This book is full of color photos, not just of finished dishes, but of the main ingredients before cooking. This is especially helpful for those of us who are not Japanese and who do not know what a particular Japanese ingredient is. Of course many of these ingredients may not be available in regular supermarkets, but if you go to an Asian supermarket, especially a Japanese specialty store, you will find them there. Personally I never liked Western style pickles (too sour) so I am happy to find this book. I like to make them the night before so I have pickled vegetables the next morning for breakfast, along with hot cereal that's cooked overnight from a crock pot - I hate cooking for breakfast in the morning! These pickles are so refreshing they are great when eaten with a heavy, fatty dish, or as an appetizer. All recipes are very easy and some steps are even pictured in full color in case you are not sure about the procedure. There are also a few recipes that use pickles as ingredients.