The Japan Society Review

This is the fifth year of the Terracotta Far East Film Festival and it gets bigger and better each time. This year’s press event allowed us to get a preview of the line up of movies as well as see their trailers. Review by Mike Sullivan

By Edogawa Rampo The detective, Akechi Kogorō is very much moulded in the image of Sherlock Holmes, on the one hand quick and ingenious, on the other eccentric and haughty. When taken to an extreme, Kogorō’s lack of humility [...] Review by Chris Corker

Four centuries ago King James I gave Japan its very first telescope. Sadly, the original telescope has been lost to the mists of time, but as part of the Japan400 celebrations in 2013 to mark four centuries since the first official encounter, a new telescope was constructed using traditional methods. Article by Sean Curtin

By Sharon Kinsella This sociological study contains interesting material about aspects of the life of young women in modern Japan. The reader needs to bear in mind that Japan remains a male chauvinist society and Japanese women [...] Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi

By Hisaki Matsuura The story is an intriguing one: while wondering through Tokyo backstreets after an unfulfilling romantic affair with a married woman, Otsuki is surprised to bump into one of his old colleagues, Sugimoto, representing [...] Review by Chris Corker

By Nancy Broadbent Casserley This book is based on the Parkes collection of Washi, part of the collections of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. It contains colour reproductions of a wide variety of Japanese handmade papers. Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi

Directed by Abbas Kiarostami Abbas Kiarostami's style is quite different to Hollywood directors who prefer big blockbuster action movies, moreover, his movies can be controversial. Like Someone in Love is no exception to this and [...] Review by Mike Sullivan

Directed by Keiichi Hara The movie Colorful was screened at the ICA and included an introduction by the film’s director, Keiichi Hara, as well as a Q & A afterwards. Review by Mike Sullivan

Directed by Hiroyuki Kitakubo and written by Katsuhiro Otomo Focusing on the problem of Japan’s ageing population, the film satirically reproduces the mech-orientated glory days of Japanese animation, placing this camp and overblown genre within a serious moral construct. Review by Chris Corker

Susan Meehan interviews Micha Colombo, director of the play 'Woman in the Dunes' Interview by Susan Meehan