Understanding Japanese Society

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Joy Hendry (Oxford Brookes University, UK) Emma E. Cook (Hokkaido University, Japan)

Understanding Japanese Society

Joy Hendry (Oxford Brookes University, UK), Emma E. Cook (Hokkaido University, Japan)

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Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Routledge
06 October 2025

Sociology: customs & traditions; Social & cultural anthropology

Series: Nissan Institute/Routledge Japanese Studies

In this welcome new sixth edition of the bestselling textbook Understanding Japanese Society, Joy Hendry and Emma E. Cook take the reader into the heart of Japanese life.

Providing a clear and accessible introduction to Japanese ways of thinking, which does not require any previous knowledge of the country, this book explores Japanese society through the worlds of home, work, play, health, religion, and ritual, covering a full range of life experiences, from childhood to old age. Fully updated, revised, and expanded with a brand new chapter on health and ageing, the sixth edition contains new material on:

Experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic Changes in the family and LGBTQ experiences Increased interest in rural areas, the problems and opportunities of empty houses Use of technology and AI in different areas of life Discussion of new kinds of criminal activity and an increase in elderly offenders

Each chapter in this new edition also includes an exciting insert from scholars in the field, based on new and emerging research. This book will be invaluable to all students studying Japan. It will also enlighten tourists, travellers, and business people wishing to gain an understanding of Japanese people.

By: Joy Hendry (Oxford Brookes University UK), Emma E. Cook (Hokkaido University, Japan)
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: 6th edition
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781032871530
ISBN 10: 1032871539
Series: Nissan Institute/Routledge Japanese Studies
Pages: 326
Publication Date: 06 October 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Introduction 1. Sources of Japanese identity: Historical and mythological foundations of Japan 2. The house and family system 3. Socialisation and classification 4. Community and neighborhood 5. The education system 6. Status, hierarchy and ethnic diversity 7. Healthcare and aging 8. Religious influences 9. Ritual and the life cycle 10. Opportunities for working life 11. Arts, entertainment and leisure 12. Government and the craft of politics 13. The legal system and social control Conclusion

Joy Hendry is Professor Emerita of Oxford Brookes University, UK, and has held visiting associations with Tokyo, Dōshisha, and Keio universities, carried out fieldwork over 50 years, and published many books and articles on the social anthropology of Japan. A recent book An Affair with a Village (2021) tells a more personal story. In 2017, she was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese government. Emma E. Cook is Professor of Modern Japanese Studies at Hokkaido University, Japan. Previous publications include a book titled Reconstructing Adult Masculinities: Part-Time Work in Contemporary Japan (2016), an edited volume with Allison Alexy called Intimate Japan: Ethnographies of Closeness and Conflict (2018), and articles in Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry, Asian Anthropology, and Social Science Japan Journal, among others.