This is absolutely a masterpiece. Alex Kerr is considered one of the premier Japanologists in the world today and it is easy to see why. Kerr frames each chapter around an important part of his life in Japan, and then expands to include history, cultural studies, and personal reflections of each subject. While lifting up and celebrating the myriad treasures of Japanese history, Kerr is not shy about lamenting the loss of the important cultural artifacts that is currently happening in the modern world. Lost Japan provides a deeper look at Japanese life than most American books cover, forsaking the oft-discussed big cities and salary-man culture in reverence of a more traditional, mindful way of living that is quickly evaporating. A must-read. ~ Reviewed by Chris Linendoll
