Lost JapanAlex Kerr
Lost Japan
by Alex Kerr · first published 2015
4mentions
2recommended by
4HN commenters
2015–2025first – last mentioned
50% recommend50% neutral
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
…already lost 2 karma on this discussion. If you have an interest in the country's culture more than its military history (or modern military history) you might enjoy some of Alex Kerr's writing, either Lost Japan or Dogs and Demons.
on “How the Hiroshima bombing is taught around the world” ↗I visited Japan in 2019 and Shikoku was the highlight. The Iya valley has beautiful nature. Kochi amazing food. Read Alex Kerr's Lost Japan to get a good perspective on the Iya valley and Japan in general.
on “Ask HN: Recommendations for Visiting the Japanese Countryside” ↗In his first book https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Japan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Kerr_(Japanologist) explained that ancient Japanese works, once restored to the original looks, often would look bright and garish to modern taste, no matter if you…
on “Colour in the Middle Ages” ↗…I was in Kobe, which unlike Yamaguchi etc. I expect the average HN reader has heard of. But even there, there was little trace of overtourism. Alex Kerr lamented all the way back in 1993 (in his book Lost Japan) that Kyoto had essentially lost its soul. And if you go to the areas most commonly seen on Instagram and TikTok, that's probably partially true. But even in Kyoto, go off the beaten path a little, and…
on “Overtourism in Japan, and how it hurts small businesses” ↗