The Japanese and the Jews

A Jew born and raised in Kobe, Japan, Ben-Dasan presents in this book a thoughtful, in-the-know study of two peoples whose worlds he has seen and lived in. His method of comparing and contrasting the Japanese and the Jews is extensive, intelligent, personal, even anecdotal; and he backed it with an in-depth study of history, literature, geography, politics, religion and other relevant aspects that brought these two groups of people to rise and be where they are now. It is worth pointing out that Ben-Dasan wrote the book in Japanese along with the fact that this work was a runaway bestseller in Japan, and that many have praised him for his keen observation and sensitivity to the "nuances of the Japanese national character" – and perhaps the language as well. The scope of this book is extensive, going back to a millennia of history to explain why some things are the way they are for both people.