Japan ─ A Guide to Traditions, Customs and Etiquette; Kata As the Key to Understanding the Japanese

In Japan: A Guide to Traditions, Customs and Etiquette veteran Japanologist Boye Lafayette De Mente unlocks the mysteries of Kata — the cultural forms that shape and define Japanese attitudes, behavior and character.

These forms are responsible for creating the unique traits and talents which distinguishes the Japanese people. Kata governs virtually all interactions in Japan and remains the key to understanding Japanese business etiquette as well as daily communication.

In seventy short, clear essays ranging from "The Art of Bowing" and "Importance of the Apology" to "The Compulsion for Quality" and "Exchanging Name Cards", De Mente unravels the complexities of Japanese culture and etiquette by exploring the origin, nature, use and influence of Kata in Japanese life. By virtually delving into Japanese history and the collective Japanese psyche, readers will experience the modern expressions of this ancient culture and specific way of thinking.

Boye Lafayette De Mente first went to Japan in 1949 as a member of a U.S. military intelligence agency, and was involved with the country for more than six decades as a student, journalist, editor, lecturer, and writer. He is the author of more than thirty books on Japan, including Japanese Etiquette and Ethics in Business and How to Do Business With the Japanese.

Completely revised and expanded by Geoff Botting who has lived in Japan for over a quarter century, witnessing Japan's economic bubble, its bursting, and the changes that came in its wake. He is a freelance translator and a print and broadcast journalist specializing in business.