The writer, a young Finnish female scientist, has been working in Japan as a researcher since Nmember 1988 and has experienced and learned the Japanese way of life and work. In this article the general features of Japanese society are outlined and the traditions which still bind Japanese women are elaborated. In theory the field of engineering is open to women but the.weighr of societal customs and values makes it rather demanding for any woman to try to make a career in any technical field.