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Kissa by Kissa: How to Walk Japan
Kissa by Kissa: How to Walk Japan (Book One) is a book about walking 1,000+km of the countryside of Japan along the ancient Nakasendō highway, the culture of toast (toast!), and mid-twentieth century Japanese cafés called kissaten.
The walk of this book begins in the city of Kamakura, just south of Tokyo. From there we head to Tokyo, and then from Tokyo all the way to Kyoto via the old Nakasendō highway, snaking through Saitama, over to Nagano, down through the bucolic Kiso Valley along the Kiso-ji road, into the plains of Gifu, alongside Lake Biwa, and to Kyoto. Along the way we meet farmers, gardeners, and a host of incredible and inspiring café owners.
Kissa by Kissa is not a guide. It sits somewhere between travelogue, photo book, and bizarro ethnographic field study of old café — kissaten — culture.
Those kissaten — or kissa — served up toast. I ate that toast. So. Much. Toast. Much of it pizza toast. If you buy this book, you'll learn more than you ever dared to know about this variety of toast available all across Japan. It's a classic post-war food staple. Kissa by kissa, and slice by thick slice of beautiful, white toast, I took a heckuva affecting and long walk. This book is my sharing with you, of that walk, the people I met along the way, and the food I ate.
The walk of this book begins in the city of Kamakura, just south of Tokyo. From there we head to Tokyo, and then from Tokyo all the way to Kyoto via the old Nakasendō highway, snaking through Saitama, over to Nagano, down through the bucolic Kiso Valley along the Kiso-ji road, into the plains of Gifu, alongside Lake Biwa, and to Kyoto. Along the way we meet farmers, gardeners, and a host of incredible and inspiring café owners.
Kissa by Kissa is not a guide. It sits somewhere between travelogue, photo book, and bizarro ethnographic field study of old café — kissaten — culture.
Those kissaten — or kissa — served up toast. I ate that toast. So. Much. Toast. Much of it pizza toast. If you buy this book, you'll learn more than you ever dared to know about this variety of toast available all across Japan. It's a classic post-war food staple. Kissa by kissa, and slice by thick slice of beautiful, white toast, I took a heckuva affecting and long walk. This book is my sharing with you, of that walk, the people I met along the way, and the food I ate.
Hardcover
Published December 1, 2022
About the author
Craig Mod
19 books304 followersCraig Mod is a writer, photographer, and walker living in Tokyo, Japan. He is the author the books "Things Become Other Things" and "Kissa by Kissa." He is also the author of the newsletters "Roden" and "Ridgeline" and has contributed to The New York Times, The Atlantic, Wired, and more.
He has been a resident of Japan since 2000. He has walked between Tokyo and Kyoto (on the Tōkaidō and Nakasendō) three times. And has walked thousands of kilometers of the Kii Peninsula as well as other old roads across Japan.
He has been a resident of Japan since 2000. He has walked between Tokyo and Kyoto (on the Tōkaidō and Nakasendō) three times. And has walked thousands of kilometers of the Kii Peninsula as well as other old roads across Japan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 2, 2026
I received this book, hand-sewn in Japan and laid out by the author, as a birthday present. And a lovely gift it was, too – this is a book that will be passed down to my kids. As a physical object, everything about it screams ‘quality.’ (I wanted to read this immediately upon closing the covers of author Craig Mod’s “Things Become Other Things,” but I couldn’t find it anywhere, until it occurred to me to check the author’s website. The first five editions, which I think were also handmade, were sold out, but luckily he recently released a sixth edition.)
Travel memoirs are written for all sorts of reasons; one of the more common ones is to highlight the author’s bravery or cleverness in surviving under hair-raising circumstances. But Mod has focused his book squarely on the countryside of Japan and the many kissas, or traditional diners, scattered along his walking route. Many, but not as many as there used to be; the kissa is a cultural relic of the Showa era, he explains, which ran from about 1926 to the mid-1980’s. Japan as a whole is aging and depopulating, and this is far more pronounced in the countryside than in the cities. It seems the only kissas that will still be around in ten years are those that have been discovered and promoted by hip Instagrammers, the equivalent of twenty-year-olds today that join swing dance clubs. Grandparent chic.
Well, they have a point: These places are cool, at least as Mod presents them. As unpretentious as can be, they function as gathering places and community centers for the elderly in the town, which means pretty much everybody. The youngsters have fled to the cities, usually with their parents’ blessings.
This is a much lighter and shorter book than Things Become Other Things, and may have served as a warmup to convince Mod that he could actually write and publish a book. Lighter, shorter, more fun and filling me with an urge to go back to Japan and start walking. I really enjoyed reading this, which took me about an hour, including gazing at the lovely color photos throughout.
Travel memoirs are written for all sorts of reasons; one of the more common ones is to highlight the author’s bravery or cleverness in surviving under hair-raising circumstances. But Mod has focused his book squarely on the countryside of Japan and the many kissas, or traditional diners, scattered along his walking route. Many, but not as many as there used to be; the kissa is a cultural relic of the Showa era, he explains, which ran from about 1926 to the mid-1980’s. Japan as a whole is aging and depopulating, and this is far more pronounced in the countryside than in the cities. It seems the only kissas that will still be around in ten years are those that have been discovered and promoted by hip Instagrammers, the equivalent of twenty-year-olds today that join swing dance clubs. Grandparent chic.
Well, they have a point: These places are cool, at least as Mod presents them. As unpretentious as can be, they function as gathering places and community centers for the elderly in the town, which means pretty much everybody. The youngsters have fled to the cities, usually with their parents’ blessings.
This is a much lighter and shorter book than Things Become Other Things, and may have served as a warmup to convince Mod that he could actually write and publish a book. Lighter, shorter, more fun and filling me with an urge to go back to Japan and start walking. I really enjoyed reading this, which took me about an hour, including gazing at the lovely color photos throughout.
October 16, 2020
This is a delightful travelogue and philosophical essay on exploring the nooks of Japan as they age into a softly-lit Showa patina. This book breathes a countryside stroll in and exhales a perfumes of coffee and toast. A joy. The photos are also spectacular, not to mention the peerless design and thoughtful book construction.
July 14, 2025
I came across this book in a cafe in Wellington i like to frequent, and it turned out to be the only place i could read this book. So i had to visit a couple of times to finish the read - what a hardship, having to drink coffee and eat cheese scones.
This was such a beautifully crafted book and something that is right up my alley. Travelling a country and visiting their ‘traditional cafes/restaurants’ (for want of a better description of kissa, old school diners in Japan), which are very aesthetic, while drinking coffee and eating pizza toast. What more could you want.
This book could easily have come across pretentious, but for me it didn’t cross that line. It’s a fine line though! I think of this book as an upmarket coffee table book. If you’re in welly and want to read it - check out Orange Cafe!
This was such a beautifully crafted book and something that is right up my alley. Travelling a country and visiting their ‘traditional cafes/restaurants’ (for want of a better description of kissa, old school diners in Japan), which are very aesthetic, while drinking coffee and eating pizza toast. What more could you want.
This book could easily have come across pretentious, but for me it didn’t cross that line. It’s a fine line though! I think of this book as an upmarket coffee table book. If you’re in welly and want to read it - check out Orange Cafe!
December 24, 2020
“Walking forces you to directly engage with the cultural and human geography of a place, to step where others have stepped, often in the same way they’ve stepped, harboring similar fears and concerns and hopes, and to read their accounts on a shifted timeline while doing so.”
October 18, 2020
beautiful
August 31, 2025
A standing ovation for Craig Mod. I’m very bad at picking favorite things of mine, but this is easily my favorite book of the year.
Poetic, but not flowery. Direct, but deep. I cannot think of a better way to document a project. I will be recommending for a long time.
The book is great, the project that led to the book is equally satisfying. Walking to understand a people and a landscape sounds ideal.
Thank you Craig for sharing.
Poetic, but not flowery. Direct, but deep. I cannot think of a better way to document a project. I will be recommending for a long time.
The book is great, the project that led to the book is equally satisfying. Walking to understand a people and a landscape sounds ideal.
Thank you Craig for sharing.
December 31, 2025
A man's borderline infatuation with pizza toasts and kissatens. Craig is a different kind of writer. He walks and he writes about his walks. His refreshing takes on something so slow in a fast-moving society is worth spending a few moments to enjoy this niche part of Japan.
December 4, 2020
Just beautiful. The binding, the photographs surrounded by white space, the writing.
December 3, 2024
Beautiful photo book of a man's walks through a disappearing Japan.
March 25, 2026
Took my time to with this book, savoring it with my morning coffee.
Though I’m reading the sixth edition, its pages revealed a fresh parallel window into modern day Japan. One that reveres and cherishes the recent past and honors the quotidian.
Craig’s daily portrait capturing ritual conjures up a face to face intimacy confirming to his subjects, “I see you. I appreciate you.”
Elevating a food initially created to imitate an American favorite to comfort-photogenic status - Craig’s capturing of these “pizza toast” creations pulls me into the hunt. Kissa by Kissa.
Though I’m reading the sixth edition, its pages revealed a fresh parallel window into modern day Japan. One that reveres and cherishes the recent past and honors the quotidian.
Craig’s daily portrait capturing ritual conjures up a face to face intimacy confirming to his subjects, “I see you. I appreciate you.”
Elevating a food initially created to imitate an American favorite to comfort-photogenic status - Craig’s capturing of these “pizza toast” creations pulls me into the hunt. Kissa by Kissa.
February 21, 2024
I stumbled across Craig Mod through a Wired article of his which was published in May 2019 and I have been a subscriber to his newsletters ever since. Craig is an American who lives in Japan, where he embarks upon incomprehensibly long walks traversing historical trails which span both urban areas and the Japanese countryside. Craig immortalizes his walks through beautiful photography paired with pleasant essays, both distributed through his two newsletters called Roden and Ridgeline.
In 2020, Craig produced a new book called Kissa by Kissa, which is a written narrative encapsulating one of his most-recent walks, a pilgrimage of sorts in search of the increasingly elusive kissaten (kissa), a type of coffee house popularized in the Shōwa era (1926-1989) and a Japanese culinary specialty called pizza toast, a product of American post-war influence on Japanese cuisine.
Having a passion for photography, reading, writing, and walking myself, Craig’s writing achieves a synergy I struggle to find elsewhere across both physical and digital media, and his newsletters are something that I eagerly anticipate each week. I have become inspired by Craig’s way of being in the world and admire the work that he shares. His words provide me with a brief escape from my own life by allowing me to glimpse the wonderful nuances of everyday life in Japan, and his narrative style brings me equal parts joy and inner peace. If this sounds like something you might enjoy, I strongly recommend signing up for his newsletters (craigmod.com) or ordering a copy of Kissa by Kissa while it’s still available.
In 2020, Craig produced a new book called Kissa by Kissa, which is a written narrative encapsulating one of his most-recent walks, a pilgrimage of sorts in search of the increasingly elusive kissaten (kissa), a type of coffee house popularized in the Shōwa era (1926-1989) and a Japanese culinary specialty called pizza toast, a product of American post-war influence on Japanese cuisine.
Having a passion for photography, reading, writing, and walking myself, Craig’s writing achieves a synergy I struggle to find elsewhere across both physical and digital media, and his newsletters are something that I eagerly anticipate each week. I have become inspired by Craig’s way of being in the world and admire the work that he shares. His words provide me with a brief escape from my own life by allowing me to glimpse the wonderful nuances of everyday life in Japan, and his narrative style brings me equal parts joy and inner peace. If this sounds like something you might enjoy, I strongly recommend signing up for his newsletters (craigmod.com) or ordering a copy of Kissa by Kissa while it’s still available.
June 1, 2021
An impeccably made book, which is exceedingly beautiful in every design decision which was put into it. Reading it is almost like a meditation, the margins and images flow amazingly well together, and you get sucked in with every short story from Craig’s walk. It can be completed in a one long sitting, which I think is perfect for taking it all in. And then finding another nice day to read it over again.
The writing is beautiful and organic, every story from his trip is a wonderful snapshot of the time he spent, and at the same time, you wish you could know more about these people and places he’s visited. Taking time to look at the impeccable photos in the book is a treat in-and-of-itself.
This book is a work of Art, and a monument to what individual artists and creators can to with “1000 true fans.”
The writing is beautiful and organic, every story from his trip is a wonderful snapshot of the time he spent, and at the same time, you wish you could know more about these people and places he’s visited. Taking time to look at the impeccable photos in the book is a treat in-and-of-itself.
This book is a work of Art, and a monument to what individual artists and creators can to with “1000 true fans.”
January 8, 2024
It took me a while to get around to reading this, despite the fact that I'm such a fan of everything that Craig Mod produces (his newsletters, articles, older books, etc.) I finally picked it up alongside his just released newer book (Things Become Other Things, which is next on my reading list), both independently published as part of his Special Projects program, and as expected, it was a truly wonderful read. I followed the walk this covers when he originally was sharing it via SMS with images and short descriptions (and later through longer essays via his Ridgeline newsletter), but it felt really good revisiting it a this point (a few years later), and in such a beautiful "package" (this book is stunningly beautiful). I can't recommend it enough, as well as joining his Special Projects program, and accessing the rest of his regular writings.
December 25, 2023
The text, pictures, breathing layout, calm typography all combined with this high paper and printing quality make this a beautiful piece of art. A piece of art you want to enjoy in several small sittings, cup of greentea or coffee nearby.
So much joy of the little things encapsulated in the combination of stories and pictures. This book gave me piece of mind.
Walking places is powerful, because:
"On a walk you contend with the world as it truly is, right before your very eyes. Nothing is abstract. You feel each mile, and the social landscape unfurls for you, if you pay attention."
Thanks Craig, for the effort put into this book!
So much joy of the little things encapsulated in the combination of stories and pictures. This book gave me piece of mind.
Walking places is powerful, because:
"On a walk you contend with the world as it truly is, right before your very eyes. Nothing is abstract. You feel each mile, and the social landscape unfurls for you, if you pay attention."
Thanks Craig, for the effort put into this book!
September 20, 2022
i love Craig Mod!! most travel writing feels either excessively critical or embarrassingly shallow (egotistical in both cases), but Mod manages to teleport readers to Japan in a gentle, immersive fashion.
i'm obsessed with everything about this book: walking to "apply the rigor of process", the focused cultural concept, the beautiful photos and stories, the handcrafted nature and feel to the physical item itself.
inspiring in so many ways. maybe i'll do something similar for American diner culture and then open up a cafe in my neighborhood.
i'm obsessed with everything about this book: walking to "apply the rigor of process", the focused cultural concept, the beautiful photos and stories, the handcrafted nature and feel to the physical item itself.
inspiring in so many ways. maybe i'll do something similar for American diner culture and then open up a cafe in my neighborhood.
January 1, 2024
Great fun. As a frequent visitor to Japan, and especially given familiarity with kissaten (cafes) there, this is a very nice read/peruse. Wonderful photos, interesting history, and a nice personal take on walking Japan and chatting with people encountered along the way. It's beautifully-produced as well, superb color photo quality and thoughtfully laid-out as a series of short connected essays.
February 17, 2024
So beautifully written. I read it on the train coming home from Matsumoto, and it was a wonderful experience to see some of the places mentioned in the book as I went whizzing by them. Surreal. Can’t wait to read Things Become Other Things and I hope the production is as stunning as Kissa.
October 21, 2021
Meticulously written and made book.
October 22, 2021
An welcome addition to my collection of photobooks
October 22, 2021
Incredible book, parts art, literary wandering, and craftsmanship.
November 21, 2021
Specifically the 3rd edition of this book is just beautiful - really makes me appreciate beautiful books all over again
January 4, 2022
An absolute treat.
August 24, 2022
This was a treat. The glimpses of a disappearing era of the kissa culture are deftly presented, the photographs are generally stunning, and the artefact of the book itself is beautifully crafted.
September 1, 2022
excellent photos, reverent toast, wish longer
October 5, 2022
Few books capture traveling as well as this. One day I will make this trip and visit as much as I can from this book.
August 26, 2023
birthday gift from sarah rach & cindy, savoured over a few months! an ode to japan, its disappearing kissas and the joy of walking + chance encounters. beautifully and thoughtfully made.
December 25, 2023
Meditative, inspiring, and most importantly humble. A reminder that simple things like walks and toast are wonderful.
March 10, 2024
To be read slowly. With coffee and (pizza)toast on a rainy Sunday morning.
April 27, 2025
Pared back and poignant. The physical form of the book was so enjoyable in all its details. Such a well crafted experience.
April 16, 2026
Beautiful content and quality of the book itself is top-notch.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews