Customer Reviews

Being A Broad in Japan: Everything a Western woman needs to survive and thrive

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a woman who arrived in Japan years ago, when there were next to no resources to help one settle into everyday life, I commend Caroline Pover for her almost monumental resource book for foreign women living in Japan. She covers almost every possible issue from job hunting and setting up one"s own business to dating to being a mother, and extremely important to anyone living in a foreign country --- how and where to get good health care --- and much more, listing a treasure of organizations, books, useful addresses and telephone numbers, and web pages. Included at the end of each chapter is a basic and useful Japanese vocabulary pertaining to the subject.
As a personal touch, a number of expatriate women involved in a variety of jobs tell their stories, sharing the frustrations and successes they have experienced in a country not always friendly to the working woman.
Because so much research was involved, a few references became out of date while the book went to press; it would have been helpful to have a loose page addition with corrections. Nevertheless, the book is invaluable for foreign women living in Japan and for any woman, married or single, who contemplates a move there.

This is the only book I have seen addressing women's issues in Japan. It specifically deals with the challenges Western women face when they live in Japan. It is quite thorough and well-written. The author and her work are very accessible and I would highly recommend this reference to any female planning a relocation. The book is not written for casual vacationers, but can provide useful insights into daily living, if you are curious.

Whether you're thinking of moving to Japan, or are already here, this book can help you deal with the day-to-day trials of being a stranger in a very strange land. It has both general info and stuff that's more likely to be of interest to women (childcare, finding a good English-speaking gynecologist, etc). All in all, a great resource for foreign women in Japan...

An excellent book which gives you a lot of information on aspects of daily life in Japan. And although it is aimed at women, it is totally relevant to men. I wish it had been available before I came here.

For western women resident in Japan, this is the bible, the encyclopedia, and the Hold Grail all rolled in one. In spite of a somewhat flippant-but nevertheless clever-title, Being A Broad in Japan covers all the details women will have when living in Japan. It is comprehensive on, among other topics, survival (emergencies, finance, hair, etc.), home, health, relationships, becoming a mother, jobs and the workplace, Japanese language, and leaving Japan.
However, this guide is much more than a list or a yellow pages-though it is both of those. It is interspersed with quotes and anecdotes from the lives of many women who have struggled with some aspect of living in Japan. In the section on relationships, one woman voices the commonly heard refrain about western men in Japan: "Foreign guys are a big disappointment here. Mostly, they aren't interested in foreign women. Also, I find that many of them, after getting so much attention in Japan, start thinking they are really great." Another women touches on the loneliness many feel, in particular for lesbians: "If I were in New York, not only would I have more women to choose from for potential friendship, I would also have a developed circle of friends to support me. I have not been on my own in 18 about years-and the loneliness, coupled with the foreign land, has been profound..."
There is much advice, many a telephone number, basic Japanese language support, and much more. Indispensable for both those coming and for those still struggling with some aspect or another of Japan.

This book is embarrassingly out of date. The phone numbers, businesses and organizations are either no longer in use, no longer in existence, or no longer relevant. There are countless other ways to find up-to-date information. I'm sure it was useful when it was first produced, but selling this basically useless book to people now is irresponsible and dishonest, and buying it is a waste of your time and money.

Caroline Pover is my cousin. She is very smart. Thank you for reading her book.