It started in 1978 with an ordinary coffee shop near Kyoto. Word spread that the waitresses wore no panties under their miniskirts. Similar establishments popped up across the country. Men waited in line outside to pay three times the usual coffee price just to be served by a panty-free young woman. Within a few years, a new craze took hold: the no-panties "massage" parlor. Increasingly bizarre services followed, from fondling clients through holes in coffins to commuter-train fetishists. One particularly popular destination was a Tokyo club called "Lucky Hole" where clients stood on one side of a plywood partition, a hostess on the other. In between them was a hole big enough for a certain part of the male anatomy. Taking the Lucky Hole as his title, Nobuyoshi Araki captures Japan's sex industry in full flower, documenting in more than 800 photos the pleasure-seekers and providers of Tokyo's Shinjuku neighborhood before the February 1985 New Amusement Business Control and Improvement Act put a stop to many of the country's sex locales. Through mirrored walls, bed sheets, the bondage and the orgies, this is the last word on an age of bacchanalia, infused with moments of humor, precise poetry, and questioning interjections. About the series Bibliotheca Universalis - Compact cultural companions celebrating the eclectic TASCHEN universe!

In wise words, Christian Dior once proclaimed: "Flowers are, apart from women, the most beautiful gift God has given the world." The new teNeues series, Floramour, which henceforth honourably celebrates the most exquisite natural beauties that adorn our gardens, proves just how right he was. Each series title is dedicated to a genus of flowers, viewed from an aesthetic perspective. In a noble presentation with impressive pictures and interesting texts, an exciting portrait of our favourite flowers is created. It begins with the rose. Whoever gives a rose as a gift will conquer all hearts in an instant, for like no other of its fellows it is regarded as a symbol of romantic passion. As a faithful helpmate, it has been accompanying declarations of love since time immemorial, making it a real Everybody's Darling. But authentic message transmission is not limited to the gift of the much-loved rose. Flowers have always acted as mouthpieces - and sometimes they can express more than the most beautiful words can. Also available in this series is Orchids ISBN 9783961714827. The orchid is also known as the queen of flowers. As a symbol of pure beauty, embodied by its radiant colours, majestic blooms and exotic grace, it captivates its viewers by the dozen. So anyone who receives an orchid can assume pure admiration from the gift-giving side. The two illustrated books enable flower enthusiasts to get to know their favourites from a different perspective. With less pragmatism, but more cultural history, the reader is stylishly introduced to their geographical origin, their significance in the world of art, religion and history, as well as their most famous followers in pop culture. It becomes clear that these flowers have real character! Text in English and German.

Why do cats purr? How much can you learn about a cat's mood from the direction it flicks its tail? How do cats show trust with their eyes? Why do cats rub against their owners' legs? Arranged in chapters covering physical characteristics, senses, lifecycle and behaviour, Cats features a huge range of breeds from all around the world. From Siamese to Russian Blue, Manx to American Bobtail, Burmese to Bombay, the book expertly explores and celebrates this most beloved pet. With fascinating captions on every page, even cat lovers will learn something new. Cats is a brilliant examination in 150 outstanding colour photographs.