Salaryman in Japan

To most Americans, this book will be a humorous read. Having worked for a major Japanese organization,together with several trips to Japan, it appears to accurately portray the life of a Japanese businessman as best as I can tell. It is an easy read and is a handy reference guide to understanding the culture of the Japanese "Salary Man".

The book is criminally humorous as it describes the life, times, trials and tribulations of the 1980s Salaryman. The book is still in print in Japan, though it's relevance to today is diminishing. On the very surface it is a sympathetic appeal to what the salaryman has to put up with. Like many things Japanese, it is an onion, and a level beneath it really pokes fun at the salarymen. One more level and you get a lesson on what it's like to be a businessman in Japan.High wisdom? No. But it's still worth a read for any Japanophile.

A Japanese friend gave me this book, and I couldn't put it down. I learned how to present and receive a business card, what a karaoke bar is like (you'll be surprised), and what a salaryman's day is like. I found the most interesting parts to be how the mixed feelings about the role of women were reflected. In one part, women were criticized for wanting to stay in the workplace rather than marry. In another part, women were criticized for spending their days shopping, not having meals ready when their husbands come home, and having affairs. If you are planning a trip to Japan, this book will give you some insight into what the Japanese feel is important for Westerners to know.