A comprehensive ready-reckoner to the essential customs and etiquette of Japan -- the world's second largest economy and the industrialized world's most organized and socially structured society, where the past continues to echo in the present and where process and presentation can often be more important than the objective or the content itself. This Simple Guide will ensure that you do not arrive in your host country ignorant of common courtesies, basic manners and culturally-sensitive taboos. Contents: In General (including tipping and Japanese homogeneity); Wining & Dining (including how to use chopsticks and eat and drink out Japanese-style); The Japanese at Home (including using a Japanese bath); Gift-giving (including pre-departure shopping); Out & About (including public transport, the police, gambling and the Yakuza); Conversation & Communication (including understanding 'silence' and taboo topics); Business Matters (including what to do in a karaoke bar and women in business); Useful Phrases & Vocabulary; Japanese Words Used in this Book; Facts About Japan; Index