The Japan Society Review

Directed by Sang-il Lee Kokuho is a raw and visually stunning drama that traces a young man’s rise through the demanding world of post‑war kabuki, revealing the beauty and brutality. Review by Rachel Pratt

Torikaebaya Monogatari is a boundlessly entertaining and surprisingly forward‑thinking Heian‑period novel, remarkable for its intense psychological complexity. Review by Thomas Caffrey

Threads of Life presents an immersive environment by Chiharu Shiota, an exhibition that explores the shifting, fragile networks of memory and human experience. Review by Vittorio Cimino

Directed by Gakuryu Ishii This film follows a series of mysterious events orbiting a young diver in Fukuoka, unfolding through a spiritual, meditative filmmaking style that immerses the viewer completely in its enigmatic world. Review by Lachlan Evans

By Christopher Green The book is a collection of seventeen short stories inspired by Green’s experiences in Japan and at other periods of his life. Review by Maxine Stacey

By Muriel Barbery Barbery gives herself full rein to explore the Japanese sensitivity towards nature and in particular, the beauty of Kyoto. Review by Isabel Mermagen

YAMATO The Drummers of Japan exhibited their London show showcasing their performers’ artistry and creative nous with the taiko. Review by Shaun English

The March issue of The Japan Society Review opens with close attention to material culture and artistic practice, beginning with Nick Rowan’s Japanese Wine: History, Regions, Wineries (and Cheese).

By Yamazaki Nao-Cola The simultaneous translations of two books by Yamazaki Nao-Cola introduce to English readers a daringly honest portraitist of intense emotion across the peaks and troughs of life. Review by Jemma Rose

By Ogawa Yoko A coming-of-age novel set in 1972 Japan, this novel follows twelve-year-old girl Tomoko as she moves from Tokyo to Ashiya to live with her aunt's affluent family. Review by Rio Julian