The Magic of Japan

現代日本の魅力を伝える日本文化紹介書
『A Geek in Japan』の著者、エクトル・ガルシアが、１５年に及ぶ日本での経験を元に、日本社会と文化、日本の魅力を紹介する。前半部では、封建制度、鎖国政策や天然資源の乏しさなど、歴史や地理的条件から日本社会や日本人の特徴を読み解き解説します。後半部では、カメラを片手に日本全国を旅して見つけた、魅力的なスポット、オススメのグルメやアクティビティを紹介します。日本文化を知り、日本楽しむのに最適な一冊。

This book is the culmination of his experiences and showcases Garcia's unique ability to delve beneath the surface of Japanese culture to describe its quirky and deep spiritual underpinnings.

The Magic of Japan features Garcia's keen observations on a wide variety of cultural topics:

・Japanese behavioral traits, including non-verbal communication, hansei (self-reflection), heijoshin (a calm mind) and shoshin (childlike openness)
・How Japan's geography and history have shaped its cultureits natural disasters, scarce resources, centuries of isolation and its feudal past
・Japanese idiosyncrasies, ranging from food traditions and absurd jobs to a love of queues
・The Japanese spirit, as evidenced in traditional art, manga and attitudes to women
・Shintoism and Buddhism, looking at temples, festivals, rituals and how religious beliefs pervade popular culture, as seen for example in Studio Ghibli's movie Spirited Away
・Japan's dark side, including crime, the yakuza, adultery, bullying and suicide