Land of the Rising Cat, Prestel, Sep 2019

176 pages, 7.5 x 9.5 inches

Editor: Ali Gitlow, Design: Nina Jua Klein, Illustration: Ai Sawada

In this lively, whisker-to-tail cat compendium, Japanese culture maven Manami Okazaki explores the country‘s fascination with cats. Covering religion, destinations, artisans, pop culture, artists and design, and dating back thousands of years, Okazaki investigates weird and wonderful stories of shrines, temples and festivals; interviews toy artisans, fashion designers and even an architect; and looks at cat-centric social media, manga and mascots. Included are Japan‘s most influential artists, designers and artisans, from ukiyo-e artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi‘s Edo-period woodblock prints to poet, painter and printmaker Yumeji Takehisa‘s kawaii-pioneering works. Accompanied by fun and adorable photographs, Okazaki blends pop culture and traditional history to create a beautiful book that brings to life every aspect of Japans love affair with cats. Includes art works by Kiyoshi Saito, Yumeji Takehisa, Kenji Yanobe and Fumio Asakura/