The Japan Society Review
The Japan Society Review is an digital publication covering Japan-related books and films, as well as theatre and stage productions, tv series and exhibitions. Published since 2006, it is released now on a quarterly basis and is available online on our website and printed for members. Its purpose is to inform, entertain and encourage readers to explore the works for themselves.
The Japan Society Review is possible thanks to the work of volunteers who dedicated their time and expertise to help us to promote the learning and understanding of Japanese culture and society.
To become a reviewer, please fill the form here and let us know a little about you, your professional or academic background, your interest, passion or expertise regarding Japan and the type of works you would like to review.
If you have any questions, please contact reviews@japansociety.org.uk.
Books
World Film Locations: TokyoEdited by Chris MaGee For any fan of Japanese cinema, and with time to spare in Tokyo, this book is a must as it charts a journey of eighty years of movies being filmed in [...] Review by Michael Sullivan
Books
Britain and Japan: Biographical Portraits, Volume VIIICompiled & Edited by Sir Hugh Cortazzi As in the previous editions, the individuals profiled cover a broad spectrum of professions, in this particular volume ranging from the art world to [...] Review by Sean Curtin
Books
Holme, Ringer & Company, The Rise and Fall of a British Enterprise in Japan 1868-1940By Brian Burke-Gaffney The dominant British firm in Nagasaki in the Meiji period was Holme, Ringer & Company which was controlled by Frederick Ringer (1838-1907). Burke-Gaffney in this book tells the story of [...] Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi
Books
Hard Times in the Hometown, A History of Community Survival in Modern JapanBy Martin Dusinberre Martin Dusinberre first went to Kaminoseki as an English language teacher. He found the town of great interest and returned there to undertake sociological research. In this well researched book he traces the [...] Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi
Books
Memoires of Japan, 1946 (A People Bowed But Not Broken)By Bernard T. Smith Bernard Smith describes in this memoir his life as an RAF officer on the staff of the British Commonwealth Air Force (BCAIR) Headquarters at Iwakuni in 1946. Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi
Books
Japoniæ insulæ, The mapping of Japan: Historical Introduction and Cartobibliograhy of European MapsBy Jason C. Hubbard Jason Hubbard has identified 125 main maps of Japan and includes illustrations of every one. He also lists their subsequent issues and notes any alterations made. Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi
Books
All the Emperor’s MenBy Hiroshi Tasogawa During the two years of Kurosawa’s involvement in Tora Tora Tora Tasogawa worked as an interpreter for Kurosawa. In this book he details the events of those years and attempts to [...] Review by Michael Sullivan
Books
Matsumoto Shigeharu: Bearing WitnessBy Kaimai Jun Matsumoto came to prominence in 1936 as the journalist who broke the news of Chiang Kai-shek’s detention. Japan as it grapples with globalization and ‘diversity’ has much to learn from Shigeharu Matsumoto. Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi
Books
People Who Eat DarknessBy Richard Lloyd Parry In People Who Eat Darkness we get to see a new perspective of the events surrounding the disappearance and murder of Lucie Blackman as we follow the author's investigation into what had occurred to her. Review by Michael Sullivan
Books
Asia for the Asians: China in the Lives of Five Meiji JapaneseBy Paula S. Harrell In this interesting study of five Japanese personalities of the Meiji era, who were closely involved with Chinese modernisation, Dr Harrell shows that the relationship between Japan and China was [...] Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi