Behind the Japanese Bow

by Boyé Lafayette De Mente

Previous books on Japan have described in detail how the Japanese behave. Behind the Japanese Bow is the first book to explain why the Japanese think and behave as they do. In Behind the Japanese Bow veteran Japanologist Boye Lafayette De Mente, who has lived and worked in Japan for more than 25 years, reveals for the first time the existence of a comprehensive set of kata(kah-tah) or "cultural molds" that traditionally have created and controlled the character and behavior of the Japanese. These kata are the Rosetta stone of Japan's enigmatic culture-the keys that unlock the mystery and mystique surrounding the way the Japanese do business and conduct all of their personal and professional affairs. An understanding of the kata strips qway the cultural cloak that hides the Japanese from the outside world, and provides a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the "Japanese Way." To deal effectively with the Japanese. Westerners must not only be familiar with the kata, but must also know how and when to induce the Japanese to break the kata and behave in a non-Japanese way. Whatever your involvement is with Japan and the Japanese, Behind the Japanese Bow by Boye Lafayette De Mente is an indispensable aid to understanding why the Japanese think and behave as they do.

Genres: Nonfiction

147 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1993

About the author

Boyé Lafayette De Mente was an author, journalist, and adventurer. He wrote more than 100 books, most of them about the culture and language of Japan, East Asia, and Mexico.

De Mente joined the U.S. Navy and began his career as a cryptographer based in Washington, D.C. In 1948, he joined the U.S. Army Security Agency and was a decoding technician stationed in Tokyo. While there, he he founded and edited the agency's newspaper, The ASA Star.

De Mente wrote the first English guides to the Japanese way of doing business ("Japanese Etiquette and Ethics in Business" in 1959 and "How to Do Business in Japan" in 1962). His other books run the gamut from language learning to the night-time "pink" trades in Japan, the sensual nature of Oriental cultures, male-female relations, and understanding and coping with the Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Mexican mindset in business and social situations. He has also written extensively about Mexico and his home state of Arizona.