Coffee Life in Japan (California Studies in Food and Culture Book 36)

"This fascinating book--part ethnography, part memoir--traces Japan's vibrant café society over one hundred and thirty years. Merry White traces Japan's coffee craze from the turn of the twentieth century, when Japan helped to launch the Brazilian coffee industry, to the present day, as uniquely Japanese ways with coffee surface in Europe and America. White's book takes up themes as diverse as gender, privacy, perfectionism, and urbanism. She shows how coffee and coffee spaces have been central to the formation of Japanese notions about the uses of public space, social change, modernity, and pleasure. White describes how the café in Japan, from its start in 1888, has been a place to encounter new ideas and experiments in thought, behavior, sexuality, dress, and taste. It is where a person can be socially, artistically, or philosophically engaged or politically vocal. It is also, importantly, an urban oasis, where one can be private in public"--Provided by publisher Traces Japan's Coffee Craze From The Turn Of The Twentieth Century, When Japan Helped To Launch The Brazilian Coffee Industry, To The Present Day, As Uniquely Japanese Ways With Coffee Surface In Europe And America. White's Book Takes Up Themes As Diverse As Gender, Privacy, Perfectionism, And Urbanism. She Shows How Coffee And Coffee Spaces Have Been Central To The Formation Of Japanese Notions About The Uses Of Public Space, Social Change, Modernity, And Pleasure. White Describes How The Café In Japan, From Its Start In 1888, Has Been A Place To Encounter New Ideas And Experiments In Thought, Behavior, Sexuality, Dress, And Taste. It Is Where A Person Can Be Socially, Artistically, Or Philosophically Engaged Or Politically Vocal. It Is Also, Importantly, An Urban Oasis, Where One Can Be Private In Public.--publisher's Description. Coffee In Public : Cafés In Urban Japan -- Japan's Cafés : Coffee And The Counter-intuitive -- Modernity And The Passion Factory -- Masters Of Their Universes : Performing Perfection -- Japan's Liquid Power -- Making Coffee Japanese : Taste In The Contemporary Café -- Urban Public Culture : Webs, Grids, And Third Places In Japanese Cities -- Knowing Your Place -- Visits To Cafés, An Unreliable Guide. Merry White. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 193-204) And Index. Coffee in public : cafes in urban Japan Japan's cafes : coffee and the counter-intuitive Modernity and the passion factory Masters of their universes : performing perfection Japan's liquid power Making coffee Japanese : taste in the contemporary cafe Urban public culture : third spaces and the social order Knowing your place Visits to cafes. Part ethnography, part memoir, this book traces Japan's vibrant cafe society over one hundred and thirty years. It also traces Japan's coffee craze from the turn of the twentieth century, when Japan helped to launch the Brazilian coffee industry, to the present day, as uniquely Japanese ways with coffee surface in Europe and America.