---
product_id: 10468601
title: "The Japan Journals: 1947-2004"
brand: "donald richieleza lowitz"
price: "Bs.1204"
currency: BOB
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 9
url: https://www.desertcart.bo/products/10468601-the-japan-journals-1947-2004
store_origin: BO
region: Bolivia
---

# The Japan Journals: 1947-2004

**Brand:** donald richieleza lowitz
**Price:** Bs.1204
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

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- **What is this?** The Japan Journals: 1947-2004 by donald richieleza lowitz
- **How much does it cost?** Bs.1204 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
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## Description

The Japan Journals: 1947-2004

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## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    A must-read for Japanophiles
  

*by D***N on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 27, 2014*

Donald Richie, an American, came to Japan via the military in the 1940s. He, perhaps to his surprise, and certainly to the many Japanese he encountered through the years, stayed on until his death (2013).  The Japan Journals, I am convinced, only scratches the surface of Richie's singularly unique experience. He was, if one views it this way, fortunate enough to arrive in Japan after the war. He saw it rebuild itself. He embraced it, and yet he always maintained who he was.His writing is rich, evocative, sometimes a little too precious, often hysterically funny. He had a tendency to use phrases such as: "And so it was." "And so it did." "And so I am." etc. I found that annoying, but it was a stylistic choice and considering the incredible scope of what he covers (1947-2004), this is a very, very minor complaint.Richie was gay before it was "acceptable" to be so. But in Japan it was clear that no one really cared. Being a homosexual in Japan did not carry the religious, psychological and social stigma it once did in the U.S. (and sometimes still does). It was one of the reasons Richie stayed in Japan. As such, on occasion, he will share a somewhat veiled recollection of his interactions with some of the locals. I am convinced there were many, many more of these stories and he may not have felt they were appropriate and/or that they had value. I so wish he had kept them or published them. When he does take us into that world, it's only briefly, and we often have to read between the lines to know that, in fact, he is actually sharing with us a very intimate experience with another man.Richie was able to experience Japan in a way that few other Westerners did and he shares with us some observations that, had you not known they were written years ago, would still resonate today. These are the hidden gems in this book, which sometimes must be sought out amidst endless parties and dinners and meetings with celebrities of the day. I did find some of those stories interesting, but nowhere as much as his keen eye detailing what he was seeing on the street, in the train stations, on the faces of the people he encountered.I will kick myself to the end knowing this man was here and alive when I came to Japan and yet, I did not understand his importance or value until after he died. I really wish I could have met him.To anyone who has a strong interest in postwar Japan, this is a must-read. Again, sometimes he goes off on tangents and is occasionally a bit full of himself. But all is forgiven because he will often have you glued to the page with his spot-on observations of what was, what is, what works, what doesn't, in the Japan of yesterday... and yet, it really could be today. He will also have you laughing so hard you will not be able to read the book in a public place.Donald Richie---you were one of a kind. This book proves it.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    humble and honest obervation of life
  

*by D***I on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 7, 2007*

I have only known Donal Richie as a film scholar having admired his commentaries on Bresson and Ozu DVDs. Naturally, I bacame interested in the man himself who continues to live in Japan.  In this journal, he meets such notables as Kawabata, Kurosawa, Takemitsu, but what is more interesting is his interaction and friendship with regular people.  Mr. Richie goes to a park in Tokyo (his usual hang out) and talks to a homeless, gives him his hamburger. He also befriends local prostitutes while he is also a guest of honor at emperors's palace. What is unique about this journal is that he tells as it is.  Unlike some autobiography, Mr. Richie does not try to convince readers, does not explain, does not try to defend his actions, or does not offer advice.  He simply dscribes his observation both his own personal life and what he sees and happens to him living in Japan as it moves from war destruction to economic bubble, and to decay.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    I was sad to have finished this book
  

*by S***T on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 25, 2015*

I was sad to have finished this book. It really spanned Richie's life span in Japan. With his thoughts and insights, you can see Japan changing. A thoroughly enjoyable read, would loved to have met him in person!

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*Product available on Desertcart Bolivia*
*Store origin: BO*
*Last updated: 2026-01-22*