Japanese Cooking
Published in 1970 by Peter and Joan Martin, Japanese Cooking was as much an introduction to the Japanese culture as it was a cookbook. In fact, in the introduction the Martins talk about how hard it is to find any Japanese ingredients at all in England. In modern times it is fairly easy to find soy sauce, tofu, and other such items in any supermarket. In fact in their ingredient list they have "ginger" as if it is something odd :)
You have to take the book with that attitude in mind. The soup chapter begins by saying "Like all other civilized peoples, the Japanese are extremely fond of soup, and have evolved, as in the West, the two main types of clear and thick." I'm not even sure how to take that statement. I think their intent was to praise the Japanese as being "as good as we are."
Any issues with the book's commentary is more than made up for by the wealth of recipes it offers. There are a wide range offered, from soups to vegetables, from rice to meat dishes. The book is a paperback format so you'll have to somehow prop the book open to use it, but once you do you'll really appreciate the wide variety of choices you have. There are no photos at all, and only a few line drawings to explain what some of the utensils are. Still, if you're looking for a basic primer on a large number of recipe options, this is a great book for your library - if you can find it!
Buy Japanese Family-Style Recipes from Amazon.com
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