1 comments about Discover Japan: Words, Customs and Concepts Vol. 1.

1. Still one of the best handbooks on "Words, Customs and Concepts" in Japan, originally published under the title A Hundred Things Japanese, Discover Japan Vol. 1 delivers well-written explanations by over 61 reknowned Japan scholars on topics ranging across the spectrum of Japanese life. B/W photographs or ink drawings (by Clifton Karhu) illustrate each item. The publisher, Kodansha, should not only reprint Discover Japan Vols. 1 & 2 again, but should continue the series with contributors from new leading scholars (and some of the same older ones who are thankfully still with us) and on new topics, including cell phones, convenience stores, game centers, and the ways technology has changed things in Japan in the last 20 years. My copy is from 1987.

No comments about 'Round the world with B.J: Hawaiian Islands, Japan, Korea, China, Victoria Island (Hong Kong), Philippine Islands, Indo-China, Malay States, Siam, Burma, ... Syria, Italy, Switzerland, France, England.

No comments about In Love with Japan: A Gaijin visits Japan and tours around with his Japanese partner, seeing many parts of Japan rarely seen by other Westerners..

No comments about Zen Gardens II (2).

5 comments about Tokyo Pink Guide.

1. Humorous and entertaining guide to the hush-hush "adult" entertainment in Japan. While gaijin aren't normally allowed such treats, this books makes for an interesting and amusing read on the lifestyle of Japan.



2. This book describes a lot of things that foreigners living in Tokyo might not realize even exist in Japan. For that matter, many Japanese are likely unaware of some of the types of places covered in his book. I wouldn't say that Japanese are more relaxed and casual about life - precisely the opposite - but I would agree with another reviewer in saying that this book shows that perhaps Japanese society is far more comfortable with sexuality and far less Victorian than American society is. It is quite an educational read and may dispel a few misconceptions, or may confirm what you already suspected! One omission from the book - couples' kissaten. Couples' kissaten are VERY popular within a particular community in Tokyo, fairly widespread, but there is no mention of them at all in this book.



3. Other than the maps guiding people to the major red light zones of the Kanto area, 90% of the information in this book is pure fiction and/or wishful thinking. All you need to know about night life in Tokyo can be had for the price of a little conversation at virtually any pub or bar in Tokyo. As an aside, the author's unjustly slanderous treatment of the Library bar in Ogikubo caused the owner to shut the doors as hordes of thrill seekers invaded his (up to that time) peaceful little corner bar. If you have purchased this book, don't bother looking for the Library, 'cause it's gone.

   If you want a good book, get Nicholas Bournoff's "Pink Samurai" instead.




4. Humerous and informative, "Tokyo Pink Guide" is a definative study of the current "entertainment" activities commonly available in Metropolitan Tokyo. It not only specifies exact areas and locations, but describes,in detail, protocols and cultural eccentricities. Remember, Japan is predominately Buddhist and Shinto. Unlike Western faiths, the myriad personal relations between humans are not verboten in "proper society". Ergo, life is more casual and relaxed, and without the stigma that we experience in America. I'd love to see a Part 2!



5. This book gives some interesting and little known information on, for example, the sex slave industry and the import of foreign prostitutes, the gay scene, and other aspects of Japan's "nightlife". Unfortunately, like many of the men who frequent Asia, the author could care less about some of the uglier aspects of the industry. He doesn't moralize because he basically has no morals.

   My main job in Japan was English teaching. I used to ask my students what they thought of places like Kabuki-cho, which is one of Tokyo's better known red-light areas. They would look embarassed and say that when walking through there they felt "dirty". I found this odd, considering that the average Japanese is self-described as being anti-religious, and most of them have no cultural training in Christian morals.

   Additionally, when talking to my female friends (including my Fillipina roomate) who had Japanese husbands or boyfriends, the biggest complaint seemed to be the lack of sex or affection in the relationship. One of the women expressed the opinion that most Japanese men were impotent. A lot of news articles in the English press in Tokyo point to the general uptight attitude of the average Japanese toward matters of sex in general.

   A lot of foreign men see Japan as a place where men's "needs" are dealt with in a "non-moralizing" fashion. Well, that's pretty true if you are dealing with any aspect of the prostitution industry, anywhere in the world. I can name a number of places in the US, mainly in Nevada, San Francisco, and West Hollywood, and any red light area of any major city, where a man on the make won't come into contact with a single moral admonishment when in pursuit of a good time.

   One cultural difference that men find attractive about Japan is that women in Japan (and Asia in general) are brought up to cater to men, at least on the surface. Japanese women find North American and European men attractive because these men were raised in a culture where they were taught that ladies should be treated with kid gloves. In addition, Japanese women, unlike their Korean counterparts, don't really care that much about looks. It's no accident that Japanese women and Western men find each other charming.

   The Confucian system puts men over women. Consequently, sex is thought of as something that males shouldn't need to control - it's sort of treated in the same manner as passing gas - it's something that "can't be helped" (shoganai). Sex (for men, at least) is looked upon as a bodily function - it certainly is not attached to romance as it is in the West. So, if unromantic, casual, no strings, mechanical sex is your thing, Japan (and Asia) is the place for you.

   This domination by males explains in part the wealth of graphic sex in the Japanese media. A number of American and other foreign men that I worked with complained that the average Japanese male's ideas about sex were "so 6th grade". Most of the sexually explicit material I have seen in the media there certainly does point to a low level of maturity on the part of the creators and their audience.

   The idea of "needs" is not extended to women. Nowhere on the planet is prostitution a profession that is considered honorable, nor is a woman who "sleeps around". Japanese women still go to plastic surgeons to have their hymen repaired before marriage, so they can become "virgins" once again.

   Clemens and his bretheren see nothing wrong with double standards, as long as it suits their needs, or as Dr. Phil would say "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". The tone of this book is a couple of frat boys out on the town, living it up, giving tips on where to find girls that put out. And that's all well and good, because this is a guide to prostitution in Tokyo, nothing more.

   The problem with this book is that it takes a small aspect of the entire Japanese picture and pretends that that's what Japan is all about. Well, imagine being a visitor to the US, and spending 90% of your time in places like Las Vegas and Castro Street, or a local strip club. Is that what America is all about? Hardly.

   Having been a bar hostess (for a short time) in Tokyo, and having shared a house with a SE Asian bar hostess (whose Japanese visa was obtained by her Yakuza friends), I am somewhat familiar with certain aspects of Japanese "nightlife". If you want a truer look at what goes on in a hostess bar, better to get "Butterflies of the Night", by Lisa Louis.

3 comments about Pictures from the Water Trade: An Englishman in Japan.

1. I don't remember where I got a copy of "Pictures of the Water Trade," or why, but I know I haven't lost track of it since.

   "Pictures" is a fictionalized account of the author's experience in moving, as a young man, to Japan, and his experience of 'turning Japanese.' He passes through several stages of understanding, incomprehension, accepatance and rejection, examining his feelings and reactions through the prizm of the Japanese language. He explores how concepts and metaphors embedded in a language can change the perception of someone who immerses themselves in it completely. His relationships with co-workers, his roomate and a girlfriend detail these changes. I recall a scene in which he realizes he has begun to bow when on the telephone, and he understands how his personality is changing in response to culture.

   This is a poignant and intellectually challenging work. John David Morley alternates personal, illustrative events from his life with detailed explanations of sociology and linguistics. I am reminded of authors like Neal Stephenson, and Noam Chomsky. Strange and heady company.




2. If John David Morley's use of English does not bring a gasp of pleasure then the contents of his work certainly will. If you have the slightest interest in things Japanese then you are sure to enjoy this remarkable journey of cultural exploration seen through the eyes of a fictional Englishman. It seems very real, and for those who have traveled in Japan the context is set so perfectly. But more than that, it provides delicately woven connections and insights into a whole fabric of Japanese society of which most Westerners will never be aware. Perhaps the author's fluency in Japanese helps him unravel the thinking behind many interpersonal and cultural patterns which otherwise remain opaque to outsiders. To me the book was emotive, and real, with a captivating web of characters and a motion which maintained my interest to the last page.



3. This is a mildly interesting book that explores aspects of Japanese culture from a Westerner's point of view. The cover of my edition describes it as an "extraordinarily evocative, at times erotic," story. Given that the book is ostensibly about the steamy nightlife of the mizu shoubai, one might expect a rather heady description of what goes on after dark in Japan. Despite the title, the book does not particularly concern itself with the water trade. When it does, it is often just a description of the author sitting in some little bar or other drinking. The book does devote lengthy stretches to things like calligraphy and home furnishings, and perhaps it's just me, but I found it rather boring.
   
   It is hard to imagine who the target audience for this book would be. For those with little knowledge of Japan, many of the descriptions lack enough context to make much sense. For persons already acquainted with the culture, the long musings are hardly revealing and some of the author's conclusions are questionable. Ultimately, it feels like the author wrote this as memoir for himself. It should give hope to diarists everywhere that they too can one day be published. There are a few genuinely evocative moments in this book (especially notable was a good description of a funeral), but hardly enough to justify the time it takes to read it.

1 comments about The Sky Burns Red.

1. Hi, folks, and welcome to the world of Kindle.
   
   I'm a consultant turned novelist. I'd like to say I'm a John Grisham of the business world, but my writing style is definitely more James Patterson.
   
   [...]. Throughout my travels, I marvel at the excitement in the world of business, and was yet, surprised at how little we see in terms of good business novels.
   
   So as an arrogant consultant, I decided to write one. Set in modern day Japan, The Sky Burns Red follows the deal maker king of Japan as he uncovers a conspiracy within the trans-Pacific Airline industry that could topple the government of Japan. With tensions escalating because of the conduct of US troops on Japanese soil and the growing nationalism in the Far East, this novel is a reminder that businesses are inevitably tied to the socio-political environment.
   
   Three junior high school girls out on a date with US Servicemen are brutally raped. A struggling US airline announces a major strategic alliance with the national carrier of Japan. Demonstrations spread throughout Japan to throw out the Yanks. Kentaro Kawakami weaves through the intricate web so that he could seal the deal of the century. And in his quest for economic supremacy, he faces the ghosts of his own past--a failed marriage and a destroyed family life. When he meets an angel in the sky, his life is turned around.
   
   The Sky Burns Red was translated into Japanese and released there by major publisher Gentosha. In the US, you can only get it through Kindle.
   
   [...]

3 comments about Frommer's Walking Tours : Tokyo.

1. I brought this book to Japan and packed it all over the country for two weeks before we got to Tokyo. I had read positive things about it online, and tried to follow the tour of Ginza as described in the book. It was extremely confusing, and after only much effort I managed to find the sites described, which turned out to be extremely uninteresting (some souvenir stores going out of business). I then accidentally left the book at a SegaWorld and was not able to find it again. No great loss. I would give it fewer stars if I hadn't lost the book - I am giving it the benefit of the doubt!



2. My sister and I were in Tokyo for two weeks and found this book to be the best guide we had for discovering the Tokyo that tourists rarely see. We walked 11 of the described routes and would not have gotten to know nor enjoy the city as well as we did without it. It takes you through the backyards of temples, shrines, neighborhood shopping areas and more, 100% Japanese areas with almost no foreigners. We loved it! We had several other guides along (TimeOut, Travler's Tales: Japan, etc.) but this one had the most comprehensive walking routes; a must if you really want to know the city better than just the tourist attractions. We wish there were more books like this for other cities.



3. I have just arrived into Tokyo to live here for 6 months and was thrilled to find this book on the shelves within the apartment.

   Every one of the tours that was described looked like areas that I would like to explore during my time here. Unfortunately, during my first exploration the first two stops were no longer located in the same area. This made the walking tour quite a waste of time.

   Excellent book that should be updated.

1 comments about Illustrated Festivals of Japan (Japan in Your Pocket Series, Vol 4).

1. The Japan in Your Pocket series, simply put, is a must-read for anyone considering travel in Japan. Its simple text and highly amusing comic illustrations are the clearest explaination of differences between Japanese and American culture that I've ever seen!

   In particular, this volume is excellent at illustrating some of the mysterious (and to Western eyes, slightly wacky) customs that make up many of the important festivals throughout the year in various Japanese cities. It explains the significance of the happenings in simple, concise language without over-simplfying or talking down to those unfamiliar with Japanese customs. It makes no assumptions about the level of knowledge a person may have about Japan, but instead takes things step-by-step, often giving the reasons behind a custom, not just telling you "Do this, don't do that." Avoid a thousand mis-steps and mistakes in Japan and read these books!

No comments about The Capital of the Tycoon: A Narrative of a Three Years' Residence in Japan. Volume 2.