Peculiar books around the world: the 360° books from Japan

I think that sometimes we take for granted the definition of a book: “a printed work of fiction or nonfiction, usually on sheets of paper fastened or bound together within covers” (Dictionary.com). But what if there are other species of books, ones that might not be made to be read or browsed?

In this post, I want to tell you about the 360° book Mount Fuji that I received as a souvenir from Japan. It is a very delicate book that seems so in line with Japanese culture.

As you can see, this book is more a home decor item than a book to read. When it is fully open, the book resembles a 3D image of Mount Fuji. It comes in a lovely box that also offers bits of information about Mount Fuji. That’s how I found out that Mount Fuji it is also known as “Reiho Fuji”, meaning “Sacred Mount Fuji”, and that it is an object of religious faith that has been worshipped by the Japanese people throughout history.

Just like Mount Fuji, there are other 360° books from the same collection (from left to right): Snow White, Snowy World, and Earth and the Moon.

The books are published by Seigensha Art Publishing and they were created by Yusuke Oono. If you want to see how the books are made, here’s a short 3-minute video:

Even though these books don’t tell a story through words, I believe that they let the “reader” create his/her own story while admiring the delicate pieces of art.

Do you know any other peculiar books around the world? I am sure there are so many book species that are waiting to be discovered! 🙂

If you would like to buy books or other (non)bookish things, please consider using one of these links: Amazon | Waterstones | Carturesti. Thank you!

‘Till next time … happy reading!

Georgiana

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PS: I was not sponsored in any way to write about these books. I chose to recommend them because I personally find them interesting and worth sharing.

Video from Youtube/Seigensha | Images from Seigensha.com | Cover image from Timable.com