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Synopsis
In THE JAPANESE MIND, Roger Davies offers Westerners an invaluable key to the unique aspects of Japanese culture. Readers will gain a clear understanding of what really makes the Japanese, and their society, tick. Among the topics explored are: aimai (ambiguity), amae (dependence upon others' benevolence), chinmoku (silence in communication), gambari (perseverance), giri (social obligation), kenkyo (the appearance of modesty), zoto (gift giving), and much more.
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First Sentence
Ambiguity, or aimai, is defined as a state in which there is more than one intended meaning, resulting in obscurity, indistinctness, and uncertainty. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Ambiguity, or aimai, is defined as a state in which there is more than one intended meaning, resulting in obscurity, indistinctness, and uncertainty. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I've lived in Japan for 5 years and speak the language fluently and quite frankly this book offers nothing but tired concepts and a trite superficial rehash of nihonjin-ron ideology, pleasant to Japanese right wingers and 'japanologists'.
The section on 'AMAE' offers nothing but direct quotes from Doi who's work, popular in the 1960s, is largly anecdotal and discredited.
Try Peter Dale's 'the myth of Japanese unique-ness' of Sugimoto's excellent 2003 book 'An introduction to Japanese society' which is based on scientific research and fact not silly notions of Japanese as a homogenous borg like organism that can be studied from afar and defined by a few 'key concepts'.
The section on 'AMAE' offers nothing but direct quotes from Doi who's work, popular in the 1960s, is largly anecdotal and discredited.
Try Peter Dale's 'the myth of Japanese unique-ness' of Sugimoto's excellent 2003 book 'An introduction to Japanese society' which is based on scientific research and fact not silly notions of Japanese as a homogenous borg like organism that can be studied from afar and defined by a few 'key concepts'.
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Readers seeking to gain insight into Japanese lives, rather than read this kind of one-sided nihonjinron (theories of Japaneseness - a kind of propaganda that was fashionable in the 70's but quickly discredited), with its claims to exploring "the uniqueness" of "the Japanese" (what, all of them?), would do better to look at "Understanding Japanese Society" by anthropologist Joy Hendry. Instead of claiming any "uniqueness" for "the Japanese", that book offers a very readable, insightful, and ultimately human (holistic) exploration of the ways in which the various realms of Japanese society (home, school, work, government, ritual, religion, play etc.) function, for various members, at different life stages, from their point of view. Readers of that book will come to see that Japanese ways of thinking make sense in context, and are not so unique after all.
24 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As a European and ‘general reader’ I found the book gave a fascinating insight into what can at first appear to the layman to be a baffling and unfathomable culture, given extra credence by the fact that, as the introduction states, the information presented is from the perspective of the Japanese people themselves. The format allows for casual study as the chapters can be read in any order you wish.
I would consider this an invaluable guide for anyone visiting Japan and/or who wishes to better understand the complexities of Japanese customs and behaviour. No book could possibly explain all the intricate facets of Japanese society, and certainly not to everyone’s satisfaction, but ‘The Japanese Mind’ goes a long way toward doing so.
I would consider this an invaluable guide for anyone visiting Japan and/or who wishes to better understand the complexities of Japanese customs and behaviour. No book could possibly explain all the intricate facets of Japanese society, and certainly not to everyone’s satisfaction, but ‘The Japanese Mind’ goes a long way toward doing so.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Japanese Mind: Understanding contemporary Japanese culture
This book provides very highlighting issues in contemporary Japanese society. I found the book very interesting and strongly agree what this book says about Japan.
Published on 13 Nov 2009 by Yoshimi Wada
A vague and cofusing introduction.
A superficial and vague account on the 'Japanese Mind'.
I think this book has a big potential to cofuse the uninformed reader.
I think this book has a big potential to cofuse the uninformed reader.
Published on 19 May 2009 by Doriana Ruesch
Interesting intoduction to the unique character of the Japanese mind
This is a wonderful introduction to the peculiar thing that is being Japanese. Even some Japanese people find it hard to pin down what it is to be Japanese and what it means. Read more
Published on 29 Nov 2006 by Mr. A. Levicki
Limited insight into japanese culture
I bought this book hoping that it would give a comprehensive, structured commentary into Japanese life and mindset. Read more
Published on 22 July 2005
well worth reading
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book as it is very informative but yet in a very accessible way. The information is clear and presented in independent small chapters each related... Read more
Published on 10 Dec 2003 by "micheliner"
Gripping
This is an amazing book. It really gets to the root of a number of issues relating to Japanese culture. Read more
Published on 7 Nov 2003 by jankensan
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