This sparkling full-color tour of 49 homes in Japan & six states in the United States is an interior design book, shopping guide, & cultural history all in one. The authors concentrated on the homes of experts who are adept at creating East/West blends--men & women who have long-standing commitments to Japanese design. On one level this is a how-to book: how to spotlight collections, how to make a room more versatile. You will find, for example, that the popular Japanese chest can be made even more useful. On another level, this book is an introduction to the richness of the Japanese culture since the authors explain the historic roles of the objects the book focuses on. Their insights into the philosophic & aesthetic principles involved underline the consistency of Japanese style in many different fields from traditional architecture to flower arrangement. A special chapter focuses on four homes where the Japanese influence is not just an accent, but an all-inclusive design theme within a Western lifestyle. The book also enlarges shopping opportunities for the traveler, since it indicates sources for objects outside of Tokyo, in the United States & Canada.