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Non-fiction book translation (Japanese to English)
We provide various non-fiction book translation services to help English-language and Japanese publishers successfully produce and promote their books. Tony McNicol is a veteran writer and journalist with experience working on many topics and has translated several non-fiction books from Japanese to English. We also translate and edit rights guides, book synopses and sample translations.
Seiseidodo by Kodo Nishimura
Kodo Nishimura is LGBT+ activist, priest of the Pure Land school, and a former make-up artist for Miss Universe. He also appeared in the Netflix series, “Queer Eye: We’re in Japan.” The Japanese title of this memoir translates as “proudly and truly”. Nishimura tells of his experiences growing up as a non-binary individual in Japan, working as a make-up artist in the US, and training as a priest in the Pure Land School of Buddhism. Nishimura conveys a powerful message that it’s OK to be different and that everyone should be proud of who they really are.
“It’s also great fun to read, in no small part thanks to translator Tony McNicol, who has done an excellent job in conveying Nishimura’s kind, genuine and bubbly voice in English.” – review in the Japan Times
Shinrin-yoku by Yoshifumi Miyazaki
The Japanese Art of Forest Bathing by Yoshifumi Miyazaki (Aster, 2018) Reprinted as Shinrin-yoku: Go back to nature with the Japanese way of shinrin-yoku (Aster, 2021)
Shinrinyoku is a Japanese word that literally means “bathing in the forest”. The author Yoshifumi Miyazaki has conducted medical research into the benefits of forest bathing for over 30 years, discovering beneficial health effects such as lowering blood pressure and reducing stress. Although the concept first developed in Japan during the 1980s, it has become much better known abroad in recent years. The English translation produced by WeDoJapan has been used as a base for translation into numerous other languages. In 2018, Tony McNicol interviewed Yoshifumi Miyazaki for the Nippon.com website.
English rights guides and other materials
We translate and edit book descriptions to help attract rights buyers, including for book fairs.
Book synopses and samples
Professionally written summaries of Japanese books that catch the eye of overseas rights buyers and publishers. We also produce sample translations of excerpts and table of contents.
Accuracy and cultural sensitivity checks
We use our bilingual expertise and knowledge of Japanese culture to ensure content is correct, respectful, and appropriate.
Recent WeDoJapan blog posts
- Translating a memoir by Kodo Nishimura November 16, 2022
- When (and when not!) to use NMT November 6, 2022
- Seeking Japan’s 72 seasons in London December 9, 2021
- Ikigai and 42 other Japanese words for a mindful life February 28, 2019
- Translation or transcreation? February 15, 2019
WeDoJapan Newsletter
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Professional affiliations
Tony is a qualified member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI). Tony and Yoshie are members of the Japanese language specialist network of the ITI.
Partner organizations
WeDoJapan is an official business partner of Export to Japan, a project led by UKTI to assist UK companies doing business in Japan. See here for more details.
