Smaller Is Better: Japan's Mastery of the Miniature

by Ŏ-ryŏng Yi

A Korean critic offers a non-Japanese interpretation of Japanese culture and its tendency to find aesthetic, spiritual, and functional value in the compact and the miniature."

192 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1984

Reviews

[Jee Koh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Japan is too often seen in opposition to the West, and so hides some of its peculiarities. This take on Japanese culture by a Korean writer, critic, and scholar capitalizes on his knowledge of the differences between Japanese and Korean cultures, so that what is truly distinctive about Japan-its penchant for making things smaller-comes thrillingly into focus.