Encyclopedia of Japan: Taking Japan to the World

Taking Japan to the World: A Practical Bilingual Guide

In today’s interconnected world, the ability to explain Japan’s culture, history, geography and society in English is an essential skill for every Japanese person. This book is designed as a truly practical resource for introducing Japan to an international audience.

Covering topics from geography, history, politics and culture to everyday life, it provides clear Japanese–English parallel explanations, helping readers understand the background so they can explain it accurately in English. Each section also includes useful ready-to-use conversational phrases.

Key features:

1. Offers concise answers to the questions most frequently asked by foreigners about Japan.

2. Encourages objective, balanced explanations—avoiding one-sided national pride—sometimes by comparing Japan with other cultures.

3. Goes beyond dictionary-style entries, presenting fair and nuanced accounts of Japanese society’s strengths and challenges.

4. Covers everything from traditional customs to current issues such as the Senkaku/Diaoyu and Takeshima/Dokdo disputes.

5. Includes convenient on-page word lists alongside the English text, eliminating the need for a dictionary.

With its combination of accessible explanations and bilingual text, this volume is ideal for students, professionals, and anyone seeking to communicate Japan’s story to the wider world.

Errata: On page 74 (Japanese text, 7th line from the bottom) and page 75 (English text, 9th line from the bottom), the year should read 2011 (not 2012).

Dimensions: 188 × 128 mm

Number of pages: 240

Country of manufacture: Japan

Material / component: Paper

Estimated shipping date: About 10 days

Year of manufacture: 2012