Dimensions of Japanese Society: Gender, Margins and Mainstream

by Kenneth G. Henshall

Japan remains one of the most intriguing yet least understood nations. In a much needed, balanced and comprehensive analysis, among other remarkable revelations, this book presents for the first time a vital key to understanding the organisation of Japan's society and the behaviour of its people. The Japanese are not driven by a universal morality based on Good and Evil, but by broad aesthetic concepts based on Pure and Impure. What they include as 'impure' will surprise many readers.

270 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Kenneth G. Henshall is a graduate of the universities of London (B.A.), Sydney (PhD), and Adelaide (Dip. Ed.), and is now a professor of Japanese at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. He has also taught at the universities of Auckland, Western Australia, California and Waikato. He is well-known for his translations of literature and history books, and is the author of A Guide to Remembering Japanese Characters.

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the preface to Dimensions Henshall noted that he would endeavor to present a balanced account of various elements of Japanese society. He wanted to discuss how diversity and uniformity, harmony and conflict, particularity and universality all play a part in the social scene of the country.

He accomplished this by utilizing a variety of techniques. The first is organizational. The text is divided into three chapters covering male-female gender issues; those living on the margins of Japanese society such as the Eta, Yakuza (gangsters), Ainu, etc; and those who live within the mainstream such as young children, adults, and the elderly.

Second, the author integrated a very wide array of historical, social, and literary sources. These are referenced with 40 pages of endnotes. Additionally, there are 13 pages of sources both in Japanese and English.

Third, Henshall has published books on the Japanese language and has translated books from Japanese into English. Thus, he wisely provided a 2 page glossary of Japanese terms at the beginning of the book. In making liberal use of Japanese language vocabulary to convey various concepts, etc throughout Dimensions he was careful to provide English language translations. This noticeably enhanced the book’s readability.

There is only relative flaw with this book, IMHO: in presenting a comprehensive, yet succinct discussion of some complex and sophisticated ideas readers with little background in Japanese history, culture, and/or society may find it challenging to follow. The narrative is only 182 pages long. Henshall could have provided a more detailed description and/or more examples of such important foundational elements of Japanese society as Shintoism, Buddhism, or Confucianism. His discussion of such social mores as duty and obligation also could have benefitted from more examples, etc. A few more sentences or paragraphs here and there would have made Dimensions more reader friendly for those who are less knowledgeable.

Overall, however, this is an engaging and informative analysis. Despite the fact that it was published in 1999 I think it is still timely. This is sadly due to the fact that little has changed socially in Japan in the last 20+ years.