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(★)(Tokyo! Then : a prehistoric settlement, a Heian outpost, the capital of the Tokugawa shoguns. Now : one of the largest, busiest, and most exciting centers of fashion, culture, and business in the world. Tokyo is also one of the newest of the world´s great metropolises. While very little physical evidence of Tokyo´s history remains [most was destroyed in the Great Earthquake of 1923 and the air raids of World War II], there does remain infused throughout the city a tempting and undeniable flavor of the past, for although the old city has all but vanished, elegiac ghosts have lingered to tell bold tales of once upon a time. ´Tokyo Now and Then´makes touring Tokyo a traveler´s dream. Written specifically to help those who want to explore the real Tokyo, this book relates the fascinating stories of the city with affection and aplomb. Representative but discriminating, this volume suggests various places to visit [such as the Kabuki theater, the Ameyoko discount district, and the Jindaiji Botanical Park], points out what to appreciate, supplies local color and historical background, and even informs the curious about spots better known for their after-dark activities. ´Tokyo Now and Then´is the ultimate explore´s handbook to Japan´s sprawling capital. Its many fact-filled chapters --introducing 42 different areas of interest-- are divided into two parts : the first, a historical essay that also includes mention of seemingly insignificant places that must not be overlooked ; the second, a useful guide to specific sights --evaluated by a four-star rating system-- that tells you everything you need to know, including information on hours, admission fees, and holidays. Thus, this book not only leads sightseers around Tokyo but also provides enlightening and entertaining reading for those who prefer to travel in the comfort of their living rooms. Complemented with 25 detailed maps and over 75 illustrations --of Hiroshige´s Edo, of the Meiji capital, and of the modern city --this inviting volume offers Tokyo not as a tidbit to be nibbled but as a tantalizing feast to be enjoyed. Going beyond the scope of mere travel guides, Paul Waley has delved deeply into the archives of Tokyo and found delightful anecdotes [like that about the cat who saved his owner´s fortune]. He explains the mystery behind its place-names [clarifying why, for example,´East Bridge´is called ´Bridge of My Wife´]. He has even included a few out-of-the-way places [in Saitama and Chiba prefectures], not in order to send readers rushing off, camera in hand, but to help them discover more about the city as a whole and to provide alternatives when the mad pace and the thrill of Tokyo life overwhelms. In this unique historical guide to Tokyo past and present, the author shows you how to communicate with the spirit of each place [and gain from the experience] and unfolds before you the pageant of Tokyo´s history --and he achieves this in an amusing and lively fashion. His warm personal responses to the many moods of the city make ´Tokyo Now and Then´ a must for anyone hoping to get a glimpse of Tokyo´s heart. Paul Waley, grandnephew of the great scholar Arthur Waley, was born in London and graduated from New College [Oxford] in Chinese and Japanese. A news reporter in Taiwan, he moved to Tokyo in 1977, where he worked as ajournalist for the Japan Times and as a freelance editor. He lived, until his recent return to London, in Fukagawa, one of the older and more historical parts of this city he so loves.) |
BASE de DATOS, Biblioteca del Centro Cultural de la Embajada de Japon
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