The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly known as the Mormon Church, is quickly becoming a global religion with more than 12 million members worldwide. In Japan, the number of official members has more than doubled since 1980. Yet this impressive growth has not been accompanied by research on Japanese Mormons. What attracts Japanese people, most of whom have little experience with Christianity, to an American faith? How are their lives as Japanese people affected by the Mormon Church? Based on research in a small congregation in northern Japan and in-depth interviews with foreign missionaries, Japanese Saints is the first book to provide an in-depth, qualitative examination of what it is like to be a Japanese Mormon. Hoffmann pays particular attention to how members joined the LDS Church, how it has affected relationships with family and friends, and what membership in the Church entails.

"Fascinating and highly readable book, as it does not just give insights into the Mormon Church in Japan but also sketches its members and organization against the wider Japanese religious and political context. Hoffman offers many new insights into the LDS conversion experience in a country that is rarely studiedddd" - BYU Studies Quarterly

"Japanese Saints is a valuable contribution to a growing body of literature on Mormonism outside of the United States….The book will be a useful starting point for scholars interested in international Mormonism, and one may hope that it will prompt a number of further research projects on Mormonism in Japan." - Journal of Religion, July 2008

"Fascinating and highly readable book, as it does not just give insights into the Mormon Church in Japan but also sketches its members and organization against the wider Japanese religious and political context. Hoffman offers many new insights into the LDS conversion experience in a country that is rarely studied" - BYU Studies Quarterly