Holidays and Festivals -- Arts and Skill -- Recreation and Leisure -- Cuisine and Diet -- Religion and Spirituality -- The Home and Daily Life -- Communication and the Printed Word -- Places and Sights

The greatest accomplishment of any civilisation is the heritage of cultur eit produces adn passes on to future generations. By this assessment, in fields as diverse as literature, music, art and cuisine, the richness of Japan's culture is renowned worldwide. ntroduction to Japanese Culture presents an overview, through sixty-eight original and informative essays, of some of Japan's most notable cultural achievements. Unquestionably, th eJapan of today is a fully modern, Westernised society in nearly every regard. Yet even so, the elements of an earlier age are clearly visible in the country's arts, festivals, and customs. Thi sbook focuses on the essential constants that remain in present day Japan and their counterparts in Western culture. Through its well-researched articles, colour photographs, and line illustrations, 'Introduction to Japanese Culture' provides a compact guide to aspects of Japan that often puzzle the outside observer. This very informative text is also a needed primer on the cultural make-up and behaviours of the Japanese, certain to fascinate the student, tourist, or anyone who seeks to know and understand teh Japanese and their world.