Asia Audiobooks | Travel

Japanese Mythology: A Concise Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Sagas, Rituals and Beliefs of Japanese Myth

This book is dedicated to exploring the gods and goddesses that the Japanese worshiped, and within the pages you will find subtopics like: Ancient, exciting stories and mysterious myths and intriguing legends from JapanGods and goddesses that were common in Japan thousands of years agoHistorical anecdotes and fun, related background factsThe intense meaning and purpose of swords in Japanese cultureThe controversial legend of Issun BoshiReal folklore monuments and locations you can visit that date back to times of mythological beliefsJapanese mythology is intricate and complex, and the ideals behind their mythological beliefs were often intertwined with real-life events. This book will examine how both myth and fact contributed to the culture and traditions of the Japanese, and how these influences and stories continue to live on throughout the centuries.

Bernard Hayes (Author), Gareth Johnson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Japanese Language & Culture :: How To Discover The Ins And Outs Of Japanese Society So You Can Learn

Are you planning a trip to Japan and would you like to enjoy an unforgettable experience? Are you learning Japanese, and would you like to know how to use the language in the correct way? If you answered “Yes!” to at least one of those previous questions, then this book is for you This book will help you to know The Ins And Outs Of Japanese Society, and walk among the people as if you were one of them, Here Is A Preview Of You Can Expect: - Walks you through the history of etiquette in Japan and helps you understand the importance of it in modern society - Helps you avoid social ostracization - Ensures that your trip to Japan is not only more enjoyable but the memories you make there will all be happy and fun-filled instead of embarrassing. - Enriches your social skills not only in Japan but across other cultures as well - You will be a different understanding of social interaction when you are done with this book If you’re ready to improve your social skills and enjoy the tranquil and colorful life of Japan, then buy Japanese Language & Culture now. It’s up to you to take action and reap the rewards waiting for you.

Jpinsiders (Author), Jason Fella (Narrator)

Audiobook

Japanese History: a comprehensive history of the land of the rising sun

Fascinated by samurai, honor-bound warriors of Japan's past? Wonder about World War II's impact and Japan's rebirth? If so, this book is for you! Embark on a thrilling odyssey through Japan's riveting history, catapulting from the ancient realm of samurai and shoguns into the cutting-edge prowess that defines this extraordinary nation. Plunge headfirst into the elegance of timeless art forms, relive the thunderous echoes of feudal clashes, and witness the indomitable spirit that forged Japan's fate. This book is your gateway to the past, weaving electrifying narratives that unravel the enigmatic layers of Japan's heritage. Its pages ignite history before your eyes. Whether you're a daring explorer or an unwavering history devotee, this volume thrusts you into the heart of Japan's captivating saga. Together we will explore: - Ancient Shinto Roots: Origins and Imperial Lineage - Feudal Epoch: Samurai, Shoguns, and Isolation - Edo's Cultural Renaissance: Art, Geisha, and Kabuki - Zen Philosophy: Influence and Inner Contemplation - Meiji Rebirth: Modernization, Global Reach - Post-War Resurgence: Reconstruction and Innovation - Anime and Manga: Modern Creative Outpouring - Timeless Traditions: Tea Ceremonies, Craftsmanship Mastery - Technological Advancements: Innovations and High-Tech Prowess - Pop Culture Impact: J-Pop, Cosplay, and Beyond - And Much More! Unearth the well-guarded secrets of a culture masterfully blending tradition and innovation. Venture forth now, and embark on an exhilarating expedition through the currents of time! Buy this book now!

Will Forrest (Author), Will Forrest (Narrator)

Audiobook

Japan: The Rise and Fall of Japan - a Historical Overview of the Land of the Samurai

Curious about Edo's isolation, shogunate rise, and cultural zenith? Intrigued by geisha and their artistry in traditional performing arts? Seeking insight into Zen Buddhism's profound impact on Japan? If so, this book is for you! Embark on a mesmerizing journey delving into Japan's captivating history, where the allure of geisha and the profound wisdom of Zen philosophy beckon. Propel yourself through time, leaping from the realm of ancient samurai and shoguns to the forefront of Japan's modern prowess. Immerse in the graceful tapestry of timeless art forms, where the echoes of feudal battles resound, and the unwavering spirit of resilience shapes destinies. This book serves as your portal to a realm of wonder, weaving narratives that electrify the enigma of Japan's heritage. Its pages illuminate history in vibrant hues. Whether you're an intrepid seeker or a steadfast devotee of history, this volume thrusts you into the core of Japan's enthralling narrative. Together we will explore: - Shinto Origins and Imperial Dynasties: Unveiling Ancient Beginnings - Feudal Epoch: Samurai, Shoguns, and Isolation's Veil - Edo's Cultural Blossom: Art, Geisha, and Timeless Expression - Zen's Spirituality: Guiding Influence and Resonant Power - Meiji Rebirth: Modernization's Dawn and Global Ascent - Post-War Revival: Echoes of World War II and Resilient Renewal - Anime and Manga: Unleashing Creative Currents in Modern Culture - Enduring Traditions: Tea Ceremonies, Craftsmanship's Timeless Craftsmanship - And Much More Seize the moment, and embark on an expedition charged with the essence of geisha mystique and the transformative power of Zen philosophy, flowing through the currents of time. Scroll up and get your copy now!

History Retold (Author), Dean Ericson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Japan: A BBC documentary collection

Japan is a land of complexity, contrast and contradictions. The world's third-largest economy, it is a powerhouse of innovation and a pioneer in technology, fashion and pop culture. But it also has a rich, ancient heritage and a deep reverence for custom, ritual and tradition. This illuminating 2-part radio collection traverses the different aspects of this fascinating country, from its famous historical figures to its diverse cultural landscape. Part 1: History opens with Japan in Five Lives, in which cultural historian Christopher Harding portrays the lives of five colourful characters from the country's past to answer the question 'Who are the Japanese'? In Killing Time in Imperial Japan, he explores early 20th Century Tokyo, a bustling, cosmopolitan capital where the meaning of 'time' was hotly contested. Dark Blossoms sees him examining the doubts and misgivings accompanying Japan's rapid embrace of modernity, while in Japanese Tsunami, broadcasters Richard Lloyd Parry and Matthew Sweet discuss the devastating natural disaster that rocked the country in 2011. In Land of the Rising Sums, Alex Bellos visits Kyoto to ask why Asian cultures seem so much better at maths; in Japan and Religion, Roy Jenkins discusses the place of religious traditions in modern Japan; and in Supernatural Japan, Christopher Harding looks at how the Japanese have used ghosts and ghost stories to make sense of their world. Part 2: Culture celebrates Japan's art, literature and film. In Japan Now 2020, Philip Dodd talks to writers Hiromi Ito and Yukiko Motoya and photographer Tomoko Sawada about women's roles in Japanese culture today. Meanwhile, in Images of Japan, illustrator Fumio Obata and manga translator Jocelyne Allen discuss Japanese comic book imagery, and we join novelists Kyoko Nakajima and Yuya Sato in conversation with Christopher Harding. Landmark: Seven Samurai and Landmark: Rashomon see Matthew Sweet and Rana Mitter investigating the stories behind Akira Kurosawa's two most influential films, in the company of guests including film scholar Ian Christie and authors SF Said, David Peace and Natasha Pulley. The Tale of Genji takes us into the shimmering world of medieval Japan, as Rana Mitter explores Murasaki Shikibu's masterpiece, widely considered to be the world's first novel. Finally, in Godzilla and Hayao Miyazaki, Christopher Harding considers cinematic depictions of Japanese fear, as exemplified by the legendary monster king and the 2013 animated film The Wind Rises. Credits First broadcast on the following dates: Japan in Five Lives Presented by Christopher Harding Produced by Sheila Cook Radio 3: Daimatsu 'The Demon' Hirobumi 26 Jul 2021 Tezuka Osamu: Godfather of Manga 27 Jul 2021 Oda Nobunaga: Warlord 28 Jul 2021 Murasaki Shikibu: Imperial Insider 29 Jul 2021 Himiko: Shaman Queen 30 Jul 2021 Killing Time in Imperial Japan Presented by Christopher Harding Produced by Luke Mulhall Radio 3, 31 Mar 2017 Dark Blossoms Presented by Christopher Harding Produced by Sheila Cook Radio 3: Deer Cry Hall 23 Apr 2018 Happy Families 24 Apr 2018 Rebranding the Buddha 25 Apr 2018 The Art of the Heist 26 Apr 2018 Japan Refusal 27 Apr 2018 Japanese Tsunami With Richard Lloyd Parry and Matthew Sweet Radio 3, 19 Apr 2018 Land of the Rising Sums Presented by Alex Bellos Produced by Alexandra Feachem Radio 4, 29 Oct 2012 Japan and Religion Presented by Roy Jenkins With Erica Baffelli, Christopher Hood, Kiyo Roddis and Nathanael Ayling Radio Wales, 29 Sep 2019 Supernatural Japan Presented by Christopher Harding Produced by Luke Mulhall Radio 3, 22 Apr 2018 Japan Now 2020 Presented by Philip Dodd With Hiromi Ito, Tomoko Sawada, Yukiko Motoya and Motoyuki Shibata Produced by Luke Mulhall Radio 3, 19 Feb 2020 Images of Japan Presented by Christopher Harding With Fumio Obata, Jocelyne Allen, Yuya Sato and Kyoko Nakajima Produced by Luke Mulhall Radio 3, 21 Feb 2019 Landmark: Seven Samurai Presented by Matthew Sweet With Professor Ian Christie, Larushka Ivan-Zadeh, SF Said and Alexander Jacoby Produced by Zahid Warley Radio 3, 25 Mar 2014 Landmark: Rashomon Presented by Rana Mitter With David Peace, Natasha Pulley, Yuna Tasaka and Jasper Sharp Produced by Luke Mulhall Radio 3, 25 Apr 2018 The Tale of Genji Presented by Rana Mitter With Dennis Washburn, Jennifer Guest and Christopher Harding Produced by Luke Mulhall Radio 3, 26 May 2016 Godzilla and The Wind Rises Presented by Matthew Sweet With Christopher Harding Produced by Zahid Warley Radio 3, 13 May 2014 © 2022 Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 Studios Distribution Ltd.

Alex Bellos, Christopher Harding, David Peace, Matthew Sweet, Natasha Pulley, Philip Dodd, Rana Mitter, Richard Lloyd Parry, Roy Jenkins, SF Said, Sf Said (Author), Various (Narrator)

Audiobook

Japan's Infamous Unit 731: Firsthand Accounts of Japan's Wartime Human Experimentation Program

This is a riveting and disturbing account of the medical atrocities performed in China during WWII. Some of the cruelest deeds of Japan's war in Asia did not occur on the battlefield, but in quiet, antiseptic medical wards in obscure parts of China. Far from front lines and prying eyes, Japanese doctors and their assistants subjected human guinea pigs to gruesome medical experiments in the name of science and Japan's wartime chemical and biological warfare research. Author Hal Gold draws upon a wealth of sources to construct a portrait of the Imperial Japanese Army's most notorious medical unit, giving an overview of its history and detailing its most shocking activities. The book presents the words of former unit members themselves, taken from remarks they made at a traveling Unit 731 exhibition held in Japan in 1994-95. They recount vivid first-hand memories of what it was like to take part in horrific experiments on men, women, and children, their motivations and reasons why they chose to speak about their actions all these years later. By showing how the ethics of normal men and women, and even an entire profession, can be warped by the fire of war, this important book offers a window on a time of human madness and the hope that history will not be repeated.

Hal Gold (Author), Joe Barrett (Narrator)

Audiobook

Japan Story: In Search of a Nation, 1850 to the Present

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Japan Story written and read by Christopher Harding. This is a fresh and surprising account of Japan's culture from the 'opening up' of the country in the mid-nineteenth century to the present. It is told through the eyes of people who greeted this change not with the confidence and grasping ambition of Japan's modernizers and nationalists, but with resistance, conflict, distress. We encounter writers of dramas, ghost stories and crime novels where modernity itself is the tragedy, the ghoul and the bad guy; surrealist and avant-garde artists sketching their escape; rebel kamikaze pilots and the put-upon urban poor; hypnotists and gangsters; men in desperate search of the eternal feminine and feminists in search of something more than state-sanctioned subservience; Buddhists without morals; Marxist terror groups; couches full to bursting with the psychological fall-out of breakneck modernization. These people all sprang from the soil of modern Japan, but their personalities and projects failed to fit. They were 'dark blossoms': both East-West hybrids and home-grown varieties that wreathed, probed and sometimes penetrated the new structures of mainstream Japan. 'How much I admired it, what a lot I learned from it and, above all, how very much I enjoyed it ... Masterly.' Neil MacGregor

Christopher Harding (Author), Christopher Harding (Narrator)

Audiobook

Japan Runs Wild, 1942-1943

In early 1942, the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy were advancing on all fronts, humiliating Allied forces throughout the Pacific. In a matter of months, Japan had conquered an area larger than Hitler's empire at its apex. Hawaiians and Australians feared a future under Hirohito. The fate of half of mankind was hanging in the balance. But by the end of 1943, the tables had turned entirely. The American-led military machine had kicked into gear, and the Japanese were fighting a defensive battle along a frontline that crossed thousands of miles of land and sea. In Japan Runs Wild, 1942-1943, historian Peter Harmsen details the astonishing transformation that took place in that period, setting the Allies on a path to ultimate victory over Japan. The second installment of Peter Harmsen's three-part history, Japan Runs Wild, 1942-1943 continues his comprehensive chronicle of the Pacific Theater during the Second World War. Giving due emphasis to the Japanese-American struggle, Harmsen also sheds light on the other peoples involved, including the British, Australians, Soviets, Filipinos, Indians, and Koreans. Above all, the central importance of China is highlighted in a way that no previous general history of the war against Japan has achieved.

Peter Harmsen (Author), Walter Dixon (Narrator)

Audiobook

Japan and World War I: The History of the Japanese Empire's Participation in the Great War

In the Second World War, Japanese forces ranged over an immense portion of the globe, from Hawaii to Sri Lanka, but during World War I, Japanese naval forces spanned an even larger portion of the globe. Japanese warships escorted troopships carrying Australian and New Zealand Army Corps troops to the Middle East, Japanese cruisers hunted German commerce raiders in the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal and all over the Pacific, and Japanese destroyers plowed Mediterranean waters as they escorted British convoys from Egypt to Gibraltar and searched for German and Austrian submarines. Japanese troops besieged the German citadel of Qingdao in China, forcing that German colonial city and naval base to surrender, and through it all, Japanese naval forces stood guard off Mexico, Hawaii and the American West Coast. All of this was accomplished with by far the fewest military losses of any of the major Allies. Japan lost perhaps 4,000 soldiers and sailors during the war, while the French and Germans lost several million. For comparison, tiny Montenegro had 20,000 World War 1 casualties, Portugal 33,000, and Bulgaria suffered 267,000. Indeed, the Japanese losses in World War I represented a small fraction of the losses incurred in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. Yet Japanese strategic gains were far greater that what was obtained in the previous war, as they took the German North Pacific islands, they had a relatively free hand to exploit China, and they gained an uneasy peace with the young Soviet Union. In short, World War 1 brought Japan recognition as one of the world's primary military and economic powers. Japan and World War I: The History of the Japanese Empire's Participation in the Great War analyzes the actions of the forgotten ally, and how Japan's participation helped set the stage for its expansion across the Pacific.

Charles River Editors (Author), Colin Fluxman (Narrator)

Audiobook

Japan 1941: Countdown to Infamy

A groundbreaking history that considers Pearl Harbor from the Japanese perspective—and is certain to revolutionize how we think of the war in the Pacific. When Japan attacked the United States in 1941, argues Eri Hotta, its leaders, in large part, understood they were entering a conflict they were bound to lose. Availing herself of rarely consulted material, Hotta poses essential questions overlooked by historians in the seventy years since: Why did these men—military men, civilian politicians, diplomats, the emperor—put their country and its citizens in harm's way? Why did they make a decision that was doomed from the start? Introducing us to the doubters, bluffers, and schemers who led their nation into this conflagration, Hotta brilliantly shows us a Japan never before glimpsed—eager to avoid war but fraught with tensions with the West, blinded by traditional notions of pride and honor, nearly escaping disaster before it finally proved inevitable.

Eri Hotta (Author), Laural Merlington (Narrator)

Audiobook

Inventing Japan: 1853-1964

LA Times Book Award winner and expert on the past and present Japan, Ian Buruma examines the transformation of a country. Following Japan's history from its opening to the West in 1853 to its hosting of the 1964 Olympics, Buruma focuses on how figures such as Commodore Matthew Perry, Douglas MacArthur, and Emperor Mitsushito helped shape this complex country.

Ian Buruma (Author), Nelson Runger (Narrator)

Audiobook

Inside the Red Mansion: On the Trail of China's Most Wanted Man

Due to a mix-up, Oliver August stumbles onto the hunt for China's most wanted man, Lai Changxing, an illiterate tycoon on the run from corruption charges. Sensing something emblematic in this outsized tale of rise and fall, August sets out to find the self-made billionaire, in the hope that if he can understand how Lai reinvented himself, he will also better understand the tectonic forces transforming modern China. Lai embodies the story of China's recent success as well as its Achilles' heel: the blending of its command economy with the free market is riddled with corruption. Moving ever closer to the elusive tycoon, August introduces us to a people in the midst of head-spinning self-transformation. We meet a nightclub hostess and her gaggle of "Miss Temporaries"; powerful businessmen on a debt-settling round of nocturnal golf; and a foie gras king who markets his goose liver by the ton and prefers it deep fried. This is a China seething with desire, engaged in a slapstick fight with its past, and hell bent on the future. Inside the Red Mansion is the first book to capture the giddy vibe of contemporary China and its darker vulnerabilities.

Oliver August (Author), Simon Vance (Narrator)

Audiobook

Asia Audiobooks in Travel