Collection: Shop Asian

Japan is on the verge of a sea change. After more than fifty years of national pacifism and isolation including the "lost decade" of the 1990s, Japan is quietly, stealthily awakening. As Japan prepares to become a major player in the strategic struggles of the 21st century, critical questions arise about its motivations. What are the driving forces that influence how Japan will act in the international system? Are there recurrent patterns that will help explain how Japan will respond to the emerging environment of world politics?

American understanding of Japanese character and purpose has been tenuous at best. We have repeatedly underestimated Japan in the realm of foreign policy. Now as Japan shows signs of vitality and international engagement, it is more important than ever that we understand the forces that drive Japan. In Japan Rising, renowned expert Kenneth Pyle identities the common threads that bind the divergent strategies of modern Japan, providing essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how Japan arrived at this moment -- and what to expect in the future.

When Nanami inherits a shrine, it comes with divine powers and a hot fox spirit!

Nanami Momozono is alone and homeless after her dad skips town to evade his gambling debts and the debt collectors kick her out of her apartment. So when a man she's just saved from a dog offers her his home, she jumps at the opportunity. But it turns out that his place is a shrine, and Nanami has unwittingly taken over his job as a local deity!

Himemiko, ayakashi ruler of Tatara swamp, is happily dating her human sweetie Kotaro. But yokai/human relationships are hard to manage, especially when the human has no idea who he's dating! When the supernatural starts to intrude, can Himemiko tell Kotaro the truth about herself? Or will she lose him no matter what she does?

Discover stories of fear, triumph, and spectacular celebration in this warm-hearted novel of interconnected stories that celebrates the diversity of South Asian American experiences in a local community center.

Discover stories of fear, triumph, and spectacular celebration in the fictional town of Maple Grove, New Jersey, where the local kids gather at the community center to discover new crushes, fight against ignorance, and even save a life. Cheer for Chaya as she wins chess tournaments (unlike Andrew, she knows stupid sugary soda won't make you better at chess), and follow as Jeevan learns how to cook traditional food (it turns out he can cook sabji-- he just can't eat it).

These stories, edited by bestselling and award-winning Pakistani-American author Hena Khan, are filled with humor, warmth, and possibility. They showcase a diverse array of talented authors with heritage from the Indian subcontinent, including beloved favorites and rising stars, who each highlight the beauty and necessity of a community center that everyone calls home.

In a world where angels protect the people against demons, a young orphan with pitch-black wings may hold the key to the kingdom's fate. An exquisitely drawn, dark fantasy manga for fans of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Made in Abyss, and Witch Hat Atelier.

An orphaned girl named Blue has always dreamed of joining the ranks of the noble Angels, servants of the floating palace who protect the Quartz Kingdom against demons. Yet, Blue is not like the other children at the orphanage. Where their fledgling angel wings are downy white, Blue's are pitch black, giving rise to whispers that she is cursed.

One day, the orphanage comes under attack by a host of demons. Angels swoop down from the palace to drive the demons back, but Blue watches in horror as they are cut down one after another. Just when all seems lost, Blue feels a dark power welling up inside of her. It may be enough to avenge her friends...but will the cost prove too great?

Japan's Sengoku jidai ('Warring States Period') was a time of crisis and upheaval, a chaotic epoch when the relatively low-born rural military class of 'bushi' (samurai warriors) succeeded in overthrowing their social superiors in the court throughout much of the country. Into this tumultuous age of constant warfare came three remarkable individuals: Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582), Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598), and Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616). Each would play a unique role in the re-unification of the disparate, fragmented collection of warring provinces which constituted Japan in the sixteenth and early seventeenth-centuries. This new narrative history of the sengoku era draws together the epic strands of their three stories for the first time. It offers a coherent survey of the Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1568-1600) under both Nobunaga and Hideyoshi, followed by the founding years of the Tokugawa shogunate (1600-1616). Every pivotal battle fought by each of these three hegemons is explored in depth from Okehazama (1560) and Nagashino (1575) to Sekigahara (1600) and the Two Sieges of Osaka Castle (1614-15). In addition, the political and administrative underpinnings of their rule is also examined, as well as the marginal role played by western foreigners ('nanban') and the Christian religion in early modern Japanese society. In its scope, the story of Japan's three unifiers ('the Fool', 'the Monkey', and 'the Old Badger') is a sweeping saga encompassing acts of unimaginable cruelty as well as feats of great samurai heroism which were venerated and written about long into the peaceful Edo/Tokugawa period.

Race with the animals of the Zodiac as they compete to have the years of the Chinese calendar named after them. The excitement-filled story is followed by notes on the Chinese calendar, important Chinese holidays, and a chart outlining the animal signs based on birth years.

With Rise rescued and now in possession of her own Persona, Soji and friends welcome a powerful new ally into the fold. But just as things are looking up, the body of Inaba's latest murder victim is discovered - and the victim's identity turns our heroes' investigation upside-down. Meanwhile, Teddie does some much-needed soul searching... and what he finds is much more than anyone bear-gained for! Based on the popular Persona 4 video game!

The true murderer has been revealed, and the Investigation Team must return to the Midnight Channel to finally bring the case to an end. Based the Persona 4 video game!

"I'M AN AUTHOR. NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS."

When the Dark Lord perished, everyone thought an age of peace was at hand, but the otherworldly heroes who defeated him wound up being an even bigger problem. With their quest completed, they're running wild, using their fantastical powers for personal gain. The newest otherworlder, though, is a little different from the others. He has no skills, no ambitions, and frankly, the way he keeps trying to get himself killed all the time is a little worrying. Yet perhaps the exact thing that will change this world isn't another hero...but a simple author.

When Uta comes out as gay and confesses he wants to sleep with another man for once, his friend Ryouma -- who's a virgin himself -- obliges. But Ryouma is straight. Or at least, he thinks he is.

The two men live together as friends, living their own lives and dating their own partners. But they continue to be inextricably drawn back to one another...

It's samurai vs. aliens!

The samurai didn't stand a chance. First, the aliens invaded Japan. Next, they took all the jobs. And then they confiscated everyone's swords. So what does a hotheaded former samurai like Gintoki "Gin" Sakata do to make ends meet? Take any odd job that comes his way, even if it means losing his dignity.

Gin's "to do" list for this volume:

1. Pick a fight with those Shinsengumi losers
2. Throw out my old SHONEN JUMP magazines
3. Save Shinpachi and Kagara AGAIN
4. Take Kagura's so-called dog for a walk
5. Protect the environment

The past holds everyone in its thrall, and Oz, Alice, Raven, Break, and their acquaintances are no exception, especially as recollections of the tragedy of Sablier elude even those who were present. Indeed, with his own body playing host to Jack Vessalius, the hero of Sablier, the likelihood of Oz escaping the past seems nigh impossible. But given a renewed lease on life by Elliot Nightray - the legitimate heir to the Nightray dukedom, of all people - Oz is eager to keep moving forward by learning all that he can about the events that came to pass all those years ago. To this end, he and his friends seek an audience with another of the four great dukes - Duke Rufus Barma. But it is not a glimpse into a hundred-year-old disaster that is revealed to them in the Duke's presence, but rather one into Break's lamentable, shockingly unforgettable past...

An exquisite, full-color guide to sashiko, a simple Japanese stitching technique that uses stunning patterns to decorate or repair clothing, accessories, and home textiles.

Requiring no special equipment other than a sewing needle and thread, Make and Mend introduces the incredibly simple technique of sashiko--a striking hand-sewing method using a running stitch to form pleasing geometric patterns. Sashiko is traditionally used to mend and repair clothing and textiles, but it can just as easily be used to create beautiful, decorative projects for the home. With fifteen projects applying a modern, on-trend aesthetic to this ancient craft, Make and Mend shows readers how to apply sashiko stitching to a variety of craft projects, such as repairing torn jeans, mending a ripped hem, and making decorative pillows, napkins, a tablecloth, and a totebag. Touching on the concepts of beauty in minimalism and resourceful simplicity, as well as a fascination with Japan and Japanese design, this easy and accessible book appeals to both the seasoned maker and total beginner.

GREEN WITH ENVY

Fall has arrived and Kase-san's schedule is as full as ever with track and dorm life. Meanwhile, Yamada is busy working with the gardening club to create a garden for the university festival! When a gardener Yamada adores arrives to help out, Kase-san gets worried. Can she handle another bout of jealousy, especially when a handsome young actor known as the "flowerbed prince" joins in on the fun?

The story of one of the world's most famous diamonds--stolen from South Asia during colonization and now among the crown jewels in London--is a call to action for readers to decolonize and hold their heads high.

The Kohinoor diamond, one of the most famous diamonds in the world, was stolen from India and fought over throughout centuries of colonial conquest, eventually landing in the hands of British royals who tricked a ten-year-old South Asian monarch into relinquishing it. The diamond was ultimately cut to nearly half its size to suit British beauty standards for the crown jewels--and is displayed to this day in the Tower of London museum, a trophy of colonization. Probing, poetic, and shimmering with the colors and patterns of Indian textiles, And Yet You Shine is more than the true story of a precious gem passing hands. The urgent narrative and well-researched afterword invite readers to consider the origins of museum artifacts and all they represent, how history is recorded, and why acknowledging past injustices and power dynamics can shape the world we live in today--and ensure a just tomorrow. This vibrant and moving meditation on resiliency invites readers of all backgrounds to decolonize--and shine with all their might.

Goku and his friends journey to the planet Namek to confront the deadliest enemies Earth has ever seen--in full color!

After years of training and adventure, Goku has become Earth's ultimate warrior. And his son, Gohan, shows even greater promise. But the stakes are increasing as even deadlier enemies threaten the planet. Now experience this legendary manga classic in full color!

Gohan and Kuririn, forced to team up with Vegeta, stand their ground against the Ginyu Force while Goku tries to get his body back. Gohan and Kuririn must now use the seven Dragon Balls of Namek to summon the mighty Dragon Lord, who can grant any three wishes. What will they wish for?