The Monocle Book of Japan
Note: I wrote this back in 2020 at the start of the pandemic, never shared it so posting it here:
A few months ago, I picked up the latest edition of Monocle Magazine while at the airport as shipping to the US is otherwise pretty pricey. I wanted to get a subscription for awhile as I thoroughly enjoyed their travel guide books and daily newsletter. I figured I’d start with just one edition and see how I liked it. And well, I really liked it. I finished the entire magazine during 4.5 hour flight (and I’d say it is a lengthy and content heavy magazine). In the past, I’ve tried reading through other travel magazines but for myself personally, there’s has always been a disconnect in tone and content focus as well my travel budget. While monocle isn’t focused on a budget conscious traveler, I found their content to be rich in culture and context.
This particular edition focused on Japan as a celebration of a then scheduled 2020 olympics. I enjoyed all the little bits of culture, history, current events, geography, food and design that the edition packed with stories like the Kengo Kuma olympics buildings, the Kumamon mascot (front cover), and Sanuki udon noodles.
Today, I received a copy of the Monocle Book of Japan in the mail.
“Japan may be one of the world’s biggest economies, a global leader in everything from architecture to food and a country whose brands have flourished around the world, but it remains a bit of a mystery. Somehow it is simultaneously familiar and hard to fathom — or it has been, until now. This book is the culmination of years of reporting across the country by Monocle and it delivers a unique insight into the people, places and products that define Japan. Whether you’re planning a visit or simply curious, The Monocle Book of Japan will unpack the nation for you. We’ll take you from snowy Hokkaido in the north to the tropical southern islands of Okinawa and, along the way, deep-dive into the worlds of culture, design, retail and more. It’s Japan revealed as never before.”
The book itself is a large hardcover book with gold foil on the cover. The pages switch between heavy matte paper for content similar to their travel guides (more word content heavy) and glossy sheets for their photo spreads. So far, the content structure is somewhat similar to their travel guide books. The book’s content includes:
- Illustrated Map of Japan
- Culture
- Design and architecture
- Transport
- Business
- Meet the people
- Hospitality
- Retail
- City Snapshots
Their travel guides, magazine as well this book use a visual design system that’s a bit similar to that of a transit system map. Their travel guides also include a section of essays about the city (and country) written by individuals living or somehow tied to the city in which the book does similarly with the city snapshots. It’s an intimate look into life in the city itself.
So if you’re itching to travel, I definitely recommend picking up a Monocle travel guide book, magazine, or this book.
(You can purchase the book through their website here.)
Features: 306 pages, hardcover with gold foil
Published by: Monocle
Printed in: Germany
Dimensions: 30cm x 22.5cm x 2.5cm
(11.8in x 8.8in x 1in)
I also recommend the Monocle x Film podcast which are short films highlighting different cities and a focus topic such as entrepreneurialism, design, food, etc. I like watching these either in the morning with breakfast or as I’m winding down from work. One particular episode talked about the concept of Monozukuri which translates to ‘production’ or ‘making of things’. In a broader sense, it captures the essence and spirit of Japan’s manufacturing and craftsmanship approach. It embodies their sense of responsibility to the world around them and a balance with natural resources, production and society.
