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The Xenophobe's Guide to the
Japanese
by Sahoko Kaji, Noriko Hama,
Robert Ainsley
and Jonathan Rice
A guide to understanding the Japanese which
goes beyond the etiquette to uncover the real nature
of the people of the rising sun.
The
Xenophobe's Guide to the Japanese
is now available on Kindle
CLICK HERE FOR KINDLE
STORE UK
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KINDLE STORE USA
| Group dynamics |
| Everyone is part
of some group and the group comes first. Inside
this group, everyone has more or less the same
understanding and the same attitudes. As the
saying goes, 'The nail that sticks up will be
hammered down'. |
| Can't say,
won't say |
| The Japanese are trained
throughout their lives to read each others'
minds. This means it is not necessary to have or
to express an opinion. In fact for a Japanese
woman to be called opinionated is worse than
being called ugly. And an exact translation of
the word 'opinionated' does not even exist. To
call a man 'decisive' is just as bad. |
| Haiku IQ |
| The quintessence of
unspoken mutual understanding is to be found in
the word yoroshiku: 'You have understood what I
want you to do. I have understood that you have
understood what I want you to do. Therefore I
leave it up to you to finish the task and I
expect it to be done in the way I want it to be
done. And I thank you for understanding me and
agreeing to take the trouble to do the task.'
All this in four syllables. |
| Love me tender |
| For all the apparent
worship of the way of the warrior, being
yasashii, which means being gentle, tender,
caring, yielding and considerate, is very
important in Japan. Asked what a Japanese values
most in a potential spouse, both sexes tend to
put being being yasashii at the top of their
list of desirable virtues. The concept is even
applied to the inanimate. For instance, a car or
shampoo can be yasashii to you, to the eye, and
to the environment. |
| This book is simply excellent.
In addition to being humorous, it is also
extremely accurate, insightful and
comprehensive. I have been studying Japan for as
long as most, but even so I was able to discover
points I had overlooked and explanations that
had not occurred to me. |
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Tokyo, Japan
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| The publisher would welcome
readers comments on this title. |
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| Short, aphoristic, seriously
funny, not that xenophobic and almost entirely
apt guide, perfect homework for the fortunate on
ferry or plane. |
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The Observer
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| A brief pen portrait of a
nation and its people and even the odd humorous
dig at their subject without being politically
incorrect. |
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Lancashire Evening Telegraph
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Nationalism and Identity
Character
Attitudes and Values
Happy Families
Manners and Behaviour
Leisure and Pleasure
Drinking and Eating
Custom and Tradition
Sense of Humour
Culture
Systems
Culture
Systems
Business and Commerce
Government
Language |
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| Authors: Sahoko
Kaji, Noriko Hama, Robert Ainsley and
Jonathan Rice |
| Format: 96 pages,
pb |
| Published: Coming Soon |
| Updated: 2010 |
| Price: £4.99 |
| ISBN: 978-1-906042-40-0 |
| Online eBook. Click on
button below to sample. |
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