The Japan Book: A Comprehensive Pocket Guide

by Kodansha

Distilled from the huge Encyclopedia of Japan and updated in every field it covers, The Japan Book is a pocket a compilation of brief, useful information on every facet of the country.

Until its present worldwide publication, this book was used by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a general introduction given to foreign visitors. Now, anyone-whether a businessperson needing facts-at-one's-fingertips for a quick visit, a diplomat taking up a new post, a tourist wanting
basic information without too much detail, or simply the curious reader not knowing much about Japan-can take advantage of this handy manual.

Among the subjects covered geography, history, government and diplomacy, economy, society, culture, sports and lifestyle. It also contains hundreds of color photos, and comes equipped with maps and charts.

The Japan Book is a shortcut to a wealth of useful facts and figures.

Genres: Nonfiction, Japan

160 pages, Paperback

First published May 6, 2004

About the author

Kodansha Ltd. (Japanese: 株式会社講談社, Hepburn: Kabushiki-gaisha Kōdansha) is a Japanese privately-held publishing company headquartered in Bunkyō, Tokyo. Kodansha is the largest Japanese publishing company, and it produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, Weekly Shōnen Magazine and Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine, as well as the more literary magazines Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. Kodansha was founded by Seiji Noma in 1909, and members of his family continue as its owners either directly or through the Noma Cultural Foundation.

Reviews

[Tiago Palma · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Japan Book” is the perfect book of you want to learn true basics about Japan: it covers all fundamental aspects such as Geography and Nature, History, Government anda Policy, Economy, Society and finally Culture and Life. Surely it’s strange to read in 2019 a book that it’s only updated until 2005, but if it’s the basis and context you’re after, you should read this book.

[Rui Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really nice introduction to Japanese culture, though one must keep in mind it has been commissioned by the Japanese government so it tends to focus on positive aspects while not dwelling so much on the negative ones. And of course diplomatic issues such as the ongoing dispute over islands between Russia and Japan are presented in way that makes Japan look as neutral as can be.