Amazon.com description: Product Description: Basil Hall Chamberlain lived through the transitional stage of modern Japan. Taught by sword-carrying samurai on his arrival, he soon saw that "the old things pass away between a night and a day." Determined to share his unique understanding of Japan, he compiled this remarkable dictionary of things — a guide to objects old and modern that captures the essence of the Japan he knew, and answers any question that anyone with a popular interest in Japan could ask. Between "a for abacus" and "z for zoology," Chamberlain embraces hundreds of subjects, customs, and objects such as dress, divination, food, porcelain and pottery, tea, cats, massage, politeness, samurai, swords, time, and the Yoshiwara. Japanese boat names, embroidery, bathing, tattooing, firewalking, harakiri, and the traditions of sacred Mount Fuji are among the many delights of this treasurehouse of a book.