The Japan Society Review

By Brad Glosserman In Peak Japan, Brad Glosserman explains his view on why Japan has not and will not change, concluding that Japanese horizons are shrinking and that the Japanese public has given up the bold ambitions of previous generations and its current leadership. Review by Duncan Bartlett

By Amy Stanley A deeply researched work of history that explores the life of an unconventional woman during the first half of the 19th century in Edo (Tokyo) and a portrait of a great city on the brink of the encounter with the West. Review by Laurence Green

This issue of The Japan Society Review hopes to bring some of that beauty also into your homes featuring the review and some astonishing images of the exhibition Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk opened at the Victorian & Albert Museum in London last February.

By Matsuda Aoko Witty, inventive, and profound, Where the Wild Ladies Are by Matsuda Aoko is considered a contemporary feminist retelling of traditional ghost stories by one of Japan’s most exciting writers. Review by Charlotte Goff

By Onda Riku The first novel by prolific and award-winning author Onda Riku to be published in English is prefaced by a transcript of a police interview with Hisako Aosawa, the sole survivor of a mass murder that has claimed the rest of her family. Review by Jill Dobson

By Shaun Curry Based on the real-life incidence of systematic persecution of Christians in 17th century Japan by the Tokugawa Shogunate, the story of The Swords of Silence takes as its focus Father Joaquim Martinez, a Portuguese priest [...] Review by Laurence Green

By Kerry Drewery Told through an interweaving of haiku, free verse and standard prose, The Last Paper Crane delights in flitting between mediums in an attempt to convey the essence of the Hiroshima story beyond the simple historical facts. Review by Laurence Green

A major new exhibition at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum celebrates the kimono’s elegant history. It also displays its dynamic renaissance, through works by modern designers, such Alexander McQueen, John Gallianio and Rei Kawakubo. Review by Duncan Bartlett

By Iain Maloney In 2016 Scottish writer Iain Maloney and his Japanese wife Minori moved to a village in rural Japan. This is the story of his attempt to fit in, be accepted and fulfil his duties as a member of the community, despite being the only foreigner in the village. Review by Azmina Sohail

Welcome to the first issue of The Japan Society Review in 2020. We start our 15th year of publication with renewed energy and commitment to advance the knowledge and understanding of Japan. In this period of crisis and uncertainty, we invite you to discover new aspects of Japanese culture from the safety of your home.