Sandy (ed.) Kanemura

This spiral-bound hardcover book offers general coverage of Japanese traditions from ikebana (flower arranging) to matters of etiquette and superstition. I had hoped for a more intense focus on the Japanese-in-Hawaii aspect and how the cultures have melded over the past century; instead, many of the listings had a few simple paragraphs on the Japanese tradition followed by a few sentences that summed up would be, "We do this in Hawaii, too."

This book was clearly a major effort for the organization--and it is beautifully bound and full-color throughout--and I am guessing the intended audience was tourists. I did find some interesting tidbits of information, so the read was not a complete waste for my research purposes, but I will need to look elsewhere for the intense cultural introspection I need.… (altro)