New York Public Library presents this enjoyable way to leaf through a selection of Japanese books from the Spencer Collection, that encompasses "300 manuscripts and 1,500 printed books from Japan; the manuscripts range from the 12th to the 20th century, and the printed works from the year 770 to the present". The collection guide points out highlights for those uncertain where to begin in this...

The Japanese Neo-Pop artist Mr. produces colorful, fanciful paintings and art installations, drawing from his self-described obsession with anime, manga, and the otaku subculture. Though his work often appears playful, upon closer inspection darker, more complex themes emerge, as the artist addresses anxiety and rebels against constrictive social norms. The Seattle Art Museum is currently...

Few cultures on earth can boast a history of art as sophisticated and variegated as Japan's. This show stopping collection from The Metropolitan Museum of Art traces Japanese art back to the Neolithic Jomon Culture (c.a. 10,500-c.a. 300 B.C.). Illuminating essays accompany all 38 segments of the collection. Of special interest are the pieces from the Asuka and Nara Periods (538-794), when Buddhism...