Books
Japonisme and the Rise of the Modern Art Movement: The Arts of the Meiji PeriodEdited by Gregory Irvine This book is much more than another book on Japonisme in late ninetenth century Europe. Gregory Irvine describes the way in which Japanese art objects reached the west in a chapter headed [...] Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi
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Blue BambooBy Dazai Osamu This collection of short stories, released recently through the still relatively young Kurodhahan Press, can be seen as a quaint but pleasant divergence from the narrative and themes that fans of Dazai will [...] Review by Chris Corker
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Slurp! A Social and Culinary History of Ramen – Japan’s Favorite Noodle SoupBy Barak Kushner In delving into the history of ramen Kushner throws light on many interesting aspects of Japanese social and political history as well as on Japan’s lengthy and complex relationship with China. Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi
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Out of Silence: A Pianist’s YearbookBy Susan Tomes Out of Silence traces a year in the life of a classical pianist in the form of a blog. Each entry develops a theme that has inspired the author's interpretation of [...] Review by Lisa Ueda
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My Father in his Suitcase, In search of E.J.H.Corner the Relentless BotanistBy John K.Corner Professor Corner was ‘one of the most colourful and productive biologists and mycologists of the 20th century.’ In 1929 he became assistant director of [...] Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi
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Across the Three Pagodas Pass: The Story of the Thai-Burma RailwayBy Yoshihiko Futamatsu Primarily the book provides an account of his wartime experiences, a personal story of hardship, illness and disappointment over failed attempts at repatriation. The author is [...] Review by Ian Nish
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The Winter Sun Shines In, A Life of Masaoka ShikiBy Professor Donald Keene This latest book describes the life and works of one of the most significant poets of the Meiji period, when Japanese literature in response to the revolutionary changes [...] Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi
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Yamamoto Isoroku: Leadership, Strategy, ConflictBy Mark Stille This slim volume provides an introduction to the life and strategy of one of the leading Japanese naval commanders in the Pacific War: Isoroku Yamamoto. Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi
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SchoolgirlBy Osamu Dazai Schoolgirl was the first of Dazai’s published works, and gained him national acclaim. The novella is set in Tokyo during the Second World War, a time of [...] Review by Chris Corker
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Across A Bridge of DreamsBy Lesley Downer This book centres on the story of Saigo Takamori, one of the most romanticised and pivotall samurai of the 19th century, who also provided a model for [...] Review by Christopher Searle