Although I know some of Japanese history, I knew little of Japanese culture. This book immerses the reader in the culture of one Japanese town. A town that keeps and lives by the old traditions. The town is called Yamanaka and the author spends time there learning so many amazing traditions and ceremonies. A sake bar, I have never had said and never knew it came in so many different flavors. Nor that it is paired with local dishes just as wine is paired with different foods. Later she visits where sake is made.

She learns the intricate matcha tea ceremony and the correct way to put on and wear a kimono. Visits a man who still makes wooden bowls by hand. Visits an onsen, a local bath, which is like a salon where people meet to exchange ideas as well as cleansing oneself. Learn a little about Shinto, a belief system in which everything has a spirit and how this fits into different aspects of their lives. Mountain meijin, men who can read the landscape and one takes her with on his travels, identifying local plants and trees.

Such a wonderful experience Hannah had, so lucky to experience so much that many of us will never have the opportunity to see. The end of each chapter includes a recipe of local cuisine and there are illustrations as well. I enjoyed taking this trip with her, albeit from my reading chair.

ARC from Netgalley.

Food writer and curious world citizen, Hannah Kirshner, has delivered a beautiful, warm and contemplative memoir about her years spent in an ancient mountain town in Japan, learning crafts and skills from the locals. Whether it's boar hunting or sake making or tea ceremony, Kirshner dives in, but with respect for the culture, the history and the journey. Particularly after a year of pandemic bread baking or gardening or birdwatching here in America, Kirshner's experiences in Japan have a deeper resonance. The perfect memoir for this time. Armchair travel at its best.

Really enjoyed this one—the author's willingness to throw herself into the most obscure artisan crafts and pursuits makes it a page-turner.

This account of living in a small village in Japan and studying, one by one, an array of artisanal crafts and traditions was beautifully written and fascinating. A unique angle on Japanese culture and history, and definitely a transporting read for travel and culture lovers in lockdown.