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Japaneseness: A Guide to Values and Virtues by [Yoji Yamakuse]

Japaneseness: A Guide to Values and Virtues Kindle Edition

by Yoji Yamakuse (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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This book looks at the core life concepts and shared values that historically and culturally define the quality of "being Japanese." Among these are reverence, love of nature, group loyalty, hierarchical respect, passion for detail, belief in learning, formality, and acceptance of change. How can Western analogues of these Japanese virtues help us improve our own societies and cultivate inner strength, mindfulness, and long-lasting relationships at home and the workplace? This stimulating exploration of an alternative ethics and humanism is a provocative workbook for "decluttering the spirit."

Yoji Yamakuse is a Tokyo-based consultant on personnel management, staff training, and development of joint projects in cross-cultural environments.

Print length

160 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Stone Bridge Press
Publication date

April 11, 2016
File size

2240 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A provocative workbook for "decluttering the spirit"... An indispensable guide and reference for Americans wanting to understand Japanese culture and perspectives. Impressively well written, organized and presented, Japaneseness: A Guide to Values and Virtues is very highly recommended for community, corporate, and academic library collections."—John Taylor, Midwest Book Review

"Valuable for the way it lets us look at humanity through a specific cultural lens... Japaneseness: A Guide to Values and Virtues, deserves a read."—Kris Kosaka, The Japan Times

"The perfect introduction (or reintroduction) to many aspects of Japanese society you might find refreshing, fascinating or befuddling. Or at the very least, quintessentially Japanese."—JQ Magazine

"If you are a student of anything Japanese - whether you are someone who wants to do business with the Japanese, live amongst them or live with them... you need to read Japaneseness."—Andrew Joseph, It's A Wonderful Rife

4.5/5 Stars "Western professionals who work with Japanese professionals may better understand some of the dynamics during meetings. People who enjoy Japanese literature, manga, and films may find deeper understanding of how culture affects the characters and their actions."—Portland Book Review

"A fantastic guide to those who are both visiting Japan for the first time, as well as those who are adjusting to the lifestyle or differences in the work environment."—Japan Realm

"A provocative workbook for "decluttering the spirit"... An indispensable guide and reference for Americans wanting to understand Japanese culture and perspectives. Impressively well written, organized and presented, Japaneseness: A Guide to Values and Virtues is very highly recommended for community, corporate, and academic library collections."―John Taylor, Midwest Book Review

"Valuable for the way it lets us look at humanity through a specific cultural lens... Japaneseness: A Guide to Values and Virtues, deserves a read."―Kris Kosaka, The Japan Times

"The perfect introduction (or reintroduction) to many aspects of Japanese society you might find refreshing, fascinating or befuddling. Or at the very least, quintessentially Japanese."―JQ Magazine

"If you are a student of anything Japanese - whether you are someone who wants to do business with the Japanese, live amongst them or live with them... you need to read Japaneseness."―Andrew Joseph, It's A Wonderful Rife

4.5/5 Stars "Western professionals who work with Japanese professionals may better understand some of the dynamics during meetings. People who enjoy Japanese literature, manga, and films may find deeper understanding of how culture affects the characters and their actions."―Portland Book Review

"A fantastic guide to those who are both visiting Japan for the first time, as well as those who are adjusting to the lifestyle or differences in the work environment."―Japan Realm

--This text refers to the paperback edition.

About the Author

Yoji Yamakuse (born in Oita Prefecture, Japan, 1955) has worked for major publishing companies in Tokyo and New York and has been active as a consultant for nearly 100 Japanese and American global firms, focusing on personnel management, staff training, and development of joint projects in cross-cultural environments.

--This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01DV1YCT4
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Stone Bridge Press (April 11, 2016)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 11, 2016
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2240 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #1,943,105 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #1,084 in Philosophy & Spiritual Growth
- #2,472 in Eastern Philosophy (Kindle Store)
- #3,974 in Ethics & Morality

Customer Reviews:
34 ratings

Customer reviews

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Top reviews from the United States

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Satia Renee

Overall a Quick Read Without Much Depth

Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2017

Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )

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.

One person found this helpful

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bsg2004

Lovely small introductory and easy to read book

Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2017

Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )

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.

Helpful

An Interesting Attempt to Explain Japanese Cultural Values in English

Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2016

Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )

This is a small book about big ideas - the core Japanese cultural values. It is based on a translation from Yoji Yamakuse's Japanese text into English by Michael A. Cooney. I don't know if the awkward readings are due to the original text, the translation, or the devilishly hard job of providing enough cultural context to explain foreign concepts.

The book is organized around nine key concepts with a number of related terms explained for each. These are generally only about a page long and provide a general description of the term without many specifics. Key concepts includes such things as: Maintain Harmony, Follow Forms and Paths, and Revere the Gods and Buddhas.

I found some of the sections very interesting and others almost impenetrable due to my non-Japanese background. The author includes a number of business lessons in his examples, but this is not really a business book. This book demonstrates how difficult it is to explain cultural terms to those outside the culture.

Helpful

I found it enjoyable to read. It's insight into Japanese culture, but also just good bits for contemplation and reflection

Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2017

Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )

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.

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Max

Un "vocabolario" della mentalità e cultura giapponese

Reviewed in Italy on February 13, 2017

Verified Purchase

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.

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S. T. Munro

When you think you've read all you need to know about Japan . . .

Reviewed in Canada on July 6, 2016

Verified Purchase

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.

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