Ben Stevens’ 'A Gaijin's Guide to Japan'

When Scott Pack of the Friday Project offered me the chance to review Ben Stevens’ A Gaijin's Guide to Japan, I jumped at it. As a student of Japanese weapons and by inference, its culture, I was fascinated to read it. Add to that my 12 year-old daughter’s fascination for all things Japan and it became a must have.

A Gaijin’s Guide… eschews the traditional format of place name entries and instead provides a whistle-stop tour of popular culture. Some of the entries are hilarious, for example the entry on Bushusuru:

On January 8th, 1992, at a state dinner given in his honour during a visit to Japan, President George Bush Snr. Repaid the hospitality of his hosts by throwing up in the lap of Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa. The unfortunate incident was quickly blamed on a feeling of ‘nausea’ that had plagued Bush all day, but soon the verb Bushuru – literally ‘doing a Bush’ – had been invented to describe those who vomited without warning.

I loved this book. As a guide to Japanes popular culture it is invaluable – I would never have known to beware of ‘jozu’ (‘skillful!’) as an insult! It is not a book to find the best (or cheapest) places to stay (avoid those coffin hotels, chaps!) nor a guide to where to eat (try The Rough Guide to Japan) but for casual travellers and armchair Japanophiles, it is worth every penny.

And with my penchant for twenties slang, I’ll try to avoid saying ‘chin-chin, old chap.’

Ben also has another Orient-based book available: From Lee to Li
is an A-Z of martial arts heroes, both in Japan and the rest of the world. Utterly absorbing for both martial arts participators and film buffs alike.