Japan: A Guide to Traditions, Customs and Etiquette: Kata as the Key to Understanding the Japanese

(Paperback)

Available Formats

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Japan: A Guide to Traditions, Customs and Etiquette is the first book to explain in detail why the Japanese think and behave as they do and it has now been completely revised and expanded.

Veteran Japanologist Boy Lafayette De Mente unlocks the mysteries of KATAthe cultural forms that shape and define Japanese attitudes, behaviour and character. These forms are responsible for creating the unique traits and talents which make the Japanese distinct. Virtually all interactions in Japan are governed by KATA and they remain the key to understanding and interacting successfully in Japan in all personal and business matters.

In seventy short, clear essays ranging from "The Art of Bowing" and "Importance of the Apology" to "The Compulsion for Quality" and "Exchanging Name Cards", De Mente unravels the complexities of Japanese culture and etiquette by exploring the origin, nature, use and influence of KATA in Japanese life.

Reviews

"Even long-time students of Japan will find the book illuminating and thought-provoking." --Sam Jameson, former Tokyo Bureau Chief of the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times
"The book explores many important aspects of Japanese society. With help from his book, visitors will certainly better understand the people and their culture." --Travel Pulse
"In Japan, the process of accomplishing a goal is just as significant, if not more significant, than the actual result--a notable contrast to the West. De Mente defines kata as the 'way things are supposed to be done,' and he educates readers on how the concept has shaped Japan throughout its history and the present. [] Japan: A Guide to Traditions, Customs and Etiquette is really an exploration of the Japanese psyche. " -- JQ Magazine

Author Bio

Boye Lafayette De Mente first went to Japan in 1949 as a member of a U.S. military intelligence agency, and was involved with the country for more than six decades as a student, journalist, editor, lecturer, and writer. He is the author of more than thirty books on Japan, including Japanese Etiquette and Ethics in Business and How to Do Business With the Japanese.

Completely revised and expanded by Geoff Botting who has lived in Japan for over a quarter century, witnessing Japan's economic bubble, its bursting, and the changes that came in its wake. He is a freelance translator and a print and broadcast journalist specializing in business.