Fiction
Japan, Inc.: Introduction to Japanese Economics (The Comic Book) (Paperback)
Author: Shotaro Ishinomori
The principles of economics explained through entertainment – this comic book tackles different aspects of the Japanese economy and then presents the information in a way that can be easily adapted for use in the Japanese business market.
Memoirs of a Geisha: A Novel (Paperback)
Author: Arthur Golden
Arthur Golden, a scholar of both Japanese art and history, paints an incredible picture of life as a geisha based on interviews conducted with “Sayuri”, a former Kyoto geisha. Golden’s first book takes us from Sayuri’s days as a youngster living in a small fishing village to her upbringing as a young geisha, and eventually to her becoming a full-fledged geisha in her own right. Sayuri’s not-entirely-fictional story is described in incredible detail and offers readers a small glimpse of how today’s geisha have evolved from where they began.
Momotaro (Hardcover)
Illustrator: George Suyeoka
Momotaro is the old and famous Japanese fairy tale about a strong warrior who was born from a peach (“momo”) and, with the help of some friends, goes on to overcome the powers of a seemingly undefeatable monster.
Non-fiction
Japanese Etiquette and Ethics in Business
Author: Boye Lafayette De Mente
Contains information on how to do business in Japan the proper way. With the cultural differences between the western and eastern world, this book will come handy in understanding and identifying the way Japanese businessmen think about business and offers explanations on how the two cultures can work together to achieve a common goal.
The Way We Do It in Japan (Hardcover)
Author: Geneva Cobb Iijima
This book is about life in Japan as seen through the eyes of a child. The book hopes to provide the reader with a rudimentary understanding of Japan and its culture and aims to reduce culture shock for newcomers to the nation. The Way We Do It in Japan also helps to teach appreciation for other cultures.
Strange But True Stories from Japan (Paperback)
Author: Jack Seward
The collection of stories contained here entertain the reader while offering information about its people, culture, and traditions. A wonderful book for expats who have spent some time in Japan as the author’s experiences can be easily connected to one’s own.
The Enigma of Japanese Power: People and Politics in a Stateless Nation(Paperback)
Author: Karel Van Wolferen
A very close look at what makes Japan tick, from the inside out. This book, written by a Dutch journalist, offers an opinion of how Japanese – particularly in powerful positions within politics and business – think and operate within the world’s second largest economy.
Tokyo Underworld: The Fast Times and Hard Life of an American Gangster in Japan (Paperback)
Author: Robert Whiting
The real life account of Nick Zapetti who arrived in Japan during the U.S. post-war occupation of Tokyo, and never left. Zapetti went on to create Nicola’s Pizza (which continues to operate in Roppongi), before apparently becoming wrapped up in organized crime. Tokyo Underworld details Zapetti’s adventures as a successful restaurateur and describes how truly intertwined the Yakuza can be in Tokyo’s business.
The Blue-Eyed Salaryman: From World Traveler to Lifer at Mitsubishi (Paperback)
Author: Niall Murtagh
Having spent years traveling the globe, Niall Murtagh settled in Japan in 1986 ready to conquer life as a “salaryman”, Japan’s typical business man. Irreverent and very entertaining, this book gives both newcomers to Japan and experienced expats an inside look at the life of a foreigner inside one of Japan’s largest conglomerates.
Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan (Paperback)
Author: Jake Adelstein
Adelstein, formerly a crime beat reporter for the Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan’s largest newspaper (which also happens to be the world’s largest), tells a unique and – at times – chilling story of the nation’s underbelly as one of the few foreigners to have ever gained real insight into the infamous Japanese Yakuza.
Tourism
Living Abroad in Japan (Paperback)
Author: Ruth Kanagy
If you want to know what it’s like starting life anew in Japan, this book will provide background on the nation, while offering tips that would otherwise take years to learn. The book also does a great job of ensuring that transplants to Japan can hit the ground running.
The Complete Residents’ Guide to Tokyo (Paperback)
Author: Explorer
While not one of the most well known publishers of travel guides, this book on Tokyo is one of the most comprehensive reads on moving to and subsequently getting around the city. Covering the usual tourist hotspots, and many of Tokyo’s better-kept secrets, this is a convenient guide for both short term and long-term visitors alike.
