Japaneseness: A Guide to Values and Virtues

by Yōji Yamakuse

This book looks at the core life concepts and shared values that historically and culturally define the quality of "being Japanese." Among these are reverence, love of nature, group loyalty, hierarchical respect, passion for detail, belief in learning, formality, and acceptance of change. How can Western analogues of these Japanese virtues help us improve our own societies and cultivate inner strength, mindfulness, and long-lasting relationships at home and the workplace? This stimulating exploration of an alternative ethics and humanism is a provocative workbook for "decluttering the spirit." Yoji Yamakuse is a Tokyo-based consultant on personnel management, staff training, and development of joint projects in cross-cultural environments.

Genres: Japan, Nonfiction, Japanese Literature

140 pages, Paperback

First published April 12, 2016

Reviews

[Canem · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely stunning. It moved me, blew my mind, left me speechless, made me feel intensely validated and understood, and it taught me things I didn't know.

As someone with Japanese 'adoptive' parents and as someone who used to live in Japan and still often visits, this book was very special to me. I took my time to finish this. Many paragraphs I re-read multiple times, just to digest what the author was trying to tell me.

This book made me feel validated in so many ways, it made me feel like I wasn't crazy. Like everything I have and still feel in Japan, with my parents, with my friends, and my partners, was real. That I understood correctly, and that my intuition was right.

I prefer the Japanese title of this book "日本人のこころ" which translates to "The heart of the Japanese".

I know that my review is quite unique because of my background, and what Japan means to me personally. But I believe that this book was brought to me by the universe as a healing experience.

Thank you Mr. Yamakuse.

[Olavia Kite · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish this book existed when I lived in Japan. I would’ve understood so many things, so much better. It’s never late to learn, though, and I’d like to apply some of the concepts explained here into my own life, wherever I may be.

[Amy Chavez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how this book ties together so many Japanese concepts into a comprehensible whole.

[Dan Burt · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars.

[Liam Anthony · Rating 2 out of 5]

Self-aggrandising slop

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book will be more salient to me once I finally get to Japan (I was supposed to go in 2020, but you know how that turned out). I'm always interested in the abstract principles behind things--people who favor a more concrete or applied understanding of things might find this one hard going. Even as someone who is interested in such things, I had to just read a chapter at a sitting!

The book is comprised of 76 "identifiable aspects of modern Japaneseness" (e.g., harmony [wa], hospitality [omotenashi], thoughtfulness [kikubari]) grouped into chapters (e.g., Maintain Harmony; Follow Forms and Paths; Develop Virtue). Each aspect is presented with its Japanese name and character as well as a brief description. The descriptions usually include concrete examples of this aspect in action, which is helpful. However, sometimes the English translation (e.g., a chapter entitled "Have Feelings, Be Loyal"--are there cultures in which people don't have feelings?) is awkward. I'll revisit this book once I've been to Japan and size up how/where I witnessed these aspects in action.