This book presents a series of stories about the lives of young Japanese people told in their own words. Each of the texts provides a glimpse into a complex and varied society, without the common stereotypes so often used in texts aimed at Japanese language learners.
 
A variety of subjects are covered: life & work, family, marriage, education, language matters, youth & society, intercultural relations, and community.
The people who present these stories also represent a wide cross-section of society and include: students; computer programmers; an architect; a fisherman; a farmer; a travel agent, shop and hotel staff; a factory worker; a white-collar worker; an English teacher; a housewife; and a homeless person. These contributors are located in many regions throughout Japan.

This book is aimed at intermediate to advanced learners.

English translations are given in word lists and vocabulary notes.