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Japan - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture
Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.
Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include
* customs, values, and traditions
* historical, religious, and political background
* life at home
* leisure, social, and cultural life
* eating and drinking
* do's, don'ts, and taboos
* business practices
* communication, spoken and unspoken
"Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers." Sunday Times Travel
"... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries." Global Travel
"...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas." Observer
"...as useful as they are entertaining." Easyjet Magazine
"...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world." New York Times
Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include
* customs, values, and traditions
* historical, religious, and political background
* life at home
* leisure, social, and cultural life
* eating and drinking
* do's, don'ts, and taboos
* business practices
* communication, spoken and unspoken
"Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers." Sunday Times Travel
"... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries." Global Travel
"...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas." Observer
"...as useful as they are entertaining." Easyjet Magazine
"...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world." New York Times
201 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2003
123 people are currently reading
390 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
June 21, 2017
THE O-FURO “EXPERIENCE” - the deep hot bath in the home
":•First of all, attempt to cool down a little by soaking your towel under the cold tap and then putting the dripping towel on top of your head.
•Next, step in and submerge yourself up to your neck as quickly as possible; then sit quite still.
•After a few agonizing seconds the pain will subside a little.
•It is essential to remain totally immobile; if you stay in this position long enough you could well begin to enjoy it.
•Once you are comfortable, there is no hurry to get out. The Japanese use the bath both as a source of warmth and relaxation.
•After leaving the tub, wring out the towel and dry yourself with it; this works surprisingly well."
This is a short guide to the history of Japan and the culture, religion/s (not easy to understand), customs and pitfalls of being a foreigner in a land utterly unlike anywhere else. There is the dating system for a start. It begins from the reign of whichever emperor is enthroned at the time. Thus it is Heisei year 29 at the moment and is used for all official documents. The Gregorian calendar is known to "most" Japanese. The lunar calendar also survives in animal-years and six day weeks.... Mystifying....
It's all as mystifying as the deep hot bath. Not as in why would you want to (though there is that, with the bath at least) but as in this is all very complicated indeed and includes strange instructions like the cold wet towel on your head and an even stranger outcome - a squeezed-out wet towel to dry yourself.
My son and I were planning on going to Tokyo this summer, so hopefully I'll see for myself.
":•First of all, attempt to cool down a little by soaking your towel under the cold tap and then putting the dripping towel on top of your head.
•Next, step in and submerge yourself up to your neck as quickly as possible; then sit quite still.
•After a few agonizing seconds the pain will subside a little.
•It is essential to remain totally immobile; if you stay in this position long enough you could well begin to enjoy it.
•Once you are comfortable, there is no hurry to get out. The Japanese use the bath both as a source of warmth and relaxation.
•After leaving the tub, wring out the towel and dry yourself with it; this works surprisingly well."
This is a short guide to the history of Japan and the culture, religion/s (not easy to understand), customs and pitfalls of being a foreigner in a land utterly unlike anywhere else. There is the dating system for a start. It begins from the reign of whichever emperor is enthroned at the time. Thus it is Heisei year 29 at the moment and is used for all official documents. The Gregorian calendar is known to "most" Japanese. The lunar calendar also survives in animal-years and six day weeks.... Mystifying....
It's all as mystifying as the deep hot bath. Not as in why would you want to (though there is that, with the bath at least) but as in this is all very complicated indeed and includes strange instructions like the cold wet towel on your head and an even stranger outcome - a squeezed-out wet towel to dry yourself.
My son and I were planning on going to Tokyo this summer, so hopefully I'll see for myself.
March 17, 2021
The perfect introduction to a culture as significant and unique as Japan's is. These guides really help you to understand what's going on around you and why people do what they do. I also like that they help you avoid offending anyone when you're there. Great new design, too!
April 30, 2020
accidently read the entire thing at work because it was raining and we had no customers. I have no feelings about it whatsover . 3 stars
October 13, 2024
my solitary and perennially socially anxious but open minded feminist ass wouldn’t last a day in Japan
March 15, 2021
A quick read with some good tips and tidbits about Japanese culture and etiquette.
March 31, 2018
952 NOR 2017
My summary: very concise introduction to Japanese culture. The Great Courses: Understanding Japan: A Cultural History by Mark J. Ravina, with subtitle. (24 lectures, 30 minutes each) also offer a great help. Pimsleur Japanese. Japan is the groupism culture, education is still rote teaching.
chapter 1 Land and people
official name is Nippon not Nihon
The National Diet (国会, Kokkai)
読売新聞 Yomiurishinbun
asahi 朝日
毎日新聞 Mainichi
Japanese 経済 (keizai)
Sankei Shimbun (産経新聞), literally "Industrial and Economic Newspaper.
consists of 4 main islands- Hokkaido 北海道, Honshū 本州 (the largest, with 60% landmass), 四国 Shikoku (the smallest) and 九州 Kyushu. Japan is slightly small than France and Spain, slightly larger than Italy or the British Isles.
桜 or 櫻; さくら -> sakura
Spring (March to May), Fall (mid-Sep to end-Nov, Maple view) are best month.
It is "umbrella" society.- bring umbrella
short grain white Japonica rice, sticky. paying up to ten times the world price to protect rain grower.
Japonica rice, sometimes called sinica rice, is one of the two major domestic varieties of Asian rice. Japonica rice is extensively cultivated and consumed in Korea, Japan, and northern China, whereas in most other regions Indica rice is the dominant type of rice.Japonica rice grains are rounder, thicker, and harder, compared to longer, thinner, and fluffier Indica rice grains. Japonica rice is also stickier due to the higher content of amylopectin, whereas Indica rice starch consists of less amylopectin and more amylose.[1] Japonica rice plants are shorter than Indica rice plants.
明石海峡大橋 Akashi Kaikyō Ō-hashi
The Seikan Tunnel (青函トンネル Seikan Tonneru, or 青函隧道 Seikan Zuidō)
アイヌ -> Ainu, the historical Japanese texts Ezo (蝦夷), are an indigenous people of Japan
Yokkaichi asthma (四日市ぜんそく Yokkaichi zensoku)
Minamata disease 水俣病（みなまたびょう)
shōgun 将軍
The daimyō , dai (大) means "large", and myō stands for myōden (名田), meaning private land. ruled japan until their decline in the early Meiji period.
1. The Jōmon period (縄文時代 Jōmon jidai) c. 10,000 - 300 BCE
660 BCE mythical date of the accession of Emperor Jimmu (神武天皇, Jinmu-tennō).
2. 彌生やよい -> yayoi c. 300 BCE - 300 CE
3. 大和 やまと-> yamato 300 - 593 CE, Nara prefecture, Shinto, nature worship formalized. Early cities, modeled on T'ang Dynasty of China, were built at Nara (710CE) and Kyoto (794 CE), Kyoto remaining the seat of the imperial court until 1868, the year of Merji Restoration.
Prince Shōtoku (聖徳太子 Shōtoku Taishi, February 7, 574 – April 8, 622), also known as Prince Umayado (厩戸皇子 Umayado no ōji) or Prince Kamitsumiya (上宮皇子 Kamitsumiya no ōji), was a semi-legendary regent and a politician of the Asuka 飛鳥時代 period in Japan who served under Empress Suiko (推古天皇 Suiko-tennō). Horyuji Temple (法隆寺, Hōryūji, lit. Temple of the Flourishing Law) was founded in 607 by Prince Shōtoku.
4. Nara Period 710-794
752 dedication of Tōdai-ji (東大寺, Eastern Great Temple) is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall (大仏殿, Daibutsuden) houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese as Daibutsu (大仏).
5. Heian Period 794-1192 平安時代 Heian jidai
Heian becomes imperial capital, later called Kyoto.
c. 1002-1019 The Tale of Genji (源氏物語, Genji Monogatari) Murasaki Shikibu (紫 式部, English: Lady Murasaki; c. 973 or 978 – c. 1014 or 1031)
6. Kamakura Period 1192-1338 鎌倉時代 Kamakura jidai
7. Muromachi Period 1338-1573 室町時代
8. Azuchi-Momoyama period 1573-1603 安土桃山時代
9. Edo period 1603 -1868 (江戸時代, Edo jidai) or Tokugawa period 徳川時代, 紀州徳川家／きしゅう とくがわけ Kishō Tokugawa-ke），別稱紀州德川
10. Meiji Era 1868 - 1912 明治時代
11.Shōwa period Era 1926-1989 昭和時代 Hirohito (裕仁; April 29, 1901 – January 7, 1989)
1952 After WWII, Allied occupation in Japan terminated. Full sovereignty regained.
12. Heisei Era 1989 平成時代
His son, the 125th Emperor Akihito 明仁
Chapter 2 Values and Attitudes
Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the Tokugawa bakufu (徳川幕府) and the Edo bakufu (江戸幕府)
幕府: bakufu Shogunate
shame culture and face culture.
和 wa harmony
Wareware Nihonjin 我々 日本人 we Japanese.
Honne and tatemae
本音 (hiraganaほんね rōmaji hon'ne), "true sound", 本心 (hiragana ほんしん, rōmaji honshin)
建前(hiragana たてまえ, rōmaji tatemae), "built in front", "façade"
義理 (hiragana ぎり, rōmaji giri), obligation, duty, reciprocity.
腹芸 (hiragana はらげい, rōmaji Haragei), belly talk.
外人 (hiragana がいじん, rōmaji gaijin)
Chapter 3 Religion, Customs & Tradition
Shinto "the way of the Gods" 神道
Sun Goddess
天照 (hiragana あまてらす, katakana アマテラス, rōmaji Amaterasu)
Amaterasu (天照), Amaterasu-ōmikami (天照大神／天照大御神／天照皇大神), or Ōhirume-no-muchi-no-kami (大日孁貴神)
神 かみ -> Kami
1. Birth, Marriage at Shinto Shrine; Buddhist funerary rites.
2. Wash hands and mouth before enter a Shinto shrine.
Wedding:
Shaku (笏) -> : しゃく -> shaku, hù
Hakama (袴)
祓串（はらえぐし）-> haraigushi
folding money in mint condition 崭新的；
chapter 4 Japanese at home
One room serves as dining-room, sitting-room, and bedroom.
Danchi (団地 lit. "group land"): a large cluster of apartment buildings of a particular style and design, typically built as public housing by government authorities.
Tansu (箪笥): is the traditional mobile storage
tatami (畳) is a rice-straw mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms.
A futon (布団): is the Japanese traditional style of bedding.
Tokonoma (床の間 or simply toko (床),is a built-in recessed space in a Japanese style reception room, in which items for artistic appreciation are displayed. In English, a tokonoma could be called an alcove.
Genkan (玄関): removal of shoes
kotatsu (炬燵): low, wooden table frame covered by a futon, or heavy blanket, upon which a table top sits.
Furo (風呂), or the more common and polite form ofuro (お風呂): bath
トイレ スリッパ toire surippa: toilet slippers, often as WC
yukata (浴衣) : wrap the left side over the right side with a sash Obi (帯, おび). The opposite wrap is used for the deceased.
five-days working week, Saturdays often involve individual pursuits with colleagues.
Chapter 5 Time out
Japanese holidays are about 2 weeks a year, it is rare to take more than a week off at any one time. Again holiday etiquette is not western as way of relax, away from job, but instead bring inconvenience to others people for taking our work load. Usually need bring a little presents when back.
パチンコ Pachinko: kind of gamble
カラオケ Karaoke (‘empty orchestra’, with ‘kara’ meaning ‘empty’ and ‘oke’ meaning ‘orchestra’. Interestingly, ‘oke’ is an abbreviation of the word ‘okesutora’ which is a loanword to Japanese itself – オーケストラ-> Ōkesutora , orchestra . This book said 桶 (Oke), tub or bucket, check website, I think author is wrong)
geisha, maiko: Gion (祇園) is Kyoto's most famous geisha district.
Yoshiwara (吉原) was a famous yūkaku (遊廓、遊郭, pleasure district, red-light district) in Edo, present-day Tōkyō, Japan.
kabuki Kabuki (歌舞伎)
Noh (能 Nō),wear face mask.
Bunraku (文楽) or Ningyō jōruri (人形浄瑠璃), puppet.
Kyōgen (狂言, "mad words" or "wild speech")
Haiku (俳句)
Tanka (短歌, "short poem")
Sumo (相撲 sumō)
chanoyu (茶の湯) or sadō, chadō (茶道), o-cha 茶
oshibori (おしぼり or お絞り) or hot wet towel
Ikebana (生け花, "living flowers") is the Japanese art of flower arrangement.It is also known as Kadō (華道, "way of flowers").
Judo (柔道 jūdō, meaning "gentle way")
Bushidō (武士道, "the way of warriors")
Kendo (剣道 kendō, lit. "sword way")
kyūdō (弓道).kyūdōka experts in kyūdō 弓道家
合気道 Aikidō
Karate (空手)
Hanshin Koshien Stadium (阪神甲子園球場 Hanshin Kōshien Kyūjō)
Hanshin 阪神 Osaka-Kobe
The name Kōshien (甲子園) comes from the Sexagenary cycle system. The year of the stadium's founding, 1924, was the first year kōshi (甲子) in the cycle.
Chapter 6 Gift giving
a gift refer to omiyage or Odosan (お土産 -> Odosan) 土産-> miyage
present your gift on leaving, not on arriving as in the west.
avoid a mix of group of four or nine, symbolize death or misfortune.死 -> shi, 難-> nan
Oseibo お歳暮: A year-end gift. O-seibo
お中元 -> O chūgen, A mid-year gift
Chapter 7 Food
玄米茶 げんまい ちゃ ->Genmaicha
大根 だいこん daikon : radish
豚カツ, とんかつ or トンカツ -> tonkatsu pork cutlet, like Schnitzel
鋤焼, すき焼き -> Sukiyaki
鉄板焼き -> teppanyaki
udon : think white noodle
soba: buckwheat brown noodle
拉麺 ラメン -> ramen
御飯 ごはん Gohan: rice
丼 Donburi , Don
寿司 sushi 刺し身 sashimi
Castella (カステラ Kasutera) is a popular Japanese sponge cake made of sugar, flour, eggs, and starch syrup.Now a specialty of Nagasaki, tbrought to Japan by Portuguese merchants in the 16th century.
The tea ceremony:
抹茶 まっちゃ -> matcha, powdered green tea
茶の湯 chanoyu 茶道 sadō, chadō
書院 しょいん ->shoin
was consolidated by Sen no Rikyū 千利休 in late 1500s
san-san-kudo (three times three) marriage ceremony.
sake 酒 (also pronounced shu), or nihonshu (日本酒), or seishu 清酒
焼酎-> Shōchū, high liquor
アルコール -> Arukōru alcohol
リカー -> Rikā -> Liquor
スピリッツ -> Supirittsu Spirit (烈酒a strong alcoholic drink)
chapter 8 Living in Japan
国際化 kokusai-ka
慶應義塾大学 Keiōgijuku daigaku (#1 business school)
JET:Japan Exchange and Teaching Program
gaijin 外人, rejecting the returnee 回国的人；归国者, kids of returnee can be bullied at school.
Korea treated as a separated group, not normal foreigners.
Narita Airport is 37 mils (60 kilometers) outside Tokyo, Narita Express to Tokyo station 1 hour.
交番 Kōban: police box
Japanese calendar: Heisei 平成時代
Japanese squat toilets
Room size: are measured to the number of tatami mats: 2* 1 meters (2.4 square yards)
National Health Insurance: Kokumin Kenko Hoken (国民健康保険)
Japanese often do not unwrap gifts as soon as they are received.
kyakuma (きゃくま, 客間)
Chapter 9 Business
A keiretsu (系列, literally system, series, grouping of enterprises, order of succession) is a set of companies with interlocking business relationships and shareholdings. It is a type of informal business group. The keiretsu maintained dominance over the Japanese economy for the second half of the 20th century.
Foreign Direct Invest (FDI) rose from $3.2 billin in 1997 to $24.5 billion in 2008, drop in 2013 to ratio to DP 3.5%, compared in the developed country average 34%.
1. Because of important of relationship, it is always "who you know" and within what circle, not "what you know"- an introduction by a go-between who know both parties to a new business is a fundamental requirement and ensures the best starting point.
2. Punctuality, no gain about traffic conditions.
3. no casual address, avoid flashy colors, a dark blue, white shirt, bland tie. せびろ背広 -> Sebiro, meaning business suit,comes from Savile Row - London Gentleman's tailors.
4. Must have a business card. ->名刺 ->meishi.
put meishi on meishi card holder
Family name first, then given or personal name. so address family name + san, e.g Morita-san, Smith-san, san as Mr., Mrs., Ms.
"banzai" meaning "ten thousand years" of long life, heard at a senior manager departure to a new post.
5. Prefer discuss business in the hotel's reception and not in your room, or a coffee shop or bar. Same customers, they "hear" but don't listen, or "look" but don't see.
6. Japanese love silence. Silence pause should be respected.
稟議書 りんぎしょ -> ringisho
根回し -> Nemawashi
痴漢 ちかん -> Chikan; molester, masher
安倍 晋三 Shinzō Abe Abenomics
小泉 純一郎 Koizumi Jun'ichirō, for his flamboyant suits and "Cool Biz"
Chapter 10 Language
Japanese script: ideograms 表意符号; 会意[表意]文字 Kanji + Katakana, hiragana, + Roman script (romaji). The number of kanji in regular use is approximately 2000.
1. long vowel vs. short vowel, in romaji indicated by using a line (macron 长音符 ) above.
Kyōto (ancient capital), kyotō: a big shot, kyōtō: assistant principal
2. e is sounded
3. no singular and plural, hon means both book and books
4. The "L" and "R" problem, ロンドン -> Rondon: London
5. add "ro" and "ru" to render the loan words pronounceable in Japanese.
My summary: very concise introduction to Japanese culture. The Great Courses: Understanding Japan: A Cultural History by Mark J. Ravina, with subtitle. (24 lectures, 30 minutes each) also offer a great help. Pimsleur Japanese. Japan is the groupism culture, education is still rote teaching.
chapter 1 Land and people
official name is Nippon not Nihon
The National Diet (国会, Kokkai)
読売新聞 Yomiurishinbun
asahi 朝日
毎日新聞 Mainichi
Japanese 経済 (keizai)
Sankei Shimbun (産経新聞), literally "Industrial and Economic Newspaper.
consists of 4 main islands- Hokkaido 北海道, Honshū 本州 (the largest, with 60% landmass), 四国 Shikoku (the smallest) and 九州 Kyushu. Japan is slightly small than France and Spain, slightly larger than Italy or the British Isles.
桜 or 櫻; さくら -> sakura
Spring (March to May), Fall (mid-Sep to end-Nov, Maple view) are best month.
It is "umbrella" society.- bring umbrella
short grain white Japonica rice, sticky. paying up to ten times the world price to protect rain grower.
Japonica rice, sometimes called sinica rice, is one of the two major domestic varieties of Asian rice. Japonica rice is extensively cultivated and consumed in Korea, Japan, and northern China, whereas in most other regions Indica rice is the dominant type of rice.Japonica rice grains are rounder, thicker, and harder, compared to longer, thinner, and fluffier Indica rice grains. Japonica rice is also stickier due to the higher content of amylopectin, whereas Indica rice starch consists of less amylopectin and more amylose.[1] Japonica rice plants are shorter than Indica rice plants.
明石海峡大橋 Akashi Kaikyō Ō-hashi
The Seikan Tunnel (青函トンネル Seikan Tonneru, or 青函隧道 Seikan Zuidō)
アイヌ -> Ainu, the historical Japanese texts Ezo (蝦夷), are an indigenous people of Japan
Yokkaichi asthma (四日市ぜんそく Yokkaichi zensoku)
Minamata disease 水俣病（みなまたびょう)
shōgun 将軍
The daimyō , dai (大) means "large", and myō stands for myōden (名田), meaning private land. ruled japan until their decline in the early Meiji period.
1. The Jōmon period (縄文時代 Jōmon jidai) c. 10,000 - 300 BCE
660 BCE mythical date of the accession of Emperor Jimmu (神武天皇, Jinmu-tennō).
2. 彌生やよい -> yayoi c. 300 BCE - 300 CE
3. 大和 やまと-> yamato 300 - 593 CE, Nara prefecture, Shinto, nature worship formalized. Early cities, modeled on T'ang Dynasty of China, were built at Nara (710CE) and Kyoto (794 CE), Kyoto remaining the seat of the imperial court until 1868, the year of Merji Restoration.
Prince Shōtoku (聖徳太子 Shōtoku Taishi, February 7, 574 – April 8, 622), also known as Prince Umayado (厩戸皇子 Umayado no ōji) or Prince Kamitsumiya (上宮皇子 Kamitsumiya no ōji), was a semi-legendary regent and a politician of the Asuka 飛鳥時代 period in Japan who served under Empress Suiko (推古天皇 Suiko-tennō). Horyuji Temple (法隆寺, Hōryūji, lit. Temple of the Flourishing Law) was founded in 607 by Prince Shōtoku.
4. Nara Period 710-794
752 dedication of Tōdai-ji (東大寺, Eastern Great Temple) is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall (大仏殿, Daibutsuden) houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese as Daibutsu (大仏).
5. Heian Period 794-1192 平安時代 Heian jidai
Heian becomes imperial capital, later called Kyoto.
c. 1002-1019 The Tale of Genji (源氏物語, Genji Monogatari) Murasaki Shikibu (紫 式部, English: Lady Murasaki; c. 973 or 978 – c. 1014 or 1031)
6. Kamakura Period 1192-1338 鎌倉時代 Kamakura jidai
7. Muromachi Period 1338-1573 室町時代
8. Azuchi-Momoyama period 1573-1603 安土桃山時代
9. Edo period 1603 -1868 (江戸時代, Edo jidai) or Tokugawa period 徳川時代, 紀州徳川家／きしゅう とくがわけ Kishō Tokugawa-ke），別稱紀州德川
10. Meiji Era 1868 - 1912 明治時代
11.Shōwa period Era 1926-1989 昭和時代 Hirohito (裕仁; April 29, 1901 – January 7, 1989)
1952 After WWII, Allied occupation in Japan terminated. Full sovereignty regained.
12. Heisei Era 1989 平成時代
His son, the 125th Emperor Akihito 明仁
Chapter 2 Values and Attitudes
Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the Tokugawa bakufu (徳川幕府) and the Edo bakufu (江戸幕府)
幕府: bakufu Shogunate
shame culture and face culture.
和 wa harmony
Wareware Nihonjin 我々 日本人 we Japanese.
Honne and tatemae
本音 (hiraganaほんね rōmaji hon'ne), "true sound", 本心 (hiragana ほんしん, rōmaji honshin)
建前(hiragana たてまえ, rōmaji tatemae), "built in front", "façade"
義理 (hiragana ぎり, rōmaji giri), obligation, duty, reciprocity.
腹芸 (hiragana はらげい, rōmaji Haragei), belly talk.
外人 (hiragana がいじん, rōmaji gaijin)
Chapter 3 Religion, Customs & Tradition
Shinto "the way of the Gods" 神道
Sun Goddess
天照 (hiragana あまてらす, katakana アマテラス, rōmaji Amaterasu)
Amaterasu (天照), Amaterasu-ōmikami (天照大神／天照大御神／天照皇大神), or Ōhirume-no-muchi-no-kami (大日孁貴神)
神 かみ -> Kami
1. Birth, Marriage at Shinto Shrine; Buddhist funerary rites.
2. Wash hands and mouth before enter a Shinto shrine.
Wedding:
Shaku (笏) -> : しゃく -> shaku, hù
Hakama (袴)
祓串（はらえぐし）-> haraigushi
folding money in mint condition 崭新的；
chapter 4 Japanese at home
One room serves as dining-room, sitting-room, and bedroom.
Danchi (団地 lit. "group land"): a large cluster of apartment buildings of a particular style and design, typically built as public housing by government authorities.
Tansu (箪笥): is the traditional mobile storage
tatami (畳) is a rice-straw mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms.
A futon (布団): is the Japanese traditional style of bedding.
Tokonoma (床の間 or simply toko (床),is a built-in recessed space in a Japanese style reception room, in which items for artistic appreciation are displayed. In English, a tokonoma could be called an alcove.
Genkan (玄関): removal of shoes
kotatsu (炬燵): low, wooden table frame covered by a futon, or heavy blanket, upon which a table top sits.
Furo (風呂), or the more common and polite form ofuro (お風呂): bath
トイレ スリッパ toire surippa: toilet slippers, often as WC
yukata (浴衣) : wrap the left side over the right side with a sash Obi (帯, おび). The opposite wrap is used for the deceased.
five-days working week, Saturdays often involve individual pursuits with colleagues.
Chapter 5 Time out
Japanese holidays are about 2 weeks a year, it is rare to take more than a week off at any one time. Again holiday etiquette is not western as way of relax, away from job, but instead bring inconvenience to others people for taking our work load. Usually need bring a little presents when back.
パチンコ Pachinko: kind of gamble
カラオケ Karaoke (‘empty orchestra’, with ‘kara’ meaning ‘empty’ and ‘oke’ meaning ‘orchestra’. Interestingly, ‘oke’ is an abbreviation of the word ‘okesutora’ which is a loanword to Japanese itself – オーケストラ-> Ōkesutora , orchestra . This book said 桶 (Oke), tub or bucket, check website, I think author is wrong)
geisha, maiko: Gion (祇園) is Kyoto's most famous geisha district.
Yoshiwara (吉原) was a famous yūkaku (遊廓、遊郭, pleasure district, red-light district) in Edo, present-day Tōkyō, Japan.
kabuki Kabuki (歌舞伎)
Noh (能 Nō),wear face mask.
Bunraku (文楽) or Ningyō jōruri (人形浄瑠璃), puppet.
Kyōgen (狂言, "mad words" or "wild speech")
Haiku (俳句)
Tanka (短歌, "short poem")
Sumo (相撲 sumō)
chanoyu (茶の湯) or sadō, chadō (茶道), o-cha 茶
oshibori (おしぼり or お絞り) or hot wet towel
Ikebana (生け花, "living flowers") is the Japanese art of flower arrangement.It is also known as Kadō (華道, "way of flowers").
Judo (柔道 jūdō, meaning "gentle way")
Bushidō (武士道, "the way of warriors")
Kendo (剣道 kendō, lit. "sword way")
kyūdō (弓道).kyūdōka experts in kyūdō 弓道家
合気道 Aikidō
Karate (空手)
Hanshin Koshien Stadium (阪神甲子園球場 Hanshin Kōshien Kyūjō)
Hanshin 阪神 Osaka-Kobe
The name Kōshien (甲子園) comes from the Sexagenary cycle system. The year of the stadium's founding, 1924, was the first year kōshi (甲子) in the cycle.
Chapter 6 Gift giving
a gift refer to omiyage or Odosan (お土産 -> Odosan) 土産-> miyage
present your gift on leaving, not on arriving as in the west.
avoid a mix of group of four or nine, symbolize death or misfortune.死 -> shi, 難-> nan
Oseibo お歳暮: A year-end gift. O-seibo
お中元 -> O chūgen, A mid-year gift
Chapter 7 Food
玄米茶 げんまい ちゃ ->Genmaicha
大根 だいこん daikon : radish
豚カツ, とんかつ or トンカツ -> tonkatsu pork cutlet, like Schnitzel
鋤焼, すき焼き -> Sukiyaki
鉄板焼き -> teppanyaki
udon : think white noodle
soba: buckwheat brown noodle
拉麺 ラメン -> ramen
御飯 ごはん Gohan: rice
丼 Donburi , Don
寿司 sushi 刺し身 sashimi
Castella (カステラ Kasutera) is a popular Japanese sponge cake made of sugar, flour, eggs, and starch syrup.Now a specialty of Nagasaki, tbrought to Japan by Portuguese merchants in the 16th century.
The tea ceremony:
抹茶 まっちゃ -> matcha, powdered green tea
茶の湯 chanoyu 茶道 sadō, chadō
書院 しょいん ->shoin
was consolidated by Sen no Rikyū 千利休 in late 1500s
san-san-kudo (three times three) marriage ceremony.
sake 酒 (also pronounced shu), or nihonshu (日本酒), or seishu 清酒
焼酎-> Shōchū, high liquor
アルコール -> Arukōru alcohol
リカー -> Rikā -> Liquor
スピリッツ -> Supirittsu Spirit (烈酒a strong alcoholic drink)
chapter 8 Living in Japan
国際化 kokusai-ka
慶應義塾大学 Keiōgijuku daigaku (#1 business school)
JET:Japan Exchange and Teaching Program
gaijin 外人, rejecting the returnee 回国的人；归国者, kids of returnee can be bullied at school.
Korea treated as a separated group, not normal foreigners.
Narita Airport is 37 mils (60 kilometers) outside Tokyo, Narita Express to Tokyo station 1 hour.
交番 Kōban: police box
Japanese calendar: Heisei 平成時代
Japanese squat toilets
Room size: are measured to the number of tatami mats: 2* 1 meters (2.4 square yards)
National Health Insurance: Kokumin Kenko Hoken (国民健康保険)
Japanese often do not unwrap gifts as soon as they are received.
kyakuma (きゃくま, 客間)
Chapter 9 Business
A keiretsu (系列, literally system, series, grouping of enterprises, order of succession) is a set of companies with interlocking business relationships and shareholdings. It is a type of informal business group. The keiretsu maintained dominance over the Japanese economy for the second half of the 20th century.
Foreign Direct Invest (FDI) rose from $3.2 billin in 1997 to $24.5 billion in 2008, drop in 2013 to ratio to DP 3.5%, compared in the developed country average 34%.
1. Because of important of relationship, it is always "who you know" and within what circle, not "what you know"- an introduction by a go-between who know both parties to a new business is a fundamental requirement and ensures the best starting point.
2. Punctuality, no gain about traffic conditions.
3. no casual address, avoid flashy colors, a dark blue, white shirt, bland tie. せびろ背広 -> Sebiro, meaning business suit,comes from Savile Row - London Gentleman's tailors.
4. Must have a business card. ->名刺 ->meishi.
put meishi on meishi card holder
Family name first, then given or personal name. so address family name + san, e.g Morita-san, Smith-san, san as Mr., Mrs., Ms.
"banzai" meaning "ten thousand years" of long life, heard at a senior manager departure to a new post.
5. Prefer discuss business in the hotel's reception and not in your room, or a coffee shop or bar. Same customers, they "hear" but don't listen, or "look" but don't see.
6. Japanese love silence. Silence pause should be respected.
稟議書 りんぎしょ -> ringisho
根回し -> Nemawashi
痴漢 ちかん -> Chikan; molester, masher
安倍 晋三 Shinzō Abe Abenomics
小泉 純一郎 Koizumi Jun'ichirō, for his flamboyant suits and "Cool Biz"
Chapter 10 Language
Japanese script: ideograms 表意符号; 会意[表意]文字 Kanji + Katakana, hiragana, + Roman script (romaji). The number of kanji in regular use is approximately 2000.
1. long vowel vs. short vowel, in romaji indicated by using a line (macron 长音符 ) above.
Kyōto (ancient capital), kyotō: a big shot, kyōtō: assistant principal
2. e is sounded
3. no singular and plural, hon means both book and books
4. The "L" and "R" problem, ロンドン -> Rondon: London
5. add "ro" and "ru" to render the loan words pronounceable in Japanese.
January 9, 2018
I enjoyed the very quick summary of Japanese history and cultural values, and the easy size to take with me on the go. Many of the tips are aimed at business users rather than tourists, though, so less applicable for me. I am glad to have tips on ordering food or dealing with public transit but I am also glad I have friends who can share other practical tips - like bringing phone chargers, not something mentioned here.
July 16, 2025
Great book for someone who has little knowledge about Japan as a country. Loved it for planning my vacation & trying to have Japanese experiences, rather than stay in my American bubble while physically in Japan.
January 12, 2020
La parte sulla storia e sugli usi e costumi è sicuramente interessante, però risulta un po' datata. Come infarinatura generale può andare bene, è necessario però approfondire con altri testi.
August 25, 2024
Good book. But best read, and not listened. The information piles on too fast to fully process, and being able to look back would be useful.
Also; omg, Japan has So-Many-Rules!!! Mind boggling o_0
Also; omg, Japan has So-Many-Rules!!! Mind boggling o_0
February 23, 2025
Nihonjin desu
April 15, 2024
This book gave me a good idea what to expect on my first trip to Japan. When I actually witnessed an exchange of business cards as described in the book I felt a rush.
December 10, 2012
Read in prep for a trip to Tokyo. It was useful.
Some quotes:
There had already been a precedent for such a[n environmental] movement at the end of the nineteenth century, led by Tanaka Shozo, arising out of appalling copper-mining pollution in parts of northern Honshu.
Japan’s “Outcasts”…
…burakumin, or less acceptably, eta—the historic “unclean” underclass associated with the production of leather and other blood-related industries, such as the running of slaugterhouses.
…there is a significant “nonexistent” industry of “private eyes” who undertake the high-risk work of checking the bona fides of Japanese planning marriage to ensure there is no buraku blood in either party….This is one of Japan’s “taboo” subjects.
The sex trade itself was traditionally centered on the yoshiwara, or “pleasure quarter,” but today is found in areas known as “soapland”* (so called because of the practice of using soap with massage)…
*Formally called “turko,” as in Turkish Bath, but in the 1980s, at the request of the Turkish government, which found the name offensive, the Japanese organized a competition to choose a new name; the winner was “soapland.”
There are, of course, a great number of children’s comics, as anywhere else in the world; but there are also violent, brutal, and sexually explicit manga that, typically, the traveling “salaryman” will buy at his departure station and bin at his arrival station. It would be unthinkable to take such obscene rubbish home. By the same token, the soft porn magazines, imported from Europe and America, are “finessed” by students and housewives in warehouses before going into circulation; all shots showing pubic hair are blacked out with an indelible felt-tip pen.
…singing the company song…
“In Japan, if we go on holiday, we thank our fellow workers for taking on our work while we are away and apologize to them for the inconvenience. When we get back we thank them again and maybe give them a little present. Sometimes, we even get back from holiday early to catch up on our work.”
The greatest “tea master” was the monk Rikyu, who in his time (1522-91) practiced the “art of tea” as part of the political dynamic.
itadakimasu: I humbly receive.
go-chiso-sama desh’ta: It was a feast.
…to jump over one’s own shadow…
This notion of connectedness—or perhaps, more accurately, non-connectedness—is especially well illustrated in a typical homecoming celebration for a Japanese businessman, returning from a two- or three-year overseas assignment. The context might strike some as not dissimilar to the family jubilation on the return of the prodigal son. It would not be unusual for welcoming colleagues, friends, and family largely to ignore the overseas experience of the returnee and to concentrate entirely on bringing him up to date on the “real world,” that is, Japan, which, mercifully, he has once again been able to embrace.
“reorientation schools”
Remember, without a business card in Japan you don’t exist!
Some quotes:
There had already been a precedent for such a[n environmental] movement at the end of the nineteenth century, led by Tanaka Shozo, arising out of appalling copper-mining pollution in parts of northern Honshu.
Japan’s “Outcasts”…
…burakumin, or less acceptably, eta—the historic “unclean” underclass associated with the production of leather and other blood-related industries, such as the running of slaugterhouses.
…there is a significant “nonexistent” industry of “private eyes” who undertake the high-risk work of checking the bona fides of Japanese planning marriage to ensure there is no buraku blood in either party….This is one of Japan’s “taboo” subjects.
The sex trade itself was traditionally centered on the yoshiwara, or “pleasure quarter,” but today is found in areas known as “soapland”* (so called because of the practice of using soap with massage)…
*Formally called “turko,” as in Turkish Bath, but in the 1980s, at the request of the Turkish government, which found the name offensive, the Japanese organized a competition to choose a new name; the winner was “soapland.”
There are, of course, a great number of children’s comics, as anywhere else in the world; but there are also violent, brutal, and sexually explicit manga that, typically, the traveling “salaryman” will buy at his departure station and bin at his arrival station. It would be unthinkable to take such obscene rubbish home. By the same token, the soft porn magazines, imported from Europe and America, are “finessed” by students and housewives in warehouses before going into circulation; all shots showing pubic hair are blacked out with an indelible felt-tip pen.
…singing the company song…
“In Japan, if we go on holiday, we thank our fellow workers for taking on our work while we are away and apologize to them for the inconvenience. When we get back we thank them again and maybe give them a little present. Sometimes, we even get back from holiday early to catch up on our work.”
The greatest “tea master” was the monk Rikyu, who in his time (1522-91) practiced the “art of tea” as part of the political dynamic.
itadakimasu: I humbly receive.
go-chiso-sama desh’ta: It was a feast.
…to jump over one’s own shadow…
This notion of connectedness—or perhaps, more accurately, non-connectedness—is especially well illustrated in a typical homecoming celebration for a Japanese businessman, returning from a two- or three-year overseas assignment. The context might strike some as not dissimilar to the family jubilation on the return of the prodigal son. It would not be unusual for welcoming colleagues, friends, and family largely to ignore the overseas experience of the returnee and to concentrate entirely on bringing him up to date on the “real world,” that is, Japan, which, mercifully, he has once again been able to embrace.
“reorientation schools”
Remember, without a business card in Japan you don’t exist!
May 22, 2023
Just got back from Japan... this book has a lot of generalizations to the extent I found myself verbally expressing confusion at the explicit false statements based on my experience in the last few weeks. "Japanese always/never" "you must do ..." "this area/thing has ..." how to use chopsticks and the "meaning" of various actions during meals that are explicitly not followed by anyone native to Japan I've seen. It should be made clear the context in which the advice sits rather than blanket statements. There may be some outdated writing that was never updated.
lots of grains of salt should be taken with this. The advice mirrors similar generalized statements online and I suspect everyone is just copying each other spreading misinformation.
Good brief background of history/non-cultural facts though.
lots of grains of salt should be taken with this. The advice mirrors similar generalized statements online and I suspect everyone is just copying each other spreading misinformation.
Good brief background of history/non-cultural facts though.
July 10, 2021
Great resource that breaks down Japanese culture and customs in a digestible format for English-Speakers and Non-Japanese. This book is different than other guides you might find that break down Japan by different geographical areas. The author breaks down Japan as a whole through chapters on history, food, home-life, business and more. It does not feel similar to reading a textbook. The conversational but informative writing style really helps to understand Japan before visiting or in general. I am a fast reader and read this book in 2 sittings over the course of 3 or so hours.
December 6, 2011
Now THIS is a little gem that lives up to the series title of "Culture Smart". Full of little tid-bits -- both humourous and pointed -- designed to keep you from embarrassing yourself (to various degress) in a culture that can seem exceedingly alien to North Americans. It's the perfect compliment to the "Lonely Planet" guides, and it proved invaluable on more than one occasion during my 2009 trip to Japan.
November 2, 2009
As the title says it's an useful guide to avoid imbarassing situation in dealing with japanese people (inside and outside Japan). This guide was meant for business american men, but nonethe less it's quite enjoyable and useful.
January 31, 2024
Culture is an odd concept. We talk about it, think about it, as if it is a concrete phenomenon that we can measure and describe with as much precision as we document the physical world. From businesses to nations, people try to “change the culture,” develop culture, define culture, as if it is something they can directly affect and manipulate like regulations and items on a spreadsheet. In reality, culture is far more nebulous. It’s not simple enough to encapsulate in a few words, never mind attempting to deliberately manipulate it.
Culture is an abstraction, a word that we use to reference the peculiar phenomenon of the attitude that can arise in common from a society. It’s a property of a kind of gestalt organism that is formed by people together, a system of systems. Everything affects it, and fully understanding it, in an intellectual sense, might be beyond anyone, whether immersed in the culture for a lifetime or examining it a moment from outside. Culture is too dynamic, too varied, too inconsistent to be confined to a definition. Part of why I set out on my tour of ancient world literature was to understand and immerse myself, in some small way, in all of those cultures that no longer exist, and that is an ongoing project.
Any attempt to capture a culture in brief, even an extant one, is therefore bound to be, at best, an incomplete enterprise. Before I read Culture Smart: Japan, I might have gone so far as to call it futile, but Norbury does an admirable job. The guidebook is not a complete exploration, but it’s not intended to be – it wouldn’t be called a guidebook. I was pleased to find that the book fulfilled its intended purpose as well as I could ask.
In fact, I have few critiques that I can make, which probably speaks to the importance of managing expectations more than it does the book itself. With sections on history, language, customs, religion, geography, and good, it addresses all of the basics, and I learned much that was of, well, far more immediate use than most of what I read (as much as I enjoy, and do find application for, what I read). The gift-giving customs were particularly interesting.
Two issues that are worth mentioning: the book focuses on what is probably the most common case of business travel, which is not necessarily applicable to all travelers, and it is worth bearing in mind that, as we established at the beginning of this review, cultures are neither monolithic nor static. The culture described in the book may not be applicable to all regions of Japan, and how you encounter it will vary, in particular with regards to your role while you are in the country.
Culture Smart: Japan is not the book that you read if you want to learn the history of Japan, or the culture of a specific period (read The Tale of Genji for that), or even the complex dynamics and reasons for the culture as it currently exists. It does not capture the nuances of every possible interaction, the precise intricacies of customs that someone living in the culture their entire lives might know, or the differences between regions and even neighborhoods that inevitably exist. There are other books that attempt to address those matters. This one does exactly what it sets out to do – it provides an introduction to Japanese culture useful to a traveler visiting Japan for the first time. If that describes you, then I encourage you to give Culture Smart: Japan a read. Maybe on the plane ride there, like I did.
February 4, 2025
I have become fascinated with the philosophies surrounding the Japanese culture. I've decided that within 3 years I want to tour Japan and not just a week but potentially a month or two to really become engrossed in the culture.
Having worked for Japanese company in the United States, I know that there's many traditions and customs that the Japanese workers have that differ from the customs I am used to. I wanted to listen to a book where I could start to understand some of these customs.
Culture smart was part history, part tradition, and part culture explanation. It was very general but a good primer for someone who really did not understand much terms of Japanese culture.
I will relisten to this and take notes prior to visiting Japan. One of the biggest takeaways is that the Japanese will appreciate any effort you make to learn conversational Japanese. I plan on dedicating time starting in 2025 to start learning this language.
Overall not a bad introduction.
Having worked for Japanese company in the United States, I know that there's many traditions and customs that the Japanese workers have that differ from the customs I am used to. I wanted to listen to a book where I could start to understand some of these customs.
Culture smart was part history, part tradition, and part culture explanation. It was very general but a good primer for someone who really did not understand much terms of Japanese culture.
I will relisten to this and take notes prior to visiting Japan. One of the biggest takeaways is that the Japanese will appreciate any effort you make to learn conversational Japanese. I plan on dedicating time starting in 2025 to start learning this language.
Overall not a bad introduction.
July 30, 2024
I purchased this book to read on my way to Japan for my honeymoon. I would say that this book is geared more towards businessmen. This book is not great for just general travel tips or suggestions, but rather I enjoyed reading about the culture/historical aspects of this book. I was looking for something that would provide a short, concise history and brief overview of culture, and I feel like this book did that. I would not suggest relying solely on this book alone for advice when traveling to Japan, but it does have some good tidbits. In particular, some of the advice didn't seem prevalent, or was even wrong, compared to other things I had read (and experienced) when in Japan. But, as I mentioned, I mostly got this book for more information on the historical/cultural context, which I think this book did a decent job on.
November 13, 2017
I got this book on Friday, and by Sunday night I had finished it. I read it in a couple of hours in my free time over the weekend. Though it is short, it is packed with useful information for any traveler preparing for a trip (I will be headed to Japan in March). It is certainly not exhaustive but covers a breadth of important practical information about what to expect and how to be considerate when interacting with people in Japan. I am sure I will read it again before my trip, and read through other guides as well, but this was a fantastic starting point.
September 1, 2018
This was much more useful than other guides that I have read before. While it is directed towards people doing business in Japan, much of the information is useful to any traveler. The narration was clear on the audio version, and it amounted to more than just a series of lists of things to see, which was refreshing. Instead, it offered insights into why Japanese culture is the way it is, and the current state of the economy and government. I really enjoyed this one, and felt like I learned from the experience.
April 19, 2025
3.75 rounded up
I read this prior to a recent trip to Japan. The book provided an abbreviated history of Japan and lots of worthwhile tips on customs and culture. I did find that it was more suited toward business travelers than tourists but still was worth the read. Especially noteworthy was the caution on chopstick etiquette since one of our friends (who did NOT read the book) used his chopsticks in a manner indicating funerary practice - and was promptly severely scolded by a Japanese waitress! Big faux pas!
I read this prior to a recent trip to Japan. The book provided an abbreviated history of Japan and lots of worthwhile tips on customs and culture. I did find that it was more suited toward business travelers than tourists but still was worth the read. Especially noteworthy was the caution on chopstick etiquette since one of our friends (who did NOT read the book) used his chopsticks in a manner indicating funerary practice - and was promptly severely scolded by a Japanese waitress! Big faux pas!
September 3, 2019
This is a nice short book that gives a brief look into the history and culture of Japan. I found it kind of lost my interest near the end when it transitioned into a business focused text but was still relevant to the trip I am planning to take some day.
I would also caution the casual reader to not take the pronunciations of words to be correct. I found many that are technically correctly spelled but require different emphasis.
I would also caution the casual reader to not take the pronunciations of words to be correct. I found many that are technically correctly spelled but require different emphasis.
October 26, 2020
Useful but possible errors
While there was a lot of useful information in here, the writing seems to rock back and forth about offering advice in general or specifically to business people. I noted an error (the Tokyo sarin gas attack was in 1995, not 1993 as the book suggests), and this coupled with the author’s laidback tone made me wary of trusting the details. However, it is a quick and easy read and would be useful as a beginner’s guide to Japanese culture.
While there was a lot of useful information in here, the writing seems to rock back and forth about offering advice in general or specifically to business people. I noted an error (the Tokyo sarin gas attack was in 1995, not 1993 as the book suggests), and this coupled with the author’s laidback tone made me wary of trusting the details. However, it is a quick and easy read and would be useful as a beginner’s guide to Japanese culture.
December 13, 2020
Informative, but terribly written
The book is quite informative for people who don’t know much at all about Japan. If you’ve read anything about Japanese culture, though, there won’t be that much to surprise you. It’s very basic. Also, the book is rife with spelling errors, grammar errors, and strange sentence structures. It likely wasn’t written by a native English speaker. There are lots of typos in both English and Japanese words throughout the book.
The book is quite informative for people who don’t know much at all about Japan. If you’ve read anything about Japanese culture, though, there won’t be that much to surprise you. It’s very basic. Also, the book is rife with spelling errors, grammar errors, and strange sentence structures. It likely wasn’t written by a native English speaker. There are lots of typos in both English and Japanese words throughout the book.
March 31, 2024
An amazing introduction to Japanese Culture! I read it while I was in Japan and it is very funny to recognize the written things in real life. The book shows how little you know about a country so far away. And to behave accordingly and with enough respect, one should concern oneself with the habits and the culture before or while taking the trip. Definitely recommend (it does not take that long to read it).
May 15, 2024
A handy, no-frills guide to the very broad strokes of Japanese culture and customs for a western audience. The author uses some problematic phrasing in places, and the book is up against a significant task given the breadth of information there is to convey.
Probably good for a quick browse on the plane ride over if you’re staying a week. Something with more depth may be needed for those with more serious intent.
Probably good for a quick browse on the plane ride over if you’re staying a week. Something with more depth may be needed for those with more serious intent.
April 7, 2025
Rating: 3.5
Read in anticipation of an upcoming trip to Japan, so I'll have a better idea after the trip regarding how helpful it was. The book is a guide to mores, customs, and courtesies and includes some basic phrases as well. It should be helpful, but could have been a bit more detailed in places -- the phrase section is really brief and the only recomendations regarding appropriate dress are directed toward business people, not tourists.
Read in anticipation of an upcoming trip to Japan, so I'll have a better idea after the trip regarding how helpful it was. The book is a guide to mores, customs, and courtesies and includes some basic phrases as well. It should be helpful, but could have been a bit more detailed in places -- the phrase section is really brief and the only recomendations regarding appropriate dress are directed toward business people, not tourists.
February 6, 2020
Just finished this book which I enjoyed as a quick introduction to Japan. Benefit of this series is that one can learn a lot in a relatively short time, short enough to read on the flight for example to Japan. on the other hand, despite its relative shortness, still covers many topics which can be a good start for further study.
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