Japaneseness: A Guide to Values and Virtues Paperback – Import, 26 May 2016

Questo libretto si presenta come una specie di vocabolario per comprendere meglio la mentalità, la cultura e la società giapponese.Ogni termine è presentato in inglese, in giapponese, spesso una breve storia del termine, il suo "significato" culturale.Una buona appendice per volumi come "La società giapponese" di Nakane, "Anatomia della dipendenza" di Doi e "The Japanese Mind" di Davis e Ikeno.

Wonderful insights into Japanese language, customs, history . . . When you think you've read all you need to know about Japan and its society, be sure to read this book.

I have very mixed feelings about this book. First and foremost, I found it in the “self-help” section but quickly realized, as I began reading, that this book is written to business people and managers. Many of the virtues featured in this book are explained through a cultural filter, contrasting not only “Eastern” with “Western” but traditional with contemporary. I would imagine that this book is more than a little controversial. I felt myself wondering if this is not another example of “Asian Exoticism,” making Japanese culture not merely unique but exceptional. However, I set aside my misgivings (while reminding myself that the author is Japanese) and allowed the text to speak for itself.This is a slender book so there isn’t a lot of content for each of the 76 concepts taught. Where suggestions are made for how each concept is a part of an individual's life, more often than not it is put in a business context and, while tradition and history are mentioned, don't expect to learn a great deal about Japanese culture or history. The author organizes the concepts thematically while also developing ideas from one concept to the next, occasionally connecting previous values with the one being presented. However, there no practical suggestions for how the reader might incorporate them. If you’re looking for an easy how-to self-help book or a step-by-step managerial guide, you’ll have to look elsewhere.That said, if you feel you can apply the abstract ideas in a practical way through personal practice and application, this may be the book for you. I can also see how a western business person working for a Japanese company might benefit from reading this book.In fact, now that I’ve finished it, I am going to give it to my son who works for as a translator for a Japanese company. I am curious to see what he thinks and whether or not he learns anything about Japanese culture as a result. Did I learn a lot? Not particularly, but there are a few concepts within these pages for which I may be making some room in my life.

This is a lovely small 5x7 inch book, about 140 pages. The diagram on page #13 drives the whole book. Each one of the nine bubbles in the diagram is expanded upon in the following pages, starting with "Maintain Harmony" which is at the center.As someone interested but not familiar with this, I found this book very useful. It is easy to read, whether it's one sitting or in multiple bite size sessions. Re-reading is also a good idea. It is not a comprehensive analysis, nor a research paper.With a population of over 100 million, and centuries of history, this book should be seen as the opinion of the author, not the absolute truth. Think about it, if you try to come up with a diagram like that for your own extended family, what are the chances you will all agree to a specific set? Now multiple that by millions, and you see why this is a perspective, not the universal truth.My favorite section was the one on Craft. While I'm no expert, a couple of sections raised eyebrows, but again, it's the perspective of the author.Two small alphabetic indices are at the back of the book, one of English terms and the other of Japanese terms. Useful for re-reads, but the initial read is best to be done sequentially as the text flows through the bubbles chart on page #13.

I've taken some Japanese language courses, and I'm very interested in Japanese culture, so I got this book hoping for a bit of insight and perhaps some new vocabulary. There's not a lot of vocabulary for language learners, but there's some explanations of words that I found helpful.This is a very enjoyable book to read. It teaches about Japanese attitudes and culture, but it's also just a good book to read for its sense of perspective. I enjoyed contemplating the principles this book discusses. It is very easy to understand, and it is peppered with cultural sayings, like, I'm paraphrasing "The heavy grain bows its head the lowest." That's used in discussing how the Japanese often cultivate a sense of humility and modesty about personal achievements, even to the point of self-deprecation. There are lots of little sayings like that which are rich thought food for reflection and contemplation. Colloquial sayings really go a long way towards understanding language and culture.The book doesn't take long to read, and it is well organized. The author is native to Japan, and I particularly liked the explanation given about how Japanese Shinto and Buddhism are intertwined into spiritual life and culture.I liked the little book. It isn't long, but I felt like it was pretty potent.