Water, Wood, and Wild Things cover art

Water, Wood, and Wild Things

Learning Craft and Cultivation in a Japanese Mountain Town

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Water, Wood, and Wild Things

By: Hannah Kirshner
Narrated by: Hannah Kirshner
Try Premium Plus free

Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $25.99

Buy Now for $25.99

About this listen

 "With this book, you feel you can stop time and savor the rituals of life." --Maira Kalman

An immersive journey through the culture and cuisine of one Japanese town, its forest, and its watershed--where ducks are hunted by net, saké is brewed from the purest mountain water, and charcoal is fired in stone kilns--by an American writer and food stylist who spent years working alongside artisans

One night, Brooklyn-based artist and food writer Hannah Kirshner received a life-changing invitation to apprentice with a "saké evangelist" in a misty Japanese mountain village called Yamanaka. In a rapidly modernizing Japan, the region--a stronghold of the country's old-fashioned ways--was quickly becoming a destination for chefs and artisans looking to learn about the traditions that have long shaped Japanese culture. Kirshner put on a vest and tie and took her place behind the saké bar. Before long, she met a community of craftspeople, farmers, and foragers--master woodturners, hunters, a paper artist, and a man making charcoal in his nearly abandoned village on the outskirts of town. Kirshner found each craftsperson not only exhibited an extraordinary dedication to their work but their distinct expertise contributed to the fabric of the local culture. Inspired by these masters, she devoted herself to learning how they work and live.

Taking readers deep into evergreen forests, terraced rice fields, and smoke-filled workshops, Kirshner captures the centuries-old traditions still alive in Yamanaka. Water, Wood, and Wild Things invites readers to see what goes into making a fine bowl, a cup of tea, or a harvest of rice and introduces the masters who dedicate their lives to this work. Part travelogue, part meditation on the meaning of work, and full of her own beautiful drawings and recipes, Kirshner's refreshing book is an ode to a place and its people, as well as a profound examination of what it means to sustain traditions and find purpose in cultivation and craft.


* This audiobook includes a downloadable PDF of illustrations and recipes. Asia Crafts & Hobbies Food & Wine Gastronomy Travel Writing & Commentary Japan Travel Japanese Cooking
All stars
Most relevant
I loved listening to Hanna's account of her unique insights into discovering the rich heritage of ancient traditional Japanese craft skills and practice in Yakanama, rural Japan. Her enthusiasm and delight in discovering many varied aspects of rich cultural life of saki makers, wood workers, ceramicists, lacquer makers , charcoal making, boar hunting is beautifully captured in an easy to listen to narrative. Her network of Japanese mentors, many of who became friends , led her, and in turn the listener, on a warm and generous journey into discovering the wonderful depth of rural lifestyle that has been beautifully and accurately recorded for those of us who are passionate travellers wanting to soak up the essence of life in a rural Japanese community. A perfect pandemic virtual trip to rural Japan whilst stuck at home!

Authentic Japanese crafts journey in a rural area.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.