IJCH 2017 Vol.3(1): 30-35 ISSN: 2382-6177
doi: 10.18178/ijch.2017.3.1.074

Finding Cultural Lessons in an Unfamiliar Society: An Analysis of Japanese Books about the Amish

Tomomi Naka
Abstract—This article examines the ways in which Amish life and society are discussed in Japanese books. The Amish are a religious and cultural minority group living mainly in the United States and Canada. Most people in Japan have little or no historical and cultural ties to them. However, many Japanese books have been written about the Amish. An examination of these books indicates that in comparison with English scholarly books about the Amish, Japanese books discuss this group’s cultural and social context more explicitly. This article argues that through such discussions, Japanese books not only explain that Amish society and community life are different from that of Japan’s, but also offer useful insights for Japanese readers.

Index Terms—Amish, community life, Japan, representation.

T. Naka is with the Department of Regional Culture, Tottori University, Japan (e-mail: nakatomo@rs.tottori-u.ac.jp).

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Cite: Tomomi Naka, "Finding Cultural Lessons in an Unfamiliar Society: An Analysis of Japanese Books about the Amish," International Journal of Culture and History vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 30-35, 2017.

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