Our Japan, Our World: An Intercultural Journey (Paperback or Softback)

Journey across Japan and the world with these engaging readings!

This text introduces students to the English-speaking world, intercultural communication skills, and covers domestic locations and issues as well. The readings are written to an A2/B1 CEFR level, so they are appropriate for students who need to study English, but may not be English majors.

Each of the 48 topics (16 in each of the three topic threads) has pre and post discussion questions, and comprehension and vocabulary questions as well. The text is written so the topics can be covered in any order or omitted as needed.

A teacher's manual (available from spring, 2026) has answers for the questions, translations of all passages, and a discussion of the concepts underlying how the book was made and its effective use.

Topics include:
(From the international topic readings...)
The story of English - how did it develop and spread so far?
The UK and Ireland
Canada and the USA
East and West Africa
South Africa
The Middle East

(From the Japan-focused topic readings...)
One reading for each of Japan's 8 regions (Chugoku, Shikoku, Kansai, Hokkaido, Kanto, Tohoku, Chubu, Kyushu/Okinawa - for example, how population change is affecting Tohoku now)
Japan’s Festivals
Ekiben, and food tourism
Japanese who have had an impact on the world's perception of Japan (Kurosawa, DT Suzuki)

(From the intercultural communication focused readings...)
Identity and Culture
Edward Hall
Culture and Perception
Stereotypes and how they relate to generalization as a learning strategy
Nonverbal communication (including time, touch, body language, etc.)
Diversity
Marginality - how it can be isolating, but also a source of change and growth

Stephen Shrader is an associate professor at Notre Dame Seishin University in Japan. He has lived in Japan for almost all of his adult life, and spends most of his time working on how to effectively blend language teaching with intercultural communication theory. He has presented and written on a range of topics related to language teaching, EAP, and how to prepare students for intercultural life and work.