Written in the eleventh century, this exquisite portrait of courtly life in medieval Japan is widely celebrated as the world’s first novel. Genji, the Shining Prince, is the son of an emperor. He is a passionate character whose tempestuous nature, family circumstances, love affairs, alliances, and shifting political fortunes form the core of this magnificent epic. Royall Tyler’s superior translation is detailed, poetic, and superbly true to the Japanese original while allowing the modern reader to appreciate it as a contemporary treasure. Supplemented with detailed notes, glossaries, character lists, and chronologies to help the reader navigate the multigenerational narrative, this comprehensive edition presents this ancient tale in the grand style that it deserves. This universally acknowledged masterpiece concerns the love of Prince Genji and life in the imperial court of Kyoto.

Second edition of the most highly regarded teaching text book on the Japanese language, covering speaking, listening, reading, and writing to cultivate overall language ability. Each lesson in the revised edition features a new section dubbed Culture Notes," and now includes the audio CD companion which is in mp3 format ready to install on any music player. In Japanese/English. Distributed by Tsai Fong Books, Inc.

Japan's oldest surviving narrative, the eighth-century Kojiki, chronicles the mythical origins of its islands and their ruling dynasty through a diverse array of genealogies, tales, and songs that have helped to shape the modern nation's views of its ancient past. Gustav Heldt's engaging new translation of this revered classic aims to make the Kojiki accessible to contemporary readers while staying true to the distinctively dramatic and evocative appeal of the original's language. It conveys the rhythms that structure the Kojiki's animated style of storytelling and translates the names of its many people and places to clarify their significance within the narrative. An introduction, glossaries, maps, and bibliographies offer a wealth of additional information about Japan's earliest extant record of its history, literature, and religion.

This is the LATEST EDITION (Update 8.0)Japanese From Zero! is an innovative and integrated approach to learning Japanese developed by professional Japanese interpreter George Trombley and co-writer Yukari Takenaka.The lessons and techniques used in this series have been taught successfully for over ten years in classrooms throughout the world. Using up-to-date and easy-to-grasp grammar, Japanese From Zero! is the perfect course for current students of Japanese as well as absolute beginners.In Book 1 of the Japanese From Zero! series, readers are taught new grammar concepts, over 800 new words and expressions, and also learn the hiragana writing system.Features of Book 1:* Integrated Workbook with Answer Key* Over 800 New Words and Expressions* Learn to Read and Write Hiragana* Easy-to-Understand Example Dialogues* Culture Points about Japan* Bilingual Glossaries with Kana and Romaji...and much more!

Donald Keene. Includes Index. Bibliography: P. [123]-126.

This ever-popular series of dictionary-style grammar guides comprises three volumes--basic, intermediate, and advanced--with each presenting some 200 key grammar items, along with analysis of sentence patterns, abundant example sentences, and easy-to-understand explanations in English. The books also thoroughly explains common pitfalls and the distinctions in usage of similar expressions, helping users to develop an even stronger grasp of Japanese grammar. A must-have reference for learners and teachers alike.

Shortlisted for the Best Translated Book AwardLonglisted for the Believer Book Award\nLonglisted for the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation\nA Los Angeles Times Bestseller\nThe English-language debut of an exciting young voice in international fiction, selling 660,000 copies in Japan alone, Convenience Store Woman is a bewitching portrayal of contemporary Japan through the eyes of a single woman who fits into the rigidity of its work culture only too well.\nThe English-language debut of one of Japan’s most talented contemporary writers, selling over 650,000 copies there, Convenience Store Woman is the heartwarming and surprising story of thirty-six-year-old Tokyo resident Keiko Furukura. Keiko has never fit in, neither in her family, nor in school, but when at the age of eighteen she begins working at the Hiiromachi branch of “Smile Mart,” she finds peace and purpose in her life. In the store, unlike anywhere else, she understands the rules of social interaction―many are laid out line by line in the store’s manual―and she does her best to copy the dress, mannerisms, and speech of her colleagues, playing the part of a “normal” person excellently, more or less. Managers come and go, but Keiko stays at the store for eighteen years. It’s almost hard to tell where the store ends and she begins. Keiko is very happy, but the people close to her, from her family to her coworkers, increasingly pressure her to find a husband, and to start a proper career, prompting her to take desperate action… \n A brilliant depiction of an unusual psyche and a world hidden from view, Convenience Store Woman is an ironic and sharp-eyed look at contemporary work culture and the pressures to conform, as well as a charming and completely fresh portrait of an unforgettable heroine.

Basic Kanji Book Volume 1 This volume covers about 250 kanji and the second volume completes the 500 in the Basic series. These books are really textbooks just for learning kanji. Each lesson covers about 10 characters and begins with a section called "About the kanji" which gives interesting background on the kanji you are about to learn. Next comes writing and reading lessons for each kanji. Lastly, there is a longer reading section followed by a game or some quiz.

Through explanations of commonly used words such as "seken (society)," "kejime (distinction)," and "kuki wo yomu (read between the lines)," you can learn about Japanese sensibilities and Japanese culture. In response to changes in Japanese society in the 10 years since the first edition was released, the words and explanations were updated. Additional explanations and new items have been added for a deeper understanding of Japanese culture.

The Nightmare No Parent Could Endure. The Case No Detective Could Solve. The Twist No Reader Could Predict. For Five Days In January 1989, The Parents Of A Seven-year-old Tokyo Schoolgirl Sat And Listened To The Demands Of Their Daughter's Kidnapper. They Would Never Learn His Identity. They Would Never See Their Daughter Again. For The Fourteen Years That Followed, The Japanese Public Listened To The Police's Apologies. They Would Never Forget The Botched Investigation That Became Known As Six Four. They Would Never Forgive The Authorities For Their Failure. For One Week In Late 2002, The Press Officer Attached To The Police Department In Question Confronted An Anomaly In The Case. He Could Never Imagine What He Would Uncover. He Would Never Have Looked If He'd Known What He Would Find. -- Hideo Yokoyama ; Translated From The Japanese By Jonathan Lloyd-davies. Originally Published In Japanese In 2012 By Bungeishunju, Tokyo, As Rokuyon (64)--title Page Verso. English Translation Originally Published In 2016 By Quercus Publishing Ltd., Great Britain--title Page Verso.

Have you been trying to learn Japanese and simply can’t find the simple way to discover new words?Are you tired of having to pore through boring textbooks and complicated material that you don’t really understand?Are you looking for a way to learn the language more effectively without taking shortcuts?If you answered “Yes!” to at least one of those previous questions, then this book is for you! We’ve compiled the 2000 Most Common Words in Japanese, a list of terms that will expand your vocabulary to levels previously unseen.Did you know that — according to an important study — learning the top two thousand (2000) most frequently used words will enable you to understand up to 84% of all non-fiction and 86.1% of fiction literature and 92.7% of oral speech? Those are amazing stats, and this book will take you even further than those numbers!In this book: A detailed introduction with tips and tricks on how to improve your learning – here, you will learn the basics to get you started on this marvelous list of Japanese terms! A list of 2000 of the most common words in Japanese and their translations An example sentence for each word – in both Japanese and English Finally, a conclusion to make sure you’ve learned and supply you with a final list of tipsDon’t look any further, we’ve got what you need right here!In fact, we’re ready to turn you into a Japanese speaker… are you ready to become one?

From the bestselling author of Kafka on the Shore: A magnificent coming-of-age story steeped in nostalgia, “a masterly novel” (The New York Times Book Review) blending the music, the mood, and the ethos that were the sixties with a young man’s hopeless and heroic first love.Now with a new introduction by the author.Toru, a serious young college student in Tokyo, is devoted to Naoko, a beautiful and introspective young woman, but their mutual passion is marked by the tragic death of their best friend years before. As Naoko retreats further into her own world, Toru finds himself drawn to a fiercely independent and sexually liberated young woman.Stunning and elegiac, Norwegian Wood first propelled Haruki Murakami into the forefront of the literary scene.

From the nutty mind of Kyohiko Azuma, creator of the hit manga Azumanga Daioh comes the story of the new kid in town - little Yotsuba, a green-haired and wide-eyed girl who doesn't have a clue... about anything! With no knowledge of the world around her, and an unnatural fear of air conditioners, Yotsuba has her new neighbors' heads spinning. Join the hilarious exploits of an out-of-this-world schoolgirl as her befuddled friends attempt to uncover the secrets behind this strange child in Yotsubato!

Negotiating with Japanese businessmen is not just a cup of tea! Doing business with the Japanese is a challenge. Now international consultant Robert M. March provides the winning edge. Includes Case Studies of Actual Successful and Unsuccessful Negotiations!

Whether you travel for business, pleasure, or a combination of the two, the ever-popular "Culture Shock!" series belongs in your backpack or briefcase. Get the nuts-and-bolts information you need to survive and thrive wherever you go. "Culture Shock!" country guides are easy-to-read, accurate, and entertaining crash courses in local customs and etiquette. "Culture Shock!" practical guides offer the inside information you need whether you're a student, a parent, a globetrotter, or a working traveler. "Culture Shock!" at your Door guides equip you for daily life in some of the world's most cosmopolitan cities. And "Culture Shock!" Success Secrets guides offer relevant, practical information with the real-life insights and cultural know-how that can make the difference between business success and failure. Each "Culture Shock!" title is written by someone who's lived and worked in the country, and each book is packed with practical, accurate, and enjoyable information to help you find your way and feel at home. Whether for a long-term stay or a lazy weekend, Culture Shock! Japan provides a fun-filled crash-course on etiquette do's and don'ts. The book educates readers through topics such as the language, food and entertaining, social customs, festivals, relationships, and helpful business tips, as well as sights and scenes.

ALAN BOOTH'S CLASSIC OF MODERN TRAVEL WRITING Traveling only along small back roads, Alan Booth traversed Japan's entire length on foot, from Soya at the country's northernmost tip, to Cape Sata in the extreme south, across three islands and some 2,000 miles of rural Japan. The Roads to Sata is his wry, witty, inimitable account of that prodigious trek. Although he was a city person-he was brought up in London and spent most of his adult life in Tokyo - Booth had an extraordinary ability to capture the feel of rural Japan in his writing. Throughout his long and arduous trek, he encountered a variety of people who inhabit the Japanese countryside-from fishermen and soldiers, to bar hostesses and school teachers, to hermits, drunks, and tramps. His wonderful and often hilarious descriptions of these encounters are the highlights of these pages, painting a multifaceted picture of Japan from the perspective of an outsider, but with the knowledge of an insider. The Roads to Sata is travel writing at its best, illuminating and disarming, poignant yet hilarious, critical but respectful. Traveling across Japan with Alan Booth, readers will enjoy the wit and insight of a uniquely perceptive guide, and more importantly, they will discover a new face of an often misunderstood nation.

Adrift in Tokyo, translating obscene rap lyrics for giggling Japanese high school girls,, "thirtynothing" Robert Twigger comes to a revelation about himself: He has never been fit nor brave. Guided by his roommates, Fat Frank and Chris, he sets out to cleanse his body and mind. Not knowing his fist from his elbow, the author is drawn into the world of Japanese martial arts, joining the Tokyo Riot Police on their yearlong, brutally demanding course of budo training, where any ascetic motivation soon comes up against bloodstained "white pyjamas" and fractured collarbones. In Angry White Pyjamas, Twigger blends, the ancient with the modern--the ultratraditionalism, ritual, and violence of the dojo (training academy) with the shopping malls, nightclubs, and scenes of everyday Tokyo life in the 1990s--to provide a brilliant, bizarre glimpse of life in contemporary Japan. Adrift in Tokyo, "thirtynothing" Robert Twigger came to a revelation about himself: He had never been fit or brave. Guided by his roommates, he set out to cleanse his body and mind. Not knowing his fist from his elbow, the author is sucked into the world of Japanese martial arts and joins the Tokyo Riot Police on their year-long, brutally demanding course of budo training, where any ascetic motivation soon comes up against blood-stained "white pyjamas" and fractured collarbones. In this entertaining book, Twigger blends the ancient with the modern--the ultratraditionalism, ritual, and violence of the "dojo" (training academy) with the shopping malls, nightclubs, and scenes of everyday Tokyo life in the 1990s--to provide a brilliant, bizarre glimpse of contemporary Japan.Adrift in Tokyo, "thirtynothing" Robert Twigger came to a revelation about himself: He had never been fit or brave. Guided by his roommates, he set out to cleanse his body and mind. Not knowing his fist from his elbow, the author is sucked into the world of Japanese martial arts and joins the Tokyo Riot Police on their year-long, brutally demanding course of budo training, where any ascetic motivation soon comes up against blood-stained "white pyjamas" and fractured collarbones. In this entertaining book, Twigger blends the ancient with the modern--the ultratraditionalism, ritual, and violence of the "dojo" (training academy) with the shopping malls, nightclubs, and scenes of everyday Tokyo life in the 1990s--to provide a brilliant, bizarre glimpse of contemporary Japan.

A full-scale examination of the inner workings of Japan's political and industrial system. Publishers Weekly ``Here at last is a first-rate book by a Westerner on the obfuscations and realities of Japanese politics,'' praised PW , complimenting van Wolferen's ``almost stupefying thoroughness.'' (May)