The Japan Society Review

By Junko Kitanaka (Paper | 2011 | $29.95 / £19.95 | ISBN: 9780691142050Cloth | 2011 | $75.00 / £52.00 | ISBN: 9780691142043264 pp. | 6 x 9 |5 halftones. 1 line illus) Review by Sandra Lawman In this very scholarly book, Junko Kitanaka gives a clear view of the history of depression in Japan, its […]

By Lian Hearn, Quercus Publishing, 2011, 400 pages, ISBN 978-0-85738-297-9; £12.99 Review by Susan Meehan Blossoms and Shadows is an absolutely riveting piece of historical fiction which brings alive a fascinating period of late nineteenth century Japanese history. The book begins in 1857 and spans ten years, which are the twilight of the Bakufu (the […]

By Lian Hearn, Quercus Publishing, 2011, 400 pages, ISBN 978-0-85738-297-9, £12.99 Review by Ali Muskett Blossoms and Shadows by Lian Hearn (real name Gillian Rubinstein), is set in 19th century Japan, and is narrated by fictional character Tsuru. The daughter of a doctor, Tsuru is raised in a world of medicine where, due to cultural […]

By Seicho Matsumoto (translated by Andrew Clare), Vertical Inc. 2012, ISBN-10: 1934287024, RRP: £7.69 Review by Jack Cooke Fans of detective fiction are often obsessive, eagerly awaiting the next fictional crime scene to hit the market. When it comes to the cult surrounding one of Japan’s most idolised crime writers, Seicho Matsumoto, his followers are as […]

‘People Who Eat Darkness’ – An interview with Richard Lloyd Parry Article by Michael Sullivan On July 1st 2000 Lucie Blackman went missing in Tokyo, months later her body would be found, dismembered, buried under a bath tub in a seaside cave in Miura, Kanagawa. The period of time leading up to that discovery would […]

Historical Dictionary of Japanese Cinema, By Jasper Sharp, Scarecrow Press, 2011, 564 pages, ISBN-10: 0810857952, £59.95 Review by Roger Macy Let me introduce you to a cultural curiosity: the book. It has no links, it can’t be updated , it’s bulky and heavy, and is pretty much all the work of one person. Scarecrow Press […]

Along with Confessions of a Dog [see issue 35], I Just Didn’t Do It is a damning indictment of the Japanese legal system. The audience palpably gasped at some of the more appalling scenes of unfathomable injustice and clapped as Masayuki Suo took to the front of the Institute of Contemporary Arts film theatre at the end of the screening to answer questions.

Crossfire is the third novel by Miyuki Miyabe to be published in English. Originally this was a bestseller in Japan and was adapted into a movie in 2000 called Pyrokinesis [クロスファイア]. It was directed by Shusuke Kaneko [金子 修介], and starred Akiko Yada [矢田亜希子] and Hideaki Ito [伊藤 英明]. Miyabe is a full time writer and has received numerous literary prizes including the Naoki Prize.

By Sir Hugh Cortazzi. In Images of Japan 1885-1912: Scenes, Tales and Flowers, Sir Hugh Cortazzi provides a compelling introduction to the multiple forms of visual material published in Japan for mostly European and American consumption. His carefully researched books is a much-needed addition to this rich and yet surprisingly under explored field.

Review by Michael Sullivan In Japan there is a curious word play regarding the 29th day of the month in Japanese, put into just its number components it creates the word ni-kyuu [二九] which is the same as niku [肉] which means meat. So, quite often many people can be found eating meat on this […]