Tokyo 8 square meters

Living in an 8-square-meter apartment, you can see the whole world. "8 Square Meters in Tokyo" is a new collection of essays by Japanese-Chinese author Shinobu Yoshii. In Japan, 8 square meters is called "shizuo" (four and a half tatami mats), meaning it's a room that's only four and a half tatami mats long and offers low rent.
Because her eight-square-meter room lacked a kitchen, refrigerator, bathroom, or washing machine, she enthusiastically wrote about the daily life of ordinary Japanese people, including their food, clothing, and shelter. Living in a cramped space, she extended her life to the city's streets and public spaces, writing about Tokyo's laundromats, sento baths, coffee shops, 24-hour manga cafes, independent cinemas, and small restaurants. She also wrote about the stories of ordinary Tokyoites she met. These characters are "invisible, real Tokyoites," and their stories reveal the diverse lives of Japanese society and reflect our own.
In the lonely city, how can one find a place to call home and a sense of purpose? Yoshii Shinobu's "eight-square-meter economy" offers a glimpse into the possibilities of a fresh and vibrant life: saving on expensive rent, simplifying material needs, and enjoying a rich spiritual and cultural life in the city. The city can be a mobile home, where a single person can be happy and self-sufficient.
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【Specially recommended】
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In the lonely city, how can one find a place of their own and a purpose for existence? Yoshii Shinobu's "eight-square-meter economy" offers a glimpse into the possibilities of a fresh and vibrant life: saving on expensive rent, simplifying material needs, enjoying a rich cultural life in the city, and finding comfort and a sense of belonging in one's own way. The city can be a mobile home, and a person can be happy and self-sufficient.
Tokyo used to frequently rank near the top of the "world's most expensive cities" list, but this was merely the prejudice of foreign journalists who had only a superficial understanding of the city. I've long harbored this dissatisfaction, believing Tokyo is actually a great place to live, and it's been the driving force behind my numerous articles and books on Tokyo.
Tokyo, Kyoto, Shanghai, Beijing... No matter the city, Yoshii is adept at finding reasonably priced housing. Sometimes her abode is barely big enough for sleeping, but just outside, convenient city amenities are always within reach. Your favorite restaurant becomes your dining room, a coffee shop your living room, a bookstore or library your study, a gym your bathroom with a sauna.
Yoshii understood the secret of this "urban survival technique" perfectly: treating the city as an extension of one's own home and using it to their advantage. It's like an animal instinctively finding the most comfortable place to nest, and then, when the time comes, simply leaving the nest and flying away.
—Kyouichi Tsuzuki (independent editor and photographer)
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【Editor's Recommendation】
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★ Living in eight square meters, you own the whole world. Shinobu Yoshii's "Eight Square Meters" economics shows another possibility for urban life. This new collection of essays by Japanese-Chinese writer Shinobu Yoshii is dedicated to those who are about to create a new life. -- Twenty years after leaving Japan, Shinobu Yoshii returned to Tokyo, rented an eight-square-meter room in the heart of Tokyo, and rebuilt her life there. Eight square meters is the origin of life, and the entire city of Tokyo is an extension of life. The detachment of material and spiritual things brings economic space and physical and mental freedom. Shinobu Yoshii's "Eight Square Meters" economics provides another possibility for life for every modern person who is exhausted physically and mentally: cherish the present moment, find the comfort and sense of belonging you need in your own way, and give yourself the energy to continue living tomorrow.
★ How can you live comfortably in an eight-square-meter apartment without a kitchen, refrigerator, bathroom, or washing machine? A guide to exploring the new urban "snail dwelling" lifestyle in Tokyo. The city can be a mobile home, and a single person can be happy and self-sufficient. Because eight square meters is so cramped, daily life extends to Tokyo's streets and public spaces: laundromats, sento (hot springs), manga cafes, small restaurants, and coffee shops. There are also weekly trips to independent cinemas, rakugo (rakugo) theater, shamisen lessons, and exhibitions. Convenient and comfortable public spaces, a vibrant multicultural environment, and the energy of urban life—your "small" living space isn't a problem, because the world outside is vast.
★ Everyone has their own "eight square meters." Delve into the details of the city and visit the "neighborhood," telling the stories of Tokyo's ordinary people and seeing the real ordinary people. In a lonely city, how do people find their own place and the meaning of existence? — In the bustling city, occasional encounters bring back gem-like memories: Mr. Osawa, the owner of Jinxingtang Café, known as the "walking dictionary"; the sharp and humorous hostess of Mako Café, who is almost ninety years old; the warm, kind and hardworking female owner of a soba noodle shop... The simple and sincere people of Tokyo and the flowing and timeless Tokyo scenery reveal the true face of life. "I believe that everyone has their own eight square meters and their own definition of it. It refers not to the actual area, but to a place in the heart. While eight square meters may seem out of place to others, it allows you to live in your own world. It may be a place or a person where you don't have to pretend, you can face yourself and enjoy the present moment as much as possible."
Designed by renowned book cover designer Lu Zhichang, the book boasts a fresh, elegant design with a comfortable feel, cleverly echoing the "four and a half tatami mats" layout. Photography by renowned photographer Kyoichi Tsuzuki and writer Shinobu Yoshii. Over a hundred color images capture the dynamic landscape of "eight square meters" and the city of Tokyo. Printed on elegant, soft-touch, lightweight paper, the book is perfect for everyday reading and travel.

2023-01-01

上海三联书店

Ideal Country

328

9787542678652