The Japanese Mind

Roger J. Davies, Osamu Ikeno

Tuttle

2002

270 páginas

9h 0m

ISBN-10: 0804832951

Westerners who come to Japan for the first time know immediately that everything is different, but understanding how it is different is far more difficult. This book offers Westerners an invaluable key to understanding Japanese culture from the inside out. A noted academic who teaches in Japan, Roger Davies explores the intellectual, spiritual, and behavioral cornerstones of Japanese culture that can help foreigners understand the people, the politics, and the lifestyle. These include such concepts as aimai (ambiguity); amae (dependence upon others’ benevolence); amakudari (the nation’s descent from heaven); chinmoku (silence in communication); gambari (perseverance); giri (social obligation); kenkyo (the appearance of modesty); sempai-kohai (seniority); wabi-sabi (simplicity and elegance). Other topics include the roles of women in Japanese society, personal space, and a discussion of childrearing and education in Japan. The Japanese Mind is an illuminating book for travelers, students, and anyone interested in building a familiarity with Japan.