The Japan Society Review

By Shawn Bender In this book, the author charts the journey of taiko out of the temples and festivals and on to the international stage. He also uses taiko as a prism through which many aspects of Japanese society can be viewed. Review by Mary Murata

By Peter O’Connor While newspapers in Japan were published from the middle of the 19th century onwards, the first major strides towards an organized industry were taken in 1891. The global press in those days was [...] Review by Ian Nish

Directed by Hirokazu Koreeda Like Father Like Son is looking at human lives as we see how two families cope when they discover that their sons were mixed up at birth and that each set of parents had been bringing up the child of [...] Review by Mike Sullivan

By Rana Mitter As the title implies Mitter looks at the conflict from a Chinese perspective and his main focus is understandably on China and the impact of events elsewhere on China. He has put together a [...] Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi

By Haruki Murakami The book reads more like a fleshed-out short story than a true novel. This is giving the work a refreshing simplicity and leanness that Murakami hasn’t adopted since his early works such as [...] Review by Chris Corker

By Inoue Hisashi The structure of the book involves a tale within a tale, a jigsaw compilation of the mysterious story-teller’s persona, an old man living in the mountain cave of the title, and that of his avid listener the narrator. Review by Jack Cooke

Mike Sullivan interviews actress Yuriri Naka, one of the stars in the movie 'All That Remains'. Interview by Mike Sullivan

Directed by Ryohei Watanabe The movie has a narrative by the main character Misa Kumada. From the beginning it is clear that the main story follows her past experiences at high school while infrequently we see her as an adult in [...] Review by Mike Sullivan

Edited by Yuka Igarashi Granta Literary Magazine has released an edition focusing exclusively on Japan and its culture. Combining fiction and photo exhibitions, this volume offers something exciting and unfamiliar for those [...] Review by Chris Corker

Mike sullivan interviews violinist Midori Komachi following the release of her debut album. Interview by Mike Sullivan