DAN BLOOM

Dan Bloom was born in Boston in the USA and has been travelling around the world since graduating from college. He has lived in France, Italy, Alaska and Japan, and currently lives in Taiwan, where he works as a newspaper reporter and magazine editor. He worked for five years as a journalist for the Daily Yomiuri.

AMY CHAVEZ

Amy Chavez is a freelance writer whose articles have appeared in newspapers and magazines in Japan, Singapore, US, Canada and Europe. She writes a weekly column for The Japan Times. She lives on Shiraishi Island in Japan's Inland Sea where she runs the Moooo! Bar on the beach in the summertime. Visit her website at www.amychavez.addr.com or her Moooo!Bar site at http://www.moooobar.com

JOHN DOUGILL

John first came to Japan in 1975 when travelling around the world. Thereafter he worked for three years in the Middle East, bought a house in Oxford, and for the past eighteen years has lived in Japan (Kanazawa and Kyoto). He takes an interest in the shamanistic roots of Shinto, and writes regularly for Kansai Time Out. He currently teaches British Culture at Ryukoku University in Kyoto. His most recent printed book is "Kyoto: A Cultural History" published in spring 2006.

TIM ERNST

Tim Ernst is a freelance illustrator whose works have appeared in over 20 books, The Japan Times, Student Japan Times, Mainichi Daily, Mainichi Weekly, Asahi (Akita) NHK, Asahi Broadcasting and in countless periodicals. His comic art and fine art illustrations have also appeared in exhibitions throughout the world. Tim has been living in Akita Prefecture for over 25 years.

BOYE LAFAYETTE DEMENTE

Boye Lafayette DeMente has authored over 40 books on Asia. For more on the author and his books visit his website at http://www.phoenixbookspublishers.com

CHARITY LINCOLN

Charity Lincoln was born in Zambia; at thirteen years old her family immigrated to England, where she began to nurture her talent for drawing. In her mid twenties she moved to Cornwall where she studied illustration at Falmouth College of Arts. She now lives in Northumberland with partner Ross and daughter Dominique, where she continues to write and illustrate books. Visit her website at www.creative-illustration.com