, but the way he analyzes them. With each subsequent book, he has focused less on film theory and more on the conditions in which the films were made. One thing that has emerged in his works is an emphasis on the "presentational" nature of Japan's cinema, in contrast to the "representational" films of the West. His book, A Hundred Years Of Japanese Film includes a helpful guide to the availability of the films on home video and DVD mentioned in the main text. In the foreword to this book, Paul Schrader says: "Whatever we in the West know about Japanese film, and how we know it, we most likely owe to Donald Richie." Richie also has written analyses of two of Japan's best known filmmakers: Yasujiro Ozu and Akira Kurosawa.
Richie has written the English subtitles for Akira Kurosawa's films Kagemusha (1980) and Dreams (1990)[8].
In the 21st century, Richie has become noted for his erudite audio commentaries for The Criterion Collection on DVDs of various classic Japanese films, notably those of Ozu (A Story of Floating Weeds, Early Summer), Mikio Naruse (When a Woman Ascend
During World War II, he served aboard Liberty ships as a purser and medical officer. By then he had already published his first work, "Tumblebugs" (1942), a short story.
In 1947, Richie first visited Japan with the American occupation force, a job he saw as an opportunity to escape from Lima, Ohio. He first worked as a typist, and then as a civilian staff writer for the Pacific Stars and Stripes. While in Tokyo, he became fascinated with Japanese culture, particularly Japanese cinema. He was soon writing movie reviews in the Stars and Stripes. In 1948 he met Kashiko Kawakita who introduced him to Yasujiro Ozu. During their long friendship, Richie and Kawakita collaborated closely in promoting Japanese film in the West.
After returning to the United States, he enrolled at Columbia University's School of General Studies in 1949, and received his Bachelor's Degree in English in 1953. Richie then returned to Japan as film critic for the The Japan Times and spent much of the second half of the twentieth century living there. In 1959, he published his first book, The Japanese Film: Art and Industry, coauthored with Joseph Anderson. In this work, the authors gave the first English language account of Japanese film. Richie served as Curator of Film at the New York Museum of Modern Art from 1969 to 1972. In 1988, he was invited to become the first guest director at the Telluride Film Festival.
Among his most noted works on Japan are The Inland Sea, a travel classic, and Public People, Private People, a look at some of Japan's most significant and most mundane people. He has compiled two collections of essays on Japan: A Lateral View and Partial Views. A collection of his writings has been published to commemorate fifty years of writing about Japan: The Donald Richie Reader. The Japan Journals: 1947-2004 consists of extended excerpts from his diaries.
In 1991, filmmakers Lucille Carra and Brian Cotnoir produced a film version of The Inland Sea, which Richie narrated. Produced by Travelfilm Company, the film won numerous awards, including Best Documentary at the Hawaii International Film Festival (1991) and the Earthwatch Film Award. It screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 1992.
Author Tom Wolfe describes Richie as: "the Lafcadio Hearn of our time, a subtle, stylish, and deceptively lucid medium between two cultures that confuse one another: the Japanese and the American."
Richie's most widely recognized accomplishment has been his analysis of Japanese cinema. From his first published book, Richie has revised not only the library of films he discusses, but the way he analyzes them. With each subsequent book, he has focused less on film theory and more on the conditions in which the films were made. One thing that has emerged in his works is an emphasis on the "presentational" nature of Japan's cinema, in contrast to the "representational" films of the West. His book, A Hundred Years Of Japanese Film includes a helpful guide to the availability of the films on home video and DVD mentioned in the main text. In the foreword to this book, Paul Schrader says: "Whatever we in the West know about Japanese film, and how we know it, we most likely owe to Donald Richie." Richie also has written analyses of two of Japan's best known filmmakers: Yasujiro Ozu and Akira Kurosawa.
Richie has written the English subtitles for Akira Kurosawa's films Kagemusha (1980) and Dreams (1990)[8].
In the 21st century, Richie has become noted for his erudite audio commentaries for The Criterion Collection on DVDs of various classic Japanese films, notably those of Ozu (A Story of Floating Weeds, Early Summer), Mikio Naruse (When a Woman Ascend
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 7, 2014
There are Lots of interesting commentary on Japan, but only a few foreigners who get the drift. Donald Richie is one of the very few who I thing gets it right regarding Japanese culture and aesthetic. For a foreigner it can be a hard country to read - but Richie is really ( genius like) great in understanding that culture. I've read almost every title by him and he has never let me down. He has lived or visited Japan since the early post-war years and knew every important figure in that country. This book specifically is on Japanese culture and is a wonderful introduction to that world. For the beginner I would highly recommend this book before (or during) your first trip to Japan. Not as a travel guide, but more of being exposed to certain observations.
June 15, 2017
https://101booksjapan.blogspot.ca/
One of the challenges of not knowing the language is having to rely on outsiders or translators to catch a glimpse of Japan. But I'm also lucky on two counts with this limitation.
First is that an outside observer can offer up insights that may not be seen by someone raised in a culture.
And second, as Viewed Sideways shows, Donald Richie is the inside outsider. Someone who spent so long in Japan and focussed so much of his keen observational skills on understanding the place that he brings a magical illumination.
Looking at a wide range of culture and style issues mainly over the course of the 1980s, 1990s, and into the 2000s, Richie seems to be as relevant a read today as when each of these pieces were written. (I like the fact that each is dated)
For instance the chapter on time in Japan - Japanese Rhythms - maps out in 1984 something true today. Japanese work is often about being in the office as a matter of attendance not getting work done. A certain amount of long hours for show.
In the culture part he casts his eye, in one essay, on traditional Japanese theatre. I have seen Noh but never really understood it until I read the 1966 piece in Viewed Sideways. This masterful but short article explains a deeply difficult art form in a way that makes sense and builds appreciation.
Richie’s eye for and explanations of Japanese cinema (and all film) are of course deeply insightful and an education in cinema (he was best known for his film commentary). My mind doesn't view a movie in the same way but I relished the explanations, especially the use of atmosphere over plot in Japan.
The closing set of essays directly confront his own foreignness and his observations of himself and japan. Fascinating and honest like so much of his writing in this volume.
One of the challenges of not knowing the language is having to rely on outsiders or translators to catch a glimpse of Japan. But I'm also lucky on two counts with this limitation.
First is that an outside observer can offer up insights that may not be seen by someone raised in a culture.
And second, as Viewed Sideways shows, Donald Richie is the inside outsider. Someone who spent so long in Japan and focussed so much of his keen observational skills on understanding the place that he brings a magical illumination.
Looking at a wide range of culture and style issues mainly over the course of the 1980s, 1990s, and into the 2000s, Richie seems to be as relevant a read today as when each of these pieces were written. (I like the fact that each is dated)
For instance the chapter on time in Japan - Japanese Rhythms - maps out in 1984 something true today. Japanese work is often about being in the office as a matter of attendance not getting work done. A certain amount of long hours for show.
In the culture part he casts his eye, in one essay, on traditional Japanese theatre. I have seen Noh but never really understood it until I read the 1966 piece in Viewed Sideways. This masterful but short article explains a deeply difficult art form in a way that makes sense and builds appreciation.
Richie’s eye for and explanations of Japanese cinema (and all film) are of course deeply insightful and an education in cinema (he was best known for his film commentary). My mind doesn't view a movie in the same way but I relished the explanations, especially the use of atmosphere over plot in Japan.
The closing set of essays directly confront his own foreignness and his observations of himself and japan. Fascinating and honest like so much of his writing in this volume.
December 16, 2015
Great, informative read with some interesting insights. Some of the sociological essays were a bit outdated (60s, some late 70s early 80s)- though still fascinating to learn of where things culturally were during those times.
June 19, 2017
Some beautiful vignettes into Japanese culture. Why TV commercials are so insane? Explained.
December 1, 2011
Interesting essays, very informative,but it was a bit repetitive.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews