Japan has long fascinated Indian political leaders, cultural personalities, administrators and scholars. Pallavi Aiyar’s perspective is, however, distinctive. She is an intrepid globe-trotter and a delightful story-teller. Having written earlier about her stints in China, Europe and Indonesia, she now turns her sharp eye for the unusual on Japan. Orienting will be of great value to the serious reader. But it is written in a most engaging manner, making it accessible to anyone seeking to understand the many complexities of Japanese society.
Jairam Ramesh