David Young taught anthropology at the University of Alberta in Canada before retiring. Together with his wife, he has researched Japanese aesthetics for many years. A keen photographer, he took most of the photographs for this book.
Michiko Young was born in China and raised in Japan. She conducts culture tours to Japan for those who wish to get off the beaten track. David and Michiko live in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. They co-authored Introduction to Japanese Architecture.