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Etiquette Guide to Japan: Know the Rules That Make the Difference
Etiquette Guide to Japan offers an inside look at the social norms of the Japanese-when to bow, how to propose a toast, when to pay the bill, the careful art of gift-giving, how to deal with public transportation, dating, weddings, funerals, and last, but not least, how to say good-bye at the end of your stay. If you want to save yourself from possible embarrassment during your stay in Japan, you will find the Etiquette Guide to Japan to be a much-needed companion.
128 pages, Paperback
First published December 12, 1990
209 people are currently reading
515 people want to read
About the author
Boyé Lafayette De Mente
197 books25 followersBoyé 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
August 23, 2021
I am so glad I read this little book before I visited Japan, I can’t tell you. It’s actually more for people there on business, but for me, travelling for pleasure, it gave me a brilliant insight into the Japanese culture and saved me the world of embarrassment too.
I learned how to know when to take off my shoes. How to perform a symbolic purification before approaching a shrine. When and how to bow. Dining etiquette. Bath and toilet protocol. And, above all, how to apologise (sumimasen, the most useful word in Japan meaning not just “sorry” but “pardon me” “excuse me” and “thank you”) and how to express appreciation (Oishi = delicious).
Most helpfully the book explains the origins of Japanese etiquette, and once I understood that the primary focus of Japanese society is harmony, everything made sense. They do not exist for the individual, but for the whole, explaining why no one uses their phones on the train (they don’t want to disturb their neighbour’s harmony), why no one shouts or calls out on the street, and why the whole country feels low-key and oddly noiseless. It’s all to protect their wa.
A great little book that gave me a great insight into the country as well as help me avoid any unwitting faux pas.
I learned how to know when to take off my shoes. How to perform a symbolic purification before approaching a shrine. When and how to bow. Dining etiquette. Bath and toilet protocol. And, above all, how to apologise (sumimasen, the most useful word in Japan meaning not just “sorry” but “pardon me” “excuse me” and “thank you”) and how to express appreciation (Oishi = delicious).
Most helpfully the book explains the origins of Japanese etiquette, and once I understood that the primary focus of Japanese society is harmony, everything made sense. They do not exist for the individual, but for the whole, explaining why no one uses their phones on the train (they don’t want to disturb their neighbour’s harmony), why no one shouts or calls out on the street, and why the whole country feels low-key and oddly noiseless. It’s all to protect their wa.
A great little book that gave me a great insight into the country as well as help me avoid any unwitting faux pas.
December 7, 2016
This is one of the books that my wife and I were given before we moved to Japan, and prior to just now I don't think I've read it for more than a minute at a time. I did okay while we were there, but I thought that I would pick this up and see how much its suggestions accorded with our experience while we were there. I should say at the outset that our experience was a bit atypical, since we lived in a rural area and had a lot of prestige as the local English teachers, and the school my wife taught at was very informal--they invited me along to work drinking parties, an experience not extended to the spouses of any other teachers--so that's the lens I view this book through.
All things considered, it was pretty good, though I say that with some heavy caveats that I'll come to later. There's a good comprehensive overview of Japanese social relationships and customs that are likely to come up for anyone who isn't just a casual tourist. For example, the importance of gift-giving is firmly established. When we visited friends' house (as the book says, this is rare but does sometimes happen), we quickly learned to bring along a small gift. There's room for personal taste here--once when invited to a dinner party, we bought small hand towels with the names of our hosts and their daughter on them, but all clearly designed for children, since the names were "Rina-chan," "Miki-chan," and "Kazu-chan." Our hosts thought it was funny, accepted the gifts, and we had a lovely meal. For our turn, our chopstick drawer at home now is populated almost entirely by the sets of chopsticks we received as gifts from friends and students.
There's a lot that would be more useful to a business traveler than a tourist. Knowing that you're supposed to pour drinks for others and not for yourself, and that you should use both hands when pouring, is unlikely to come up when doing an overseas vacation. Nor is the knowledge of funeral customs and how much to bring to a wedding. The book tries to cover all possible circumstances for all situations, and it mean that it's often more of an overview than an in-depth primer. There's a section on formal tea ceremony, which I never attended even though several of my friends practice tea ceremony, a section on funerals (something I, chas v'shalom, will never have to attend), the importance of business cards and accepting them with both hands, and how eating in public is rude, though it does clarify that this is less true now that it was thanks to fast food.
One conspicuous omission I noticed was in the section on mass transit, there was no actual explanation of transit etiquette. The book says that trains are extremely crowded during commute hours and there's a complex web of buses, trains, and subways weaving any major Japanese urban area into a web, which is true. But the book's 90s roots shine through when it doesn't point out that it's very rare for anyone to talk their mobile phones, or even have conspicuous conversations with their friends. Generally, mass transit journeys are conducted in silence.
As an introvert, American mass transit is a dumpster fire of rude garbage people, is what I'm saying.
The biggest problem I found with the book is its broad brushes. There's a lot of commentary that paints the Japanese as the nearest thing to a hive mind, or traces every single custom back to the days of the samurai and inter-clan warfare. For example:
That's funny. I figured they'd be stressful because interacting with someone in a foreign language is almost always stressful, especially if you're not confident in your ability to speak it.
This isn't bad as a survey-level review of Japanese customs, but with a little more depth and a little less editorializing it could have been a lot better. I don't think skipping it before we moved to Japan did us any diservice.
All things considered, it was pretty good, though I say that with some heavy caveats that I'll come to later. There's a good comprehensive overview of Japanese social relationships and customs that are likely to come up for anyone who isn't just a casual tourist. For example, the importance of gift-giving is firmly established. When we visited friends' house (as the book says, this is rare but does sometimes happen), we quickly learned to bring along a small gift. There's room for personal taste here--once when invited to a dinner party, we bought small hand towels with the names of our hosts and their daughter on them, but all clearly designed for children, since the names were "Rina-chan," "Miki-chan," and "Kazu-chan." Our hosts thought it was funny, accepted the gifts, and we had a lovely meal. For our turn, our chopstick drawer at home now is populated almost entirely by the sets of chopsticks we received as gifts from friends and students.
There's a lot that would be more useful to a business traveler than a tourist. Knowing that you're supposed to pour drinks for others and not for yourself, and that you should use both hands when pouring, is unlikely to come up when doing an overseas vacation. Nor is the knowledge of funeral customs and how much to bring to a wedding. The book tries to cover all possible circumstances for all situations, and it mean that it's often more of an overview than an in-depth primer. There's a section on formal tea ceremony, which I never attended even though several of my friends practice tea ceremony, a section on funerals (something I, chas v'shalom, will never have to attend), the importance of business cards and accepting them with both hands, and how eating in public is rude, though it does clarify that this is less true now that it was thanks to fast food.
One conspicuous omission I noticed was in the section on mass transit, there was no actual explanation of transit etiquette. The book says that trains are extremely crowded during commute hours and there's a complex web of buses, trains, and subways weaving any major Japanese urban area into a web, which is true. But the book's 90s roots shine through when it doesn't point out that it's very rare for anyone to talk their mobile phones, or even have conspicuous conversations with their friends. Generally, mass transit journeys are conducted in silence.
As an introvert, American mass transit is a dumpster fire of rude garbage people, is what I'm saying.
The biggest problem I found with the book is its broad brushes. There's a lot of commentary that paints the Japanese as the nearest thing to a hive mind, or traces every single custom back to the days of the samurai and inter-clan warfare. For example:
In the Japanese system every action required a balancing reaction, as in the Oriental principle of ying [sic] and yang, in which opposing forces balance and bring about harmony.This is in the section about appreciation vs. apology, and it's true that gift-giving leads to gift cycles where the recipient gives another, lesser-value gift, leading to the recipient of that to give another, lesser-value gift, and so on down until everyone gives up, it's not some kind of cosmic principle. The book almost seems to step into nihonjinron territory, painting Japanese customs as some kind of innate characteristics which can only be escaped by those Japanese who are "internationalized." There's a section at the beginning about how some Japanese people find interactions with foreigners as highly stressful because they break the innate harmony of Japanese society.
That's funny. I figured they'd be stressful because interacting with someone in a foreign language is almost always stressful, especially if you're not confident in your ability to speak it.
This isn't bad as a survey-level review of Japanese customs, but with a little more depth and a little less editorializing it could have been a lot better. I don't think skipping it before we moved to Japan did us any diservice.
November 10, 2019
Helpful light read during my business stay in Japan, recommended. However, some parts of the book needs to be updated to match with the current situation. I.e. people are now using their phones in trains.
October 9, 2025
A gift from a friend who is Japanese and very helpful in preparing for a trip.
January 22, 2019
"Etykieta japońska" to zbyt ogólnikowy zbiór ludzkich zachowań, które mogą mieć miejsce w Kraju Kwitnącej Wiśni.
Odniosłam wrażenie, że książka skierowana jest przede wszystkim dla początkujących, dla osób dopiero poznających uroki i realia życia w Japonii. Moja wiedza o tym państwie nie jest zbyt duża a jednak o wielu ciekawostkach słyszałam przy okazji czytania innych pozycji, oglądania filmów czy przeglądania materiałów dostępnych w Internecie.
Autor poruszył całkiem sporo interesujących tematów, takich jak stosunki w rodzinie, spotkania biznesowe, pogrzeby, śluby, wypady do restauracji czy randki. Poza tym bardzo często wyjaśnia on, dlaczego Japończycy zachowują się tak a nie inaczej oraz z czego się to wywodzi.
Spodobało mi się stwierdzenie, że japońska etykieta to "wypadkowa kultury i historii", że jej poznanie pozwala lepiej czuć się tym azjatyckim kraju. Dzięki znajomości języka wchodzi się bowiem w interakcje z lokalnymi mieszkańcami.
Autor zaznaczył, że należy szanować etykietę innych narodów. Ma to także zastosowanie, gdy inni goście przyjeżdżają do Polski. Po prostu nie wypada stawiać przed kimś półmiska z mięsem, jeśli wiemy, że religia zabrania mu go spożywać.
Warto zauważyć, że krótkie rozdziały wpływają na szybkość czytania. Niestety ma to również swoje minusy. Czasem brakowało mi rozwinięcia interesujących mnie tematów oraz podpisów pod zdjęciami. Zabrakło mi także konkretnego zakończenia tej książki.
Nie podobało mi się również to, że Boyé Lafayette de Mente pokazał Japonię jako coś bardzo niezwykłego, czego przeciętny człowiek nie jest w stanie pojąć. To ujęcie Japonii w egzotycznym wydaniu, w ogóle nie pasuje mi do charakteru całej pozycji.
Odniosłam wrażenie, że książka skierowana jest przede wszystkim dla początkujących, dla osób dopiero poznających uroki i realia życia w Japonii. Moja wiedza o tym państwie nie jest zbyt duża a jednak o wielu ciekawostkach słyszałam przy okazji czytania innych pozycji, oglądania filmów czy przeglądania materiałów dostępnych w Internecie.
Autor poruszył całkiem sporo interesujących tematów, takich jak stosunki w rodzinie, spotkania biznesowe, pogrzeby, śluby, wypady do restauracji czy randki. Poza tym bardzo często wyjaśnia on, dlaczego Japończycy zachowują się tak a nie inaczej oraz z czego się to wywodzi.
Spodobało mi się stwierdzenie, że japońska etykieta to "wypadkowa kultury i historii", że jej poznanie pozwala lepiej czuć się tym azjatyckim kraju. Dzięki znajomości języka wchodzi się bowiem w interakcje z lokalnymi mieszkańcami.
Autor zaznaczył, że należy szanować etykietę innych narodów. Ma to także zastosowanie, gdy inni goście przyjeżdżają do Polski. Po prostu nie wypada stawiać przed kimś półmiska z mięsem, jeśli wiemy, że religia zabrania mu go spożywać.
Warto zauważyć, że krótkie rozdziały wpływają na szybkość czytania. Niestety ma to również swoje minusy. Czasem brakowało mi rozwinięcia interesujących mnie tematów oraz podpisów pod zdjęciami. Zabrakło mi także konkretnego zakończenia tej książki.
Nie podobało mi się również to, że Boyé Lafayette de Mente pokazał Japonię jako coś bardzo niezwykłego, czego przeciętny człowiek nie jest w stanie pojąć. To ujęcie Japonii w egzotycznym wydaniu, w ogóle nie pasuje mi do charakteru całej pozycji.
September 11, 2018
While perhaps not an indispensable guide, this book helped me to recognize certain customs I have observed during my stay here in Japan. As some have pointed out, there's a good-sized section in the book more useful to a business traveler than a tourist, and the book as a whole tends to spread itself thin trying to cover a wide range of information for a wide range of people. However, considering the book is barely 200 pages, I do not regret the read and think this book is a good basic introduction to Japanese culture.
May 30, 2023
This book is a good introduction to Japanese etiquette, especially for someone traveling to Japan for business. Some simple Western behaviors (like taking a business card and putting it into your pocket) are considered rude in Japan (you accept the business with both hands and read the name and title carefully as this is how introductions are done). Some chapters aren't relevant to etiquette, like Japanese pronunciation and the samurai code of conduct.
October 4, 2025
Leuk om iets te lezen waar je in praktijk iets aan hebt, jammer dat de info vrij oppervlakkig blijft en de uitleg vrij algemeen.
Bijna alles wordt gelinkt aan traditie, zonder dat er echt uitgelegd wordt waar die traditie vandaan komt.
Sayonara!
Bijna alles wordt gelinkt aan traditie, zonder dat er echt uitgelegd wordt waar die traditie vandaan komt.
Sayonara!
September 6, 2018
I wanted to try and not to have an international incident while visiting friends in Japan.
Lots of good incite for foreign travels.
Lots of good incite for foreign travels.
September 22, 2018
Rozczarował mnie rozdział o języku japońskim (ani jednego znaku japońskiego, same transkrypcje, co czyni tabelę japońskich sylab śmieszną w lekturze i dość bezsensowną) i liczne uproszczenia, często wrzucające wszystkich Japończyków do jednego wora, momentami ocierające się o język kolonialny. Polecam początkującym lub wyjeżdżającym po raz pierwszy, zagubionym w japońskich zwyczajach. Czytelnicy bardziej zainteresowani krajem mogą się rozczarować lub czuć niedosyt.
August 7, 2024
Yugen = my new favorite word
January 15, 2022
Does what it says on the cover, but is so dry you might want to keep a copy on you on a rainy day.
August 3, 2021
Contains a lot of insight into the why behind things are the way they are in Japan. As someone who lived and worked in Japan (not as an English teacher!) I could relate to many of the subjects and didn’t gain much knowledge. But to someone who is just becoming familiar with Japan this is a great introduction. I’m no better at suggestions but the pronunciation keys seemed incorrect/hard to produce the correct sound from the prompts.
June 24, 2010
Some of it is dated and the author has too much of an imprint given his own strong convictions in some areas. Otherwise, it's so small, I can't complain about such flaws. Read it in a weekend.
January 10, 2025
I know this book has been well-received by many readers, but as someone from Japan, I feel it’s important to share a different perspective. While the book might offer some useful tips for beginners, I found much of it outdated and overly personal. Many parts read more like a memoir than a well-researched guide to Japanese culture.
The author attempts to explain Japanese customs by tying them to history, but these explanations often feel like guesses or personal impressions rather than facts. For example, there are basic mistakes like confusing Shinto shrines with Buddhist temples. Additionally, many of the customs described may have been true decades ago, but they don’t reflect modern Japan.
The tone also tends to romanticize or exaggerate traditions, which risks misleading readers who might take this as an accurate representation of Japanese culture. This could be particularly harmful for those relying on the book as a practical guide to understanding Japan today.
While I can see how this book might resonate with readers unfamiliar with Japan, it falls short for anyone seeking a deeper or more accurate understanding of the culture. I would recommend looking for more up-to-date and well-researched resources.
Though the intention to introduce Japanese culture is appreciated, this book ultimately misses the mark as a reliable guide.
The author attempts to explain Japanese customs by tying them to history, but these explanations often feel like guesses or personal impressions rather than facts. For example, there are basic mistakes like confusing Shinto shrines with Buddhist temples. Additionally, many of the customs described may have been true decades ago, but they don’t reflect modern Japan.
The tone also tends to romanticize or exaggerate traditions, which risks misleading readers who might take this as an accurate representation of Japanese culture. This could be particularly harmful for those relying on the book as a practical guide to understanding Japan today.
While I can see how this book might resonate with readers unfamiliar with Japan, it falls short for anyone seeking a deeper or more accurate understanding of the culture. I would recommend looking for more up-to-date and well-researched resources.
Though the intention to introduce Japanese culture is appreciated, this book ultimately misses the mark as a reliable guide.
August 19, 2018
This book is very helpful for the person who will be visiting Japan for business and wants his manners to reflect the Japanese high standards of etiquette. I read it for prepping to visit Japan for a vacation. I wanted to give a good impression of a well-mannered American Tourist. I found the Japanese to be much more relaxed and forgiving of social faux pas. This book covers many aspects of the rules, but is a little out dated. Today, the Japanese are much more relaxed and understand that foreigners are rather crude, but they treat them kindly anyway. Language skills are appreciated, quiet demeanor and patience are expected. The Japanese want to please and they do not react negatively unless you are being discourteous, loud, aggressive and demanding. Read the book, and then relax knowing that your intentions will be read quite easily. Smile, smile, smile and nod. Say excuse me and thank you often.
December 26, 2021
You'd have to be interested in the subject, I think—this isn't one of the nonfiction books that's so compelling and well-written you can hand it to anybody, and they'll get a kick out of it—but it covers its subject intelligently and fairly fully, for such a slim book, on a wide range of topics. If you need to get into the nitty-gritty of behaviour at a Shinto Shrine, you'll need to pursue further research, but at least this book will make you aware that you will need to do so.
(5* = amazing, terrific book, one of my all-time favourites, 4* = very good book, 3* = good book, but nothing to particularly rave about, 2* = disappointing book, and 1* = awful, just awful. As a statistician I know most books are 3s, but I am biased in my selection and end up mostly with 4s, thank goodness.)
(5* = amazing, terrific book, one of my all-time favourites, 4* = very good book, 3* = good book, but nothing to particularly rave about, 2* = disappointing book, and 1* = awful, just awful. As a statistician I know most books are 3s, but I am biased in my selection and end up mostly with 4s, thank goodness.)
September 1, 2024
Really more of a cultural guide than an etiquette guide, and too surface level on most topics to be satisfying in either role. Example: mentioning customs at Shinto shrines, it briefly describes the fountain used to wash prior to entry, but not the order of washing the hands, mouth, and ladle; similarly, it mentions that one claps to get the Kami’s attention, but not how many times to clap or bow. Many larger shrines have placards showing how to do this, so why not include it in the book?
Many entries have a line to the effect of “it will be apparent…” or “follow the crowd…” on specifics; again, what does a traveler need this book for if they’ve got a social guide to teach them to read the cues?
Many entries have a line to the effect of “it will be apparent…” or “follow the crowd…” on specifics; again, what does a traveler need this book for if they’ve got a social guide to teach them to read the cues?
June 18, 2017
Perhaps no other country in the modern world would need a guide book on Etiquette than Japan. I quite enjoyed reading this book, which came across as a very comprehensive view of social customs and practices in Japan that an uninitiated visitor SHOULD know if she expects to have a cultural interaction with the residents. The book obviously is written with a western reader in mind, so is focussed on typical western mind looking in ( Japanese friends found parts of the humour in book , well, humourless)
Id recommend this book to anyone intending to visit Japan or anyone wanting to get acquainted with Japanese customs, which, needless to add can be banal to bizarre.
Id recommend this book to anyone intending to visit Japan or anyone wanting to get acquainted with Japanese customs, which, needless to add can be banal to bizarre.
January 24, 2020
As we start business relations with Japanies companies I am interested in the subject .
We had returned from a short trip to Japan and the tips and information which this book assemble are interesting and important.
Unfortunately , I cannot hope to remember all the words and expressions which are explained in the book but I will gather a short list of usefull and essential expressions for my next trip.
Beyond the useful information it is interesting to learn the historical sources of certain tendencies and behaviours as well as various expressions.
I reccommend this book for people who plan a visit in Japan and especially to business people who may be in contact with Japanese companies.
We had returned from a short trip to Japan and the tips and information which this book assemble are interesting and important.
Unfortunately , I cannot hope to remember all the words and expressions which are explained in the book but I will gather a short list of usefull and essential expressions for my next trip.
Beyond the useful information it is interesting to learn the historical sources of certain tendencies and behaviours as well as various expressions.
I reccommend this book for people who plan a visit in Japan and especially to business people who may be in contact with Japanese companies.
February 2, 2024
This books serves as an insightful guide to navigating the cultural intricacies of Japan.
The book is a comprehensive resource for both travelers and individuals interested in understanding the nuances of Japanese customs.
It delves into the principles that govern social interactions, business conduct, and daily life in Japan.
From traditional tea ceremonies to business meetings, the book provides practical advice on how to approach various situations with cultural sensitivity. With a blend of historical context and contemporary insights, this guide equips readers with the knowledge to engage respectfully in Japanese society, fostering a deeper appreciation for its rich traditions.
The book is a comprehensive resource for both travelers and individuals interested in understanding the nuances of Japanese customs.
It delves into the principles that govern social interactions, business conduct, and daily life in Japan.
From traditional tea ceremonies to business meetings, the book provides practical advice on how to approach various situations with cultural sensitivity. With a blend of historical context and contemporary insights, this guide equips readers with the knowledge to engage respectfully in Japanese society, fostering a deeper appreciation for its rich traditions.
February 2, 2024
Really enjoyed this book. WAs short and right to the point. Perfect. But the best part about it was that there was so much detail and I got to learn so much. I'll want to reread this book. There were plenty of practical examples and also translations and what to do as a foreigner. Each chapter also gave context to the topic in a historical sense. I don't think I've ever learnt so much about Japan. I found that the last few chapters of the book were particularly impressive in their deep perspective of the Japanese workforce and how business works. I would love to read any more of his books or of this series.
March 21, 2019
This book is really good for workers who work in Japan or work with a Japanese company/environment. Each chapter is not that long but explains most of the information that we need to know. Unfortunately, not so many explanations about etiquette for someone who just travels in here or lives as a student. Overall, it gives a new light for you who just know about Japanese only from anime, drama, or movie.
December 2, 2019
This is a really excellent etiquette which is fun to read even if you just want to get a better understanding of Japan. This is because De Mente gives the historical context as to why many etiquette and societal norms developed (or likely developed). The guide is the perfect length; it is pretty short, but he conveys a great deal in a little amount of space with room for that historical context. Fantastic.
August 28, 2024
This is a super dry book about etiquette rules in Japan, and most is focused on doing business in Japan. The chapters I found most useful as a tourist were "Shrine and Temple Etiquette," "The Japanese Way of Drinking," and "Dining Etiquette." Also the chapter on "Expressing Appreciation" was helpful. Otherwise, I didn't relate to most of it, despite having lived and taught English in Japan for one semester in 2017.
October 16, 2017
Gave me lots of insight on *why* we see the cultural behaviors in Japan that we do (built upon hundreds of years of history and cultural training) and the vestiges of old systems that still permeate behavior. Probably required for anyone seriously involved with Japan. Easy to read, nice succinct chapters. Wish I read the updated version!
February 6, 2018
A quick and fun read! I picked it up as a visitor trying to minimize my obnoxious tourist-ness but it also had a fair amount of business-specific advice, which would make it good for anyone going to Japan for professional reasons. I was very impressed at how well the book describes the Japanese culture and how/why it is so different from Western cultures. That alone was worth the time investment.
May 23, 2018
Read it on an aeroplane flight, entertaining and interesting. However, I didn't like the Japanese pronunciations in brackets, as they tend to suggest an 'ane' pronunciation for an 'an' sound which suggests a long 'a' sound rather than the short 'a' sound I have been taught. Other than that it was a great read.
October 27, 2020
This book gave me a lot of insight into Japanese culture. The older style and the changing younger culture.
Japan is a place I really want to visit. Id love to walk the Samurai trail across the center of the island and stay in old skool inns and bath in Onsen. Having the culture explained means i’ll have a more meaningful experience:-)
Thank you to the writer.
Japan is a place I really want to visit. Id love to walk the Samurai trail across the center of the island and stay in old skool inns and bath in Onsen. Having the culture explained means i’ll have a more meaningful experience:-)
Thank you to the writer.
February 1, 2023
I enjoyed this book on etiquette in Japan on preparing for my upcoming trip. 3 stars because it’s more geared towards business people who are traveling or living in Japan for work, but it was still very interesting. I liked how the author wove together the current customs to their historical context. It helps to understand why so many things are done the way they are.
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