Hikikomori: Adolescence without End

The best book on this subject in my opinion. Written by the man who coined the name in the first place this bookarguably has the best overview and insight into the issue. Dr. Saito sees hundreds of sufferers daily at his clinic (which is for justthis ONE condition). I have interviewed Dr. Saito for my own research on hikikomori (I have dual nationality and brought my Japanese children up here in Japan, from birth to their twenties - along the way knowing many hikikomori sufferers). Dr. Saito has spent decades examining a painfully horrific family breaking, heart breaking ailment and has written this book in an easy to understand, simple, non- judgmental and caring style. A must read for anyone remotely connected to, or interested in hikikomori.

The book is a little awkward and the author tends to jump around a bit, but I found it a fascinating subject.

A remarkable theoretical and practical manual. Every family with a member who is afraid to leave the home should have this book. Excellent translation. Should be translated into as many languages as possible, to be available for families all over the world to use.

I found the translation to be very awkward because it accurately reflects the imprecise Japanese language. The author never analyzes the "why" of the cause of this malady in Japan but prescribes ways to help families resolve the issue through vague suggestions. I found myself on a journey to understand this condition but found myself no closer to understanding this strange affliction that impacts close to a million Japanese shut-ins. I found this book to be an excellent companion to "Shutting Out the Sun" by Michael Zielenziger that covers the issue of "Hikikomori" from a much more global point of view and from a Western perspective. Had I not read "Shutting Out the Sun" first it would have been hard to understand the phenomenon of "Hikikomori". The book "Hikikomori" provides insights from an insular Japanese point of view that unfortunately does not inspire confidence that Japan can solve this problem anytime soon.

Saito Tamaki really wrote this book well. It is written in a way that anyone could pick it up and just do casual reading on this topic, albeit that it is a strange topic to just do "casual reading" on but it is still good regardless.

The issue of self-imposed isolation in the midst of a wider community is important. It is frequent in Japan, where the self-isolating individual is supported by parents and others who deliver help and don't question the actions of the troubled individual. In Korea, younger adolescents stay inside in their rooms, playing video-games endlessly.This work explains and examines the problem in a very easy to read manner. It should be talked about in psychology courses. It seems culturally-influenced and/or supported easily in some cultures, although the author's contention is that this is not a narrow culture-bound illness. He sayds in western cultures the result is homeless youth, as the young people are kicked out of the home, whereas in Asia, they are allowed to be cocooned inside the home.

Though well know in Japan this particular cultural bound illness is virtually unheard of in the US. This is an excellent introduction. A copy is being ordered for the library.

Is good is star to now more about pronlem in Japan good to read

Not that technical, which is good. Its happenning in every culture, as bad as it can get. The reason is, "disavowal of castration". We think we can have everything, so we dont narrow down to whats best for us. Then we get nothing, and the hikkikomori recedes completely.Its a societal problem, not just personal. Its happenning b/c society's broken.

The 'Social Phenomenon' that is 'Hikikomori' has grown to around one million people since this book was first published in 1998. The book itself is divided into two sections, the first analysing and describing all the aspects of the phenomenon and explaining in layman's terms what hikikomori actually is and the second section goes into details of how the counter-measures can be affected. In it's entirety it's not a particularly long book but it is a fascinating one. Well worth reading in itself if you're even mildly interested in this milestone of Japanese Culture. It's a book that avoids complicated reasoning or confusing terminology and therefore remains effectively simple. Highly Recommended

The book to read if you have a child suffering from social withdrawal who stays in their bedroom all day.