Events

  For those frustrated with our current culture of overwork, stress and constant want, finding true satisfaction can seem impossible. Yet an alternative to our hectic way of life does exist. Raised in the tumult of Japan’s industrial powerhouse, the eleven men and women profiled in A Different Kind of Luxury have made the transition to sustainable, deeply fulfilling lives in the mountains of Japan. Based on Andy Couturier’s popular articles in The Japan Times, this is a treasure chest of stories about real people who have created an abundance of time for contemplation, connecting with nature, artistic practice, and contributing to their communities.   Pico Iyer writes, “Andy Couturier catches everything that is essential and beautiful in Japan with a clarity, sincerity, and openness that move me to the core. It’s been years since such a fresh and liberating voice has emerged to remind us of the true heart of a country that so many of us fail to see – or, indeed, to listen to.”   Andy Couturier is the author of Writing Open the Mind. He has contributed to Adbusters, MIT Press, The Oakland Tribune, The Japan Times, Kyoto Journal, Creative Nonfiction, and The North American Review. He lives in Japan for four years where he taught, was a journalist, and worked on environmental causes. Couturier runs a center for courses in writing, The Opening. Join us to raise a cup of sake this evening!