The new book, 'Humanities on Tatami,' is not written to praise or criticize Japan. Regardless of whether we like or dislike Japan, it is an attempt to honestly read the 'structure of life' that its society has chosen.

The true face of Japan, which we didn't know, is not found in grand political slogans or economic indicators. It is hidden in the order of convenience store refrigerators, the two claps after bowing twice in front of a shrine, and the wood grain of long-standing restaurants that have endured for hundreds of years.

The leisure of people pausing in front of vending machines, the habit of folding and placing a single towel. None of these are grand, but strangely, these trivialities gather to form a vast worldview. The book is a persistent and detailed observation that starts from a single tatami room and dissects the structure of Japanese civilization.

By the time you finish the book, you will have the experience of the vast puzzle of Japan finally fitting together three-dimensionally, along with a calm moment of introspection reflecting on your own sense of life.

The author, Jeong Gwang-je, is a poet and a researcher of history and philosophy, active as an editorial columnist for the Korea-US-Japan Daily under the pen name Matsuyama. He served as a director of the Rhee Syngman Institute, and currently holds positions as a research advisor for the Korean Modern and Contemporary History Research Society and the representative of the philosophical forum Lyceum. His major works include 'Joseon Became a Myth' and four poetry collections. He also co-translated 'Heroes of Khalkhin Gol.' He is deeply interested in the liberal cultural movement, continuing his research and practice.