My Japanese Sketchbook

A land of contrasts, Japan surprises and fascinates the visitor. For Cloé Fontaine, the teeming city of Tokyo is a haven of peace: in the midst of noise and crowds she finds silence and serenity. With her brush and pen in hand, Cloé journeys from the streets of Tokyo to the shrines of Kyoto and the rolling hills on the island of Shikoku. Temples and tatamis, parasols and teapots, fountains and waterlilies - every striking detail comes to life on these pages. From Zen temples to modernist architecture, and from traditional geishas in elaborate kimonos to teenagers in eccentric and brightly-colored outfits, this is a personal and engaging encounter with a culture and its people. In her charming watercolors, modern collages, personal stories and selection of traditional hikus Cloé captures and relects the many juxtapositions of East and West, old and new.--Cover.