Aleksandr Evgenyevich Kulanov (born 1970) is a Russian orientalist, writer, and researcher of Russian-Japanese relations. Specialist in political imageology and intercultural communications, consultant on Japanese management and business etiquette. He writes columns for an app of the “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” (Russian Newspaper) together with Japan’s national newspaper “Mainichi,” and on the Russian website “Mysterious Japan.” Previously, he worked as a journalist in Russian and Japanese media, and consulted various business and media projects, including Alexander Sokurov’s film “Sun,” which received the Grand Prix at the 2005 St. Petersburg Film Festival.
The book of essays “The Other Side of Japan” lets you see this unique country in a new way, dispels many myths about it imposed on us by public opinion and press publications. The author passionately tells about the realities of the Land of the Rising Sun—from the specifics of housing and Japanese culinary preferences to their sporting and political tastes, describes their attitudes toward foreigners, the hard work that has become legendary, and the no less legendary yakuza. The discoveries you will make by listening to this audiobook will not leave you indifferent.