A Different Kind of Luxury: Japanese Lessons in Simple Living and Inner Abundance

by Andy Couturier

Book Overview

Raised in the tumult of Japan s industrial powerhouse, the eleven men and women profiled in this book have all made the transition to sustainable, fulfilling lives. They are today artists,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 193333083X
• ISBN13: 9781933330839
• Release Date: February 2010
• Publisher: Stone Bridge Press
• Length: 315 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 9.0" x 6.1"

Customer Reviews

Prodding, Yet Refreshing

Andy Couturier's "A Different Kind of Luxury" is a journey into the depths of Japan's countryside through eleven unique individuals who have chosen a simpler way of life. Couturier's 11 are not hermits who are completely out of touch with the modern world; rather, most of them are very connected to their communities and all participated in mainstream society at some point in the past. The narrative pokes at the trappings of modern big-city culture, but the tone is refreshing because Couturier shapes his subjects' commentary so that it even-handedly rejects those trappings rather than railing against them in a purely negative way. And, to be fair, not everyone in the book hates all things modern and convenient. Potter San Oizumi decides which "contradictions" he can live with and which he cannot, going on the offensive when something modern "threatens the kiseki (miracle) of life itself." Bamboo flute player Kogan Murata and painter Akira Ito indulge in beer and whiskey, and an overlying theme of the book is that having and enjoying STUFF is not a bad thing; chasing after STUFF at the expense of time and fellowship is. Couturier is a good storyteller, painting pictures of the lush Japanese countryside and knowing when to sit back and let his friends speak about the way they live. He captures poignant moments and important ideas with descriptive sentences that enliven the imagination, and then drills them home with short, declarative sentences. My favorites: "And again, the tactile nature of the actual work contributes powerfully to the effect. The strong but smooth paper backing and the heavy, black ceramic scroll posts around which it is wrapped both underscore for me its most striking aspect, the fact that this work exists only one place in the world. I hold it in my hand." "I imagine [collector] Gufu [Watanabe] in the tumble and crash and noise and dirt of India sitting down on some broken piece of mortar on the street, hunched over, with his bad posture and too-thin body spending hours making precise drawings of a brass pitcher used for water at a cafe. And I smile. His journals, like his store of knowledge, are uselessly ornate. The feeling is good." "A Different Kind of Luxury" should make its readers evaluate the way that they appreciate time. Couturier celebrates "this unlikely and gorgeous day" along with Oizumi, he marvels at community activist Atsuko Watanabe's lack of "self-importance" in her doings, and he plants rice "slothfully" with Murata. It is difficult to imagine closing the cover on this book without gaining a new sense of time and what is valuable in this life.

Inspiring stories of people living meaningful lives

I started reading "A Different Kind of Luxury" a few days ago and find myself moved by the integrity with which the people in this book are living their lives. It takes an enormous amount of courage to reject the fast-paced lure of modern life and the money and illusion of security that comes with it. Most of us spend our lives rushing distractedly from one thing to the next. This book presents a vision of what a slow, rich life can look like, no matter where you live.

Wise and inspirational

Around fifteen years ago, when Andy Couturier first conceived of this project, Americans were looking to Japan for ideas on how to run businesses and educate children. In light of the recent economic downturn and an increasing concern for the environment - even among conservatives - it seems that we would have been better off listening to the eleven individuals profiled in this book. These Japanese men and women have learned to live lightly upon the earth, with as little money as possible, and with an abundance of time. Having time allows them to grow their own food, revel in the beauty of nature, pursue creative endeavors, and contemplate the meaning of life and death, and the mysteries of the universe. Among those introduced are the exuberant Kogan Murata, who derives great joy playing ancient melodies on his bamboo flute. Murata lives with his partner and small son on an amazing $3500/year. They grow their own food ("It is a wonder to grow rice!" Murata exclaims. "Exciting!") and live without modern appliances. While living on the fringes of Japanese society, many of these people are nevertheless engaged in community life and the world at large. Atsuko Watanabe, for instance, famously convinced her fellow villagers to separate their garbage into over 40 categories. She is also an anti-nuclear activist. At best, this book will convince readers to make changes for the better in their own lives. At the very least, anyone who dips into these pages will meet some fascinating people.

inspriatinal living

These folks are just incredible. Reading this book and looking at the beautiful pictures I really got a sense of their lives -- filled with purpose, gratitude, and meaning. It's the kind of person we'd all like to become. This is a great, great book, prepare to be inspired.