The Japan Society Review

Directed by Hamaguchi Ryusuke Based on a Murakami Haruki’s story, Oscar winning film Drive My Car explores issues related to individual, national and international trauma through a curated film style and aesthetics. Review by Michael Tsang

By Onda Riku Honeybees and Distant Thunder is an intriguing story about an international piano competition and its wide variety of competitors. Review by George Mullins

By Chris Board Abroad in Japan charts a decade of living in a foreign land and the chaos and culture clash that came with it. Review by Cameron Bassindale

By Okabe Mimi An academic tome to its core, Manga, Murder and Mystery is nevertheless a thrillingly accessible read that will delight fans of its subject matter, as well as those coming to it through a passing interest in Japan in general, or detective fiction as a wider oeuvre. Review by Laurence Green

The Japan Society Review is Back! After a hiatus of one year since our celebration of the 100th issue of the publication, The Japan Society Review returns full of energy and great content, featuring books on Japanese design, gardens and traditions, as well as literary fiction and contemporary music made in Japan.

By Nakanishi Susumu In The Country Where Turtles Cry: Climate and Poetry of Japan, Nakanishi focuses on different aspects and forms of Japanese traditional poetry, from waka (the original word for Japanese poem) to tanka (short poems) and haiku, sharing insights about its history and cultural influence in Japan and beyond. Review by Renae Lucas-Hall

By Kawakami Hiromi Dragon Palace is a collection of eight short stories, set in wildly different times and settings, by the celebrated author of Strange Weather in Tokyo. Review by Cameron Bassindale

By Takahashi Hiroki Finger Bone is a war novel, but it is also a story of an individual man, and the lives of those that pass fleetingly around him in the worst of all possible circumstances. Review by Laurence Green

Yoshioka Nao’s latest performance at The Jazz Cafe was active and embodied and coupled with her powerful vocals, brought the music to life and left a lasting impact on the audience. Review by Jasmin Lau

By Tanizaki Junichiro In this book, Tanizaki Junichiro, one of the most distinguished Japanese writers of the twentieth century, shares three compelling tales that delve into the complexities of family life. Review by Laurence Green