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No Pianos, Pets or Foreigners! My Life in Japan in the 80's
A young Japanese woman was running through Tokyo station screaming “Save me! Save me!” There was a Japanese man chasing her and closing in. He grabbed her wrist and caught her about 10 feet in front of me. The woman was still yelling “Save me! Save Me!” but the Japanese people in the crowded station ignored her, not wanting to get involved.
This is the beginning of just one of the stories from my experience living in Japan in the 1980’s, where I had moved right after graduating university. It was still rare to see an American who could speak Japanese fluently. This book guides the reader though my many adventures navigating through Japanese culture while living in the outskirts of Tokyo, as well as Tokyo proper.
This is the beginning of just one of the stories from my experience living in Japan in the 1980’s, where I had moved right after graduating university. It was still rare to see an American who could speak Japanese fluently. This book guides the reader though my many adventures navigating through Japanese culture while living in the outskirts of Tokyo, as well as Tokyo proper.
137 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 16, 2020
8 people are currently reading
170 people want to read
About the author
Joe Palermo
2 books6 followersJoe Palermo grew up in Addison, Illinois. Upon graduation from the University of Illinois at Chicago, he moved to Japan to accept a position with the Japanese government as a Mombusho English Fellow (MEF).
He spent 3 years working for Shimaden, a Japanese manufacturer of industrial temperature controllers and then joined the Nielsen company (formerly A.C.Nielsen) locally in Japan.
His career at Nielsen spanned 25 years in various senior corporate roles focused on global market research, which brought him back to the US.
He worked for 6 years in a global capacity for Information Resources, Inc (IRI) where he established several global services.
He is now semi-retired and lives with his wife in the suburbs of Chicago
He spent 3 years working for Shimaden, a Japanese manufacturer of industrial temperature controllers and then joined the Nielsen company (formerly A.C.Nielsen) locally in Japan.
His career at Nielsen spanned 25 years in various senior corporate roles focused on global market research, which brought him back to the US.
He worked for 6 years in a global capacity for Information Resources, Inc (IRI) where he established several global services.
He is now semi-retired and lives with his wife in the suburbs of Chicago
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 25, 2020
Following Joe Palermo’s travels and life while in Japan felt like a pleasant mini adventure that was thoroughly enjoyable. The writing and narration felt like a friend was telling me about a place that recently went to.
As a traveler myself that has also visited Japan, I was able to relate to some of his experiences with the people but there were still some things that I had not been aware of prior to reading this. However, there wasn’t a lot written about the sceneries and natural environment in Japan aside from a brief mention of Nara park which was one of the things that I was looking forward to.
— overall thoughts: 3.75 —
But personally, my favourite parts of travelling is when I get to experience the everyday lives of the people living there and No Pianos, Pets or Foreigners! was a great example of that.
I did not get that much depth and insights on the personal level. This felt more like a combination of short stories that you would tell a friend that you have not seen in a long time but you aren’t particularly close to. There is no romanticization on the Japanese culture and, like I said, highlighted some of the things that I already knew about said culture. I think it’s important to know this before going in but it was realistic. It was obviously written from the point of view of an American.
With that, I was still very intrigued and it was mostly what I expected from it aside from the lack of environment representation. Listening to the audiobook, there definitely isn’t any fancy sound effects and the narration was pretty flat but it didn’t hinder my enjoyment that much. Though, I think that a touch of Japanese music or something from their culture either at the beginning or at the end, or perhaps just a soft meolody at the background would have done wonders.
If you are already someone who is curious and fascinated with the Japanese culture this would be an enjoyable, easy time.
— I received this audiobook at no-cost from Audiobook Empire. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it. —
instagram | blog | ko-fi | booksirens
As a traveler myself that has also visited Japan, I was able to relate to some of his experiences with the people but there were still some things that I had not been aware of prior to reading this. However, there wasn’t a lot written about the sceneries and natural environment in Japan aside from a brief mention of Nara park which was one of the things that I was looking forward to.
— overall thoughts: 3.75 —
But personally, my favourite parts of travelling is when I get to experience the everyday lives of the people living there and No Pianos, Pets or Foreigners! was a great example of that.
I did not get that much depth and insights on the personal level. This felt more like a combination of short stories that you would tell a friend that you have not seen in a long time but you aren’t particularly close to. There is no romanticization on the Japanese culture and, like I said, highlighted some of the things that I already knew about said culture. I think it’s important to know this before going in but it was realistic. It was obviously written from the point of view of an American.
With that, I was still very intrigued and it was mostly what I expected from it aside from the lack of environment representation. Listening to the audiobook, there definitely isn’t any fancy sound effects and the narration was pretty flat but it didn’t hinder my enjoyment that much. Though, I think that a touch of Japanese music or something from their culture either at the beginning or at the end, or perhaps just a soft meolody at the background would have done wonders.
If you are already someone who is curious and fascinated with the Japanese culture this would be an enjoyable, easy time.
— I received this audiobook at no-cost from Audiobook Empire. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it. —
instagram | blog | ko-fi | booksirens
August 14, 2022
In 1982, a young college graduate from Chicago named Joe Palermo moved to Japan to teach in what is now the JET program. That one year contract turned into eight years living in Japan, first in rural Gunma, and later in Tokyo as a salaryman.
No Pianos, Pets or Foreigners is Palermo’s memoir of those years in Japan, showing us Japanese life in the 1980’s through the eyes of an American.
Palermo’s journey in many ways mirrors my own, moving to Japan in the 1980s, starting as an English teacher and later finding a career as an engineer. When I learned of the book, I rushed out to buy a copy.
I already had a stack of books beside my bed that I needed to finish, so I put the book to the side. But curious to see what Palermo had written, I started thumbing through the pages. A couple hours later, I’d finished reading the entire book.
It’s a short book, a bit over 100 pages, so it doesn’t take long to read. Each anecdote is only a few pages and moves quickly.
The story starts with Palermo’s interest in Japanese culture in college followed by a homestay in Nara where he fell in love with Japan and met the woman who would later become his wife.
After graduation, he found a job as a Mombusho English Fellow, the predecessor of the JET program, and was assigned to teach English at schools around Numata City in Gunma Prefecture where he lived in a small pre-fab house.
At the time, there were few gaijin in the country, especially in rural areas like Gunma, giving Palermo an immersion into Japanese language and culture. As a foreigner, though, it was life in a fishbowl, made worse by teaching at schools all over the area so wherever he went, people would recognize him.
“I found that there were two ways that non-Japanese people dealt with living here. One was to surround themselves with Japanese people who speak English…The other approach was to become ‘more Japanese than the Japanese people.’…This is the path which I chose.”
Through the book, Palermo describes a number of interesting anecdotes that happened to me as well, including being stopped by the police without an alien registration card and having to write an apology letter, buying flowers for a date that were intended for leaving on graves, and trying to find an apartment.
After two years teaching English in Gunma, Palermo took a job as a salaryman in Tokyo and began looking for an apartment in Saitama. That’s where the title of the book, No Pianos, Pets, or Foreigners, comes from.
As a foreigner, few apartment owners were willing to rent to him. Even after he was married to a Japanese woman, he ran into difficulty finding an apartment that would allow foreign tenants. I expect the situation has improved dramatically in the 40 or so years since then as immigrants have become far more common throughout the country.
The last third of the book recalls Palermo’s life in Tokyo working for Shimaden and later A.C. Nielsen, accompanying directors on business trips as coordinator and translator before moving back to the US for an international role at Nielson.
Overall, this book is a great introduction to the practicalities of life in both rural Japan and Tokyo. Anyone joining the JET program or moving to Japan to work for a big company will find the book helpful. Everyone who’s already started the same journey will nod along to the stories, marking up the page with exclamation points and “same thing happened to me” notes on nearly every page.
No Pianos, Pets or Foreigners is Palermo’s memoir of those years in Japan, showing us Japanese life in the 1980’s through the eyes of an American.
Palermo’s journey in many ways mirrors my own, moving to Japan in the 1980s, starting as an English teacher and later finding a career as an engineer. When I learned of the book, I rushed out to buy a copy.
I already had a stack of books beside my bed that I needed to finish, so I put the book to the side. But curious to see what Palermo had written, I started thumbing through the pages. A couple hours later, I’d finished reading the entire book.
It’s a short book, a bit over 100 pages, so it doesn’t take long to read. Each anecdote is only a few pages and moves quickly.
The story starts with Palermo’s interest in Japanese culture in college followed by a homestay in Nara where he fell in love with Japan and met the woman who would later become his wife.
After graduation, he found a job as a Mombusho English Fellow, the predecessor of the JET program, and was assigned to teach English at schools around Numata City in Gunma Prefecture where he lived in a small pre-fab house.
At the time, there were few gaijin in the country, especially in rural areas like Gunma, giving Palermo an immersion into Japanese language and culture. As a foreigner, though, it was life in a fishbowl, made worse by teaching at schools all over the area so wherever he went, people would recognize him.
“I found that there were two ways that non-Japanese people dealt with living here. One was to surround themselves with Japanese people who speak English…The other approach was to become ‘more Japanese than the Japanese people.’…This is the path which I chose.”
Through the book, Palermo describes a number of interesting anecdotes that happened to me as well, including being stopped by the police without an alien registration card and having to write an apology letter, buying flowers for a date that were intended for leaving on graves, and trying to find an apartment.
After two years teaching English in Gunma, Palermo took a job as a salaryman in Tokyo and began looking for an apartment in Saitama. That’s where the title of the book, No Pianos, Pets, or Foreigners, comes from.
As a foreigner, few apartment owners were willing to rent to him. Even after he was married to a Japanese woman, he ran into difficulty finding an apartment that would allow foreign tenants. I expect the situation has improved dramatically in the 40 or so years since then as immigrants have become far more common throughout the country.
The last third of the book recalls Palermo’s life in Tokyo working for Shimaden and later A.C. Nielsen, accompanying directors on business trips as coordinator and translator before moving back to the US for an international role at Nielson.
Overall, this book is a great introduction to the practicalities of life in both rural Japan and Tokyo. Anyone joining the JET program or moving to Japan to work for a big company will find the book helpful. Everyone who’s already started the same journey will nod along to the stories, marking up the page with exclamation points and “same thing happened to me” notes on nearly every page.
May 3, 2020
Surprisingly, and perhaps a touch disappointingly, there is nothing in Joe’s book about the beautiful country and natural environment of Japan in this book. What it focuses on, in fact, is the people; it is a glimpse into their everyday lives and the culture within their homes, workplaces and shared settings. This is not a tourist guide for holidaymakers, so don’t be under that illusion; there are no recommended sights to see or traveller advice – it is simply what it is: a matter-of-fact journal of the eight years that the author spent living there, seated in the reality of life, rather than the unreality of a two-week holiday. Furthermore, whilst it is an interesting read, with eye-opening insights, it has to be said that the Japanese people are not portrayed in a particularly endearing light, which I’m sure was not the author’s intention.
In that respect, it should be said that this book is somewhat unique, refusing to cast a romantic sheen on this ancient people, as most such books have a tendency to do; it tells us a lot about their real culture and, particularly in this context, their approach toward foreigners. I would strongly recommend that you read this book prior to visiting the country, particularly if your trip is work-related, or away from the popular visitor areas, and certainly if with the intentions of seeking a new life there. I must be honest, I have been to some extremely friendly places in the Far East, but quite frankly Joe isn’t selling me Japan. On many occasions I found myself questioning the implications of their “culture”, particularly speculating reactions if the shoe were on the other foot. Some of the behaviour he describes of his hosts is, to put it bluntly, questionable in terms of the unwritten tolerance expected of the global community – what in their country is fondly passed off as simply “culture” or “saving face” would undoubtedly be called “racism” in others. In fact, considering some of the behaviour he describes, in the West entire civil rights movements have been started for less. Once again though, my apologies to Joe for besmirching, because I am sure this message was not his intention.
The fact is, after reading the book, I’m not entirely sure what the author’s emotional feeling is toward the people of Japan; there is something of a lack of warmth in his narrative tone, and this contributes to my evaluation in no small part. However, there is an undeniable educational value in this book, perhaps more so than in other, more biased journals I have read on the country. It is strange that it is such a short book, at under 25,000 words, and I couldn’t help thinking that after eight years in the country there must have been much more to tell, and a good deal more photographs than the two or three the author has included. His accounts feel a little like concise snippets of anecdotes, rather than a chronological memoir. Still, though, it is a well-intended journal, and definitely worth a read if you are planning a trip to Japan.
In that respect, it should be said that this book is somewhat unique, refusing to cast a romantic sheen on this ancient people, as most such books have a tendency to do; it tells us a lot about their real culture and, particularly in this context, their approach toward foreigners. I would strongly recommend that you read this book prior to visiting the country, particularly if your trip is work-related, or away from the popular visitor areas, and certainly if with the intentions of seeking a new life there. I must be honest, I have been to some extremely friendly places in the Far East, but quite frankly Joe isn’t selling me Japan. On many occasions I found myself questioning the implications of their “culture”, particularly speculating reactions if the shoe were on the other foot. Some of the behaviour he describes of his hosts is, to put it bluntly, questionable in terms of the unwritten tolerance expected of the global community – what in their country is fondly passed off as simply “culture” or “saving face” would undoubtedly be called “racism” in others. In fact, considering some of the behaviour he describes, in the West entire civil rights movements have been started for less. Once again though, my apologies to Joe for besmirching, because I am sure this message was not his intention.
The fact is, after reading the book, I’m not entirely sure what the author’s emotional feeling is toward the people of Japan; there is something of a lack of warmth in his narrative tone, and this contributes to my evaluation in no small part. However, there is an undeniable educational value in this book, perhaps more so than in other, more biased journals I have read on the country. It is strange that it is such a short book, at under 25,000 words, and I couldn’t help thinking that after eight years in the country there must have been much more to tell, and a good deal more photographs than the two or three the author has included. His accounts feel a little like concise snippets of anecdotes, rather than a chronological memoir. Still, though, it is a well-intended journal, and definitely worth a read if you are planning a trip to Japan.
August 18, 2020
A look at the intricacies of daily life in Japan, focusing mainly on the people, and told through a myriad of short, entertaining stories. This is a work that could only have been written after a lifetime of experience, but author Joe Palermo keeps things short, sweet, and down to earth, in both his focal points and his concise and organic writing style. The book is both an easy read and an absolute delight, and comes highly recommended to anyone seeking a non-romanticized, truthful, but still lovely look at Japan.
June 7, 2021
Having lived in Japan myself and participated in the same Japanese government teaching program, I found Palermo's anecdotes of life in Japan, endearing and nostalgic--and spot on for cultural quirkiness and awakenings. The author captures what it's like to be a "gaijin" (foreigner), in between worlds, as it were, sometimes a celebrity, sometimes overlooked/forgotten. A few times I felt the author indulged too much in cliches but quickly recovered with the substance of the stories carrying the necessary weight.
This is light, relaxed read of a complex cultural experience. Definitely recommend it for anyone with a "yen" for Japanese culture.
This is light, relaxed read of a complex cultural experience. Definitely recommend it for anyone with a "yen" for Japanese culture.
October 29, 2020
For many expats in Japan the 1980s is somewhat of a mythical time. Tales are told of the explosion in wealth and the wacky degeneracy that led to the “bubble” and the ensuing crash that created the “lost decade”. It’s rare to find anything substantive written on a personal level from an expat during those times.
Joe Palermo’s No Pianos, Pets or Foreigners!: My Life in Japan in the 80’s offers many firsthand accounts of what life was like back then. And what surprised me most was that it’s not entirely different from what life for an expat in Japan is like now.
The book’s opening immediately captivated me. His arrival in Japan in 1982 mirrored almost exactly my own in 2005. He witnessed a young woman being harassed by a shady character, a crowd surrounding them and no chivalrous young men stepping up to offer assistance. It takes a long time to understand why things like that occur in Japan. There are reasons for them and Joe’s personal recountings shed a lot of light on the many odd interactions one can experience here.
No Pianos, Pets, or Foreigners! reads almost like a diary. Joe retells his encounters in clear detail and shares his inner thoughts and feelings about what was happening. I believe this was the element I enjoyed most. With the advantages of time, distance and perspective Joe deciphers many of his confusing experiences and presents them to the reader in a rational way. He touches on everything from the mundane, such as train-etiquette, to the emotional with a discussion on suicide. We hop around from one experience to the next, all the while gaining insightful commentary on Japanese society. When read from beginning to end No Pianos, Pets, or Foreigners reveals several nuances of Japanese culture and why for those who have experienced it, fall in love.
Joe Palermo’s No Pianos, Pets or Foreigners!: My Life in Japan in the 80’s offers many firsthand accounts of what life was like back then. And what surprised me most was that it’s not entirely different from what life for an expat in Japan is like now.
The book’s opening immediately captivated me. His arrival in Japan in 1982 mirrored almost exactly my own in 2005. He witnessed a young woman being harassed by a shady character, a crowd surrounding them and no chivalrous young men stepping up to offer assistance. It takes a long time to understand why things like that occur in Japan. There are reasons for them and Joe’s personal recountings shed a lot of light on the many odd interactions one can experience here.
No Pianos, Pets, or Foreigners! reads almost like a diary. Joe retells his encounters in clear detail and shares his inner thoughts and feelings about what was happening. I believe this was the element I enjoyed most. With the advantages of time, distance and perspective Joe deciphers many of his confusing experiences and presents them to the reader in a rational way. He touches on everything from the mundane, such as train-etiquette, to the emotional with a discussion on suicide. We hop around from one experience to the next, all the while gaining insightful commentary on Japanese society. When read from beginning to end No Pianos, Pets, or Foreigners reveals several nuances of Japanese culture and why for those who have experienced it, fall in love.
August 9, 2020
I received a copy of No Pianos, Pets or Foreigners in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are, of course, my own. Full review here: https://booksbeansandbotany.com/no-pi...
***3.5 stars***
As a traveler and someone who desperately wants to go to Japan, I was instantly intrigued by this book when the author reached out to me for a review. The title was also intriguing for sure.
This book is 100% a straight to the point memoir and not so much a "this is why you should go to Japan" book. Palermo does a good job of focusing on the people of Japan which is something I feel sometimes gets a bit forgotten. He also does a good job of making Japan as an ex-pat seem exciting while also not romanticizing it. It definitely won't be all rainbows and karaoke.
I definitely love that Palermo clearly had a love for Japan, the culture, and the language and I'm very impressed with his determination to become fluent in Japanese, not just in one way but in reading, writing, and speaking. I wish I could have a bit of Palermo's determination with that.
I didn't fall in love with Palermo's writing style (which is why the 3.5 rating) but I will give him some credit that I was still intrigued even without overly descriptive and emotional writing.
The book should be absorbed as multiple stories (or anecdotes or journal entries) as opposed to a chronological memoir. For anyone with a love for travel or a fascination with Japanese culture, this book is definitely worth a read.
***3.5 stars***
As a traveler and someone who desperately wants to go to Japan, I was instantly intrigued by this book when the author reached out to me for a review. The title was also intriguing for sure.
This book is 100% a straight to the point memoir and not so much a "this is why you should go to Japan" book. Palermo does a good job of focusing on the people of Japan which is something I feel sometimes gets a bit forgotten. He also does a good job of making Japan as an ex-pat seem exciting while also not romanticizing it. It definitely won't be all rainbows and karaoke.
I definitely love that Palermo clearly had a love for Japan, the culture, and the language and I'm very impressed with his determination to become fluent in Japanese, not just in one way but in reading, writing, and speaking. I wish I could have a bit of Palermo's determination with that.
I didn't fall in love with Palermo's writing style (which is why the 3.5 rating) but I will give him some credit that I was still intrigued even without overly descriptive and emotional writing.
The book should be absorbed as multiple stories (or anecdotes or journal entries) as opposed to a chronological memoir. For anyone with a love for travel or a fascination with Japanese culture, this book is definitely worth a read.
July 5, 2020
A thoroughly entertaining journey through life in Japan. If you've ever thought about coming to Japan, this book will guide you through exactly what to expect. Well-written and full of humor and insight, "No Pianos, Pets or Foreigners!" presents a realistic look at life in Japan as an expat.
Although the book describes the author's experiences from the 1980's, it's equally relevant today. Japan hasn't changed that much in the past 40 years--and that alone should tell you something about the nation.
Overall, an interesting and engaging book. I highly recommend it.
Although the book describes the author's experiences from the 1980's, it's equally relevant today. Japan hasn't changed that much in the past 40 years--and that alone should tell you something about the nation.
Overall, an interesting and engaging book. I highly recommend it.
September 28, 2020
Japanese culture and customs is very different from western cultures and even many other asian cultures. This book is a great read if you are into really learning the day to day differences of another culture and/or if you have a specific interest in Japan. Easy to read little snack sized stories that give you a picture of what it's like to live in Japan as a foreigner!
June 13, 2020
Very informative book to understand Japanese culture
I lived in Japan for almost 12 years and I can relate my experiences with experiences joe has written in this book. It is very easy to understand Japan culture for foreigner in this 130 pages. I recommend this book to all who been there to Japan or want to go to Japan.
I lived in Japan for almost 12 years and I can relate my experiences with experiences joe has written in this book. It is very easy to understand Japan culture for foreigner in this 130 pages. I recommend this book to all who been there to Japan or want to go to Japan.
September 22, 2024
I enjoyed the authors stories and commentary on his life in Japan. It is an easy and quick read.
June 21, 2020
It was so interesting to read about a different culture! I loved the personal anecdotes about his time in Japan!
April 14, 2022
A humorous and insightful look into a country I knew very little about.
Easy to read with a concise and clear style. An entertaining read.
Easy to read with a concise and clear style. An entertaining read.
May 10, 2021
This was a quick and easy read. Full of information relayed by the author of experiences in Japan. A wonderful variety of topics and a great learning experience of other cultures and traditions. I loved the ticket for the seat that turned out to be the next day. So glad the author was fluent in Japanese to be able to point this out and put the man in his place when he had started to be so rude to the foreigner. Thanks for all the information, lots in this book that I was not aware of.
November 9, 2021
Really enjoyed this -
I gave this 5 stars because it is engaging and well written. It is a fascinating account of a Westerner's experience living in Japan. I would particularly recommend this to someone traveling to Japan and especially someone who wants to live in Japan. It is filled with fascinating anecdotes and insights. I am glad I discovered it.
I gave this 5 stars because it is engaging and well written. It is a fascinating account of a Westerner's experience living in Japan. I would particularly recommend this to someone traveling to Japan and especially someone who wants to live in Japan. It is filled with fascinating anecdotes and insights. I am glad I discovered it.
May 29, 2020
A super, easy to read and interesting short book about Joe’s experiences in Japan in the 80’s.
Joe describes his time and life in Japan through a set of short anecdotes that you can read front to back or dip into as you see fit.
It’s a personal account and, for me, that makes it more interesting as it gives insight as much into Joe as into Japan. He was and I am sure still is a really nice guy with oodles of capability and passion for life (I knew him at work for a brief time but the book has shown me a deeper insight into the man).
For me , the best experience described in the book is about his purchase and use of his first car in Japan. Of that, the best bit (had me laughing out loud) was his arriving home in his car in the pouring rain only to realise he had left an important piece of his apparel in the supermarket car park (you will have to read the book to find out what it was he left behind).
Thanks Joe for a great read. I wish I had found time to get to know you better at work.
Joe describes his time and life in Japan through a set of short anecdotes that you can read front to back or dip into as you see fit.
It’s a personal account and, for me, that makes it more interesting as it gives insight as much into Joe as into Japan. He was and I am sure still is a really nice guy with oodles of capability and passion for life (I knew him at work for a brief time but the book has shown me a deeper insight into the man).
For me , the best experience described in the book is about his purchase and use of his first car in Japan. Of that, the best bit (had me laughing out loud) was his arriving home in his car in the pouring rain only to realise he had left an important piece of his apparel in the supermarket car park (you will have to read the book to find out what it was he left behind).
Thanks Joe for a great read. I wish I had found time to get to know you better at work.
September 30, 2023
A fun, quick read
Having worked briefly on contract for a Japanese company and visited the country twice, this was a very enjoyable read for me. It is not really a memoir, just a series of reminiscences, but the author does provide some entertaining insights into how it is to be a foreigner in Japan. The author shares little of his inner journey, family dynamics, or the experience of falling in love with and marrying a Japanese woman and returning to the US to live with their young son, but relates enough of his history that you might think you’d met him at a cocktail party and heard some of his “Japan stories”. Relevant for those preparing to teach English in Japan with JET, or thinking of spending extended time there.
Having worked briefly on contract for a Japanese company and visited the country twice, this was a very enjoyable read for me. It is not really a memoir, just a series of reminiscences, but the author does provide some entertaining insights into how it is to be a foreigner in Japan. The author shares little of his inner journey, family dynamics, or the experience of falling in love with and marrying a Japanese woman and returning to the US to live with their young son, but relates enough of his history that you might think you’d met him at a cocktail party and heard some of his “Japan stories”. Relevant for those preparing to teach English in Japan with JET, or thinking of spending extended time there.
January 19, 2021
A unique look at life in Japan in the 1980s. It's always so interesting to me how drastically the expat life in this country has changed since then, but also how many things are EXACTLY the same. As a former ALT myself, it was like being transported back to that time.
I read this book in one sitting and wished there'd been more. If you enjoyed it, you should check out the Max Danger series, though I believe they're out of print now.
I read this book in one sitting and wished there'd been more. If you enjoyed it, you should check out the Max Danger series, though I believe they're out of print now.
June 20, 2021
Review at:
Goodreads
Goodreads
April 8, 2020
I wrote this book, so I can't say enough good things about it! LOL
I would welcome any comments about your favorite stories or any further discussion of the content.
I would welcome any comments about your favorite stories or any further discussion of the content.
May 17, 2020
I enjoyed the fun personal stories. Many reminders of my own culture shock experiences when visiting another country! Thanks for sharing Joe!!
April 21, 2021
Great book with amazing story.I love this. i will likely recommend this book to my friends
November 23, 2021
Joe Palermo's book brought back some the experiences I had (or shall I say endured?) while living in a small Japanese town in the early 1980s. Unlike many "gaijin" living in Japan I was not an English teacher; rather I was a scholarship student at a MITI-sponsored business school in Shizuoka.
As a young American female studying alongside Japanese men (Japanese women were barred from my school at that time) my experiences were similar, and yet very different from Mr. Palermo's more "male-centric" ones. Suffice it to say that as a female I was shielded from some of the more directly unpleasant situations described in Mr. Palermo's book - or maybe I just ignored them.
"No Pianos...." is more of a cultural study than a dime-a-dozen travel book and I appreciate that. A unique and enjoyable read for anyone with an interest in Japan.
As a young American female studying alongside Japanese men (Japanese women were barred from my school at that time) my experiences were similar, and yet very different from Mr. Palermo's more "male-centric" ones. Suffice it to say that as a female I was shielded from some of the more directly unpleasant situations described in Mr. Palermo's book - or maybe I just ignored them.
"No Pianos...." is more of a cultural study than a dime-a-dozen travel book and I appreciate that. A unique and enjoyable read for anyone with an interest in Japan.
January 14, 2025
An interesting read.
The author moved to Japan in the 1980s, a very different time to be so far away from home.
There are some amusing stories and the author makes some astute observations.
If it was longer I'd give it more stars!
The author moved to Japan in the 1980s, a very different time to be so far away from home.
There are some amusing stories and the author makes some astute observations.
If it was longer I'd give it more stars!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews