Natural Taste
Lady Boutique Series no. 2416
ISBN 4-8347-2416-6
Barcode 1: 9784834724165
Barcode 2: 1929476009050
www.boutique-sha.co.jp

As usual, it gives the kawaiiiiii meter a good whack. The patterns look to be in the beginner/intermediate range, and are mostly bags and little containers, with a few accessories to wear (motif scarf, shrug, hats). The tipping point for me was that this book also has a few pages in the back, showing each crochet symbol accompanied by illustrations showing you how to do the stitch(es) the symbol stands for (I am on the lookout for a Japanese knitting book that does the same - if you know of one, please let me know in the comments).

This is another Hakubundo purchase ($16.25). UPDATE 04/2008: Natural Taste is now available at Kpixie.com! The listing includes photos of all the projects.

For more on Japanese craft books and links with information on the symbols used, etc., please check out my earlier post on Japanese Craft Books.