The received myth is that the Japanese are a race so different from the rest of us that no outsider can understand them - a myth they seem rather to enjoy. But one that Ian Buruma explodes in this fascinating study of the Japanese character through a studied analysis of the way they perceive and, more importantly, portray, themselves in their popular culture. Anyone who has ever been intrigued by the images of kamikaze pilots, geisha girls or the intricate arts of Japan will find this book a revelation.