19/05/2025
Exhibiting Japan: Exploring how Japan is Curated and Presented in the UK
03/06/2025
Japanese Conversation Group
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…ew Year Speech Bubbles Template - PDF (92 KB) New Year Card Match - PDF (335 KB) Additional Resources Download our Activity Pack Fukuwarai Game - PDF (616 KB) New Year Card - PDF (296 KB) New Year Card Template - PDF (169 KB) Kite Making Activity (PDF) (1 MB) Zodiac Chart - PDF (196 KB) Ready Steady NihonGO! (Lesson 9 Winter) Japan Society Loan Resources Kendama (Ball & Cup) game; Hanetsuki set (Bat & Shuttlecock); Hyakunin Isshu Card Game; Daruma doll; Nengajou (New Year’s Cards; Otoshidama…
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…rchive (PDF) The Japan Society Review is published on a bimonthly basis, both online and printed. Members are also entitled to receive a copy by post. Since the starting of the publication in 2006, each issue covers a selection of Japan-related books and films, as well as theatre and stage productions, tv series and exhibitions. 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…
…n Project (KS1 & KS2) Subject: Other Topics / History / Geography / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets The Japan Project is a multi-lesson unit designed to give KS1 and KS2 students a cross-curricular introduction to Japan. The unit includes lessons on Japan’s location, physical geography, climate, and wildlife and covers aspects of the Science, Art & Design, Computing and Geography…
…g Dogu Figurines Subject: History / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 3 Age: 11-15 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Schemes of Work / Worksheets / Videos Dogu are ceramic figurines made by people in Japan thousands of years ago, during the Jomon Period. The dogu had spiritual significance, although their exact function remains a mystery. The intricate patterns and varying facial expressions give dogu unique personalities. This resource is ideal to incorporate as part…
There are worksheets which can be used to provide students with more practice reading numbers on the soroban, and worksheets with three digit numbers for older or more confident students. This printout template can be used for students to practice soroban at home. Printout Soroban Template Worksheets for…
…esson 3 Subject: Maths Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Lesson Plans / Worksheets Lesson 3 Addition on the soroban The lesson starts with a greater or less than activity to revise numbers on the soroban, before introducing addition. Students will then add one and two-digit numbers using the soroban as a calculation tool. Resources: Soroban L3 Lesson Plan - PDF (527 KB) Soroban Example Questions Sheet - PDF (333 KB) Soroban Worksheet 3A - PDF (224 KB)…
…& Crafts Subject: Other Topics / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 11-15 years / 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Other Origami Origami Rabbit Origami Rabbit - PDF Instructions Origami Rabbit - Video Instructions Koi Nobori Koi Nobori - PDF Instructions Koi Nobori - Video Instructions Origami Jumping Frog Origami Jumping Frog - PDF Instructions Kabuto Helmet Kabuto Helmet - PDF Instructions Kabuto Helmet - Video Instructions Origami Fan Origami…
…: Lesson 7 Subject: Other Topics / English / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Lesson Plans / Worksheets / Videos Manga and Kamishibai This optional art class combines Kamishibai with Manga, giving students a basic introduction to this popular artistic style and allowing them to experiment and create their own manga characters which can be included in their kamishibai. Learning Objectives Understanding the techniques and features of…
…ai: Lesson 1 Subject: Other Topics / English / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Lesson Plans / Worksheets / Videos Experience Kamishibai Page Students will be introduced to kamishibai and listen to the traditional folktale Momotaro (The Peach Boy). They will then make their own story plate, gathering the most important elements of the story all in one place. Lesson 1 can be used as a standalone lesson for those who don’t have…
…ulture and Wellbeing - Lesson 6 Subject: Other Topics Level: Key Stage 2 Age: 7-11 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets In this lesson, students will learn about giving as one of the '5 Ways of Wellbeing'. By looking at the example of O-soji (cleaning time at Japanese schools) students will consider the different ways we can give to, help, show appreciation, or thank others and explore the links between giving and its impact on positive wellbeing. Students…
… - Marking the Arrival of Spring (February) Subject: Other Topics / Geography Level: Key Stage 2 Age: 7-11 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets / Other The Setsubun festival marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring and is celebrated annually in Japan on 3 February. This lesson gives students the chance to learn how children in Japan celebrate the arrival of spring. Alternatively, the Setsubun Festival Activity Pack explains all about Setsubun…
…ri - The Doll Festival (March) Subject: Other Topics / Geography Level: Key Stage 2 Age: 7-11 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Videos / Other Hina-matsuri is a festival to celebrate the health and happiness of girls and is celebrated every March. It is common to see public displays of ornamental dolls dressed in Heian-era fashions. This lesson introduces the Doll Festival to students and its associated foods, decorations, and customs. Learning Objectives To learn…
…esson 2 - Japanese Manga Artists Subject: Other Topics / Art & Design Level: GCSE+ / Key Stage 3 Age: 15+ years / 11-15 years Resource Type: Activities / Worksheets / Videos / Other In the second lesson of Introducing Manga to the Art Classroom, students learn about diversity within Manga by watching the videos of Japanese artists talking about their work. Facilitate discussion using the Teacher Q&A document. Students will then work on designing their own characters in the Manga style.…
…- Japanese Sports Day Subject: Other Topics / Physical Education Level: Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 11-15 years / 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Other The Japanese Sports Day (undokai in Japanese) is a popular event in the school calendar; it’s a fun-filled day with an emphasis on teamwork and collaboration. The Japanese Sports Day Games Pack contains illustrations and instructions of 14 typical games that are played at a…
…: Lesson 5 & 6 Subject: Other Topics / English / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Lesson Plans / Worksheets / Other Planning Kamishibai Students will learn how to summarise key information by making a ‘skeleton story’ and then will create an illustrated storyboard. Learning Objectives Read and sequence the key parts of the Momotaro (Peach Boy) story Develop note-making skills by summarising key parts of the Momotaro (Peach Boy) Story…
…ife in Japan Subject: Other Topics / Geography Level: Key Stage 2 Age: 7-11 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets In this lesson, pupils will learn about what life is like at a typical elementary (primary) school in Japan. Some aspects of Japanese school life are unique, and not seen in many other places in the world. For example, everyday after lunch or at the end of the school day, children clean and tidy their own classrooms, corridors, and hallways…
…y of Japan - Lesson 6 Subject: Geography Level: Key Stage 3 Age: 11-15 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets The 2011 Eastern Japan Great Earthquake Disaster had a devastating impact, costing thousands of lives. Over the course of two lessons (there is the option to condense into one lesson if preferred), students will learn how earthquakes can cause a tsunami and will also consider the impact of the disaster on survivors. Students will look at the work of…
… Culture and Wellbeing - Lesson 4 Subject: Other Topics Level: Key Stage 2 Age: 7-11 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets In this lesson, students will learn to take notice of the world around them as one of the '5 Ways to Wellbeing'. They will explore the links between nature, mindfulness and mental health by considering Japan’s symbolic cherry blossom. Learning Objectives To be able to describe cherry blossoms and understand their significance in Japan.…
… Lesson 2 Subject: Maths Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Lesson Plans / Worksheets Lesson 2 Representing Numbers Students will apply what they learnt in the previous lessons to larger numbers. By the end of the lesson they will know how to read numbers up to 99 on the soroban. Learning Objectives: To identify and represent two-digit numbers on a soroban. Resources: Soroban L2 Lesson Plan - PDF (650 KB) Soroban Worksheet 2A - PDF (213 KB) Soroban…
…April) Subject: Other Topics / English Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets / Videos / Other Cherry blossoms are considered a symbol of spring in Japan and when the trees are covered in beautiful pink blossoms, people gather together for picnics underneath them, in a tradition known as O Hanami (Cherry Blossom Viewing). In this lesson, students will learn about the customs and activities associated…
…esson 1 - Manga Style Subject: Other Topics / Art & Design Level: GCSE+ / Key Stage 3 Age: 15+ years / 11-15 years Resource Type: Activities / Worksheets / Other In the first lesson of Introducing Manga to the Art Classroom, use the teachers' notes to provide students with key information about Manga and answer questions. Students will then compare Japanese Manga style with the Western comic book style using the Manga style worksheet. Prior to this lesson, you may wish to set students an…
… Lesson 4 Subject: Maths Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Lesson Plans / Worksheets Lesson 4 Subtraction on the soroban This lesson introduces subtraction on the soroban. Students will learn how to subtract one and two-digit numbers, using the soroban as a calculation tool. Learning Objectives: To use the soroban for subtraction (ones and ones, tens and ones, tens and tens) Resources: Soroban L4 Lesson Plan - PDF (479 KB) Example Questions Sheet - PDF…
…ai Videos Subject: Other Topics / English Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Videos Kamishibai originates from traditional Japanese street theatre in the form of picture card storytelling. Unlike children’s storybooks, the text for Kamishibai is written on the reverse of cards so that the story can be easily read while pictures are shown to the students. These videos accompany the Kamishibai Scheme of Work in which students are introduced to traditional…
…: Lesson 2 Subject: Other Topics / English / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets / Videos / Other The World of the Peach Boy Students will learn about traditional rural Japan and use mind-maps as a tool to summarise and present key information. Learning Objectives Identify key information about Japanese culture. Summarise and present key information using mind-maps as a planning tool.…
…Japanese Sports Day: Lesson 6 Subject: Other Topics / Physical Education Level: Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 11-15 years / 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Lesson Plans / Other Lesson 6: The Sports Day The Sports Day combines all the elements of the individual lessons, allowing students to experience an authentic Japanese undokai (Sports Day). Use the sample timetable including in the lesson plan as a guide to planning your own event. Learning Objectives Apply…
…: Additional Resources Subject: Other Topics / English / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Worksheets For students at KS 1, or those who do not have time to pursue the whole Scheme of Work, these resources can be used to make Kamishibai using a story completely made up by the students. Worksheet: How to Make Kamishibai - PDF (1.2 MB) Worksheet: Example Storyboard [Momotaro] - PDF (254 KB) Worksheet: Blank Storyboard Sequence - PDF (260 KB)…
… Culture and Wellbeing - Lesson 1 Subject: Other Topics Level: Key Stage 2 Age: Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets In this lesson, students will be introduced to the concept of wellbeing and the country of Japan. They will learn about the 5 ways to wellbeing and how to discuss and express their feelings. Students will find out about the significance of dreaming about Mount Fuji at New Year's and share ideas of what health and happiness look like to them.…
…ai: Taa-chan's Oshogatsu (New Year) Subject: Other Topics / English Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Presentations / Other This kamishibai looks at how the New Year, or Oshogatsu, is celebrated in Japan. It is the most important holiday of the year and in the run-up to the day, people spend time cleaning their homes, putting up decorations, and writing cards to friends and family. The New Year signifies new beginnings and bidding farewell to the…
… Culture and Wellbeing - Lesson 3 Subject: Other Topics Level: Key Stage 2 Age: 7-11 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets In this lesson, students will learn to be active as one of the '5 Ways of Wellbeing'. Students will explore the links between physical and mental health and the importance of staying active through the Japanese concept of Radio Taiso. Learning Objectives To understand what physical health is and why being active is important to our…
…ng the Arts & Culture for Peace Initiative Subject: Other Topics / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 15+ years / 11-15 years / 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Worksheets The Japan Society has created these resources to support schools taking part in the UNESCO ASPnet Arts & Culture for Peace Initiative. These activties can be used by all participating schools and may be especially suitable for those wishing to learn more about Japan and Japanese…
…n Japan - Shrines and Temples Subject: Other Topics Level: Key Stage 2 Age: 7-11 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets / Videos Generally, people in Japan take part in both Shinto traditions as well as Buddhist rituals as a part of everyday life, even if they do not consider themselves particularly religious. It’s common to visit both shrines (Shinto) and temples (Buddhist), depending on the occasion. Introduce students to these two main religions and the…
…ai: Swim, Swim, Koinobori (Children's Day) Subject: Other Topics / English Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Other This kamishibai looks at how Children's Day is celebrated in Japan. It’s common for families to display colourful carp-shaped flags for this festival on May 5, with each koi flag representing a member of the family. Traditionally the flags are displayed from smallest to largest, with the father flag (black) at the top of the display pole,…
… with Haiku: Lesson 3 Subject: Other Topics / English Level: Key Stage 3 Age: 11-15 years Resource Type: Lesson Plans / Worksheets In this lesson, students will explore the impact of different tenses in creative writing by writing prose about their journey to school and editing their own work. Learning Objectives Identify the different tenses. Understand the importance of using different tenses in poetry. Experiment with using different tenses and explain their effect. Learning Outcomes To…
… with Haiku: Lesson 2 Subject: English Level: Key Stage 3 Age: 11-15 years Resource Type: Lesson Plans / Worksheets Students will learn about the key elements of haiku: that they are seasonal poems which contain a ‘phrase’ and a ‘fragment’. Students will also have a chance to write their own haiku and read it aloud. Learning Objectives: Understand the purpose and impact of a Haiku. Explore the key message and connotations of a text. Learning Outcomes: Understand the key elements of Haiku.…
…ai: The Spider's Thread (Kumo no Ito) Subject: Other Topics / English / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 3 Age: 11-15 years Resource Type: Presentations / Other The Spider’s thread is a well-known story in Japan. It is a moral fable about good, evil and redemption, written by Ryunosuke Akutagawa and published in 1918. Akutagawa was inspired by other stories and also Buddhist fables; according to some Buddhist beliefs, those who lead good, compassionate lives are reincarnated into a better life,…
…: Momoko and Hina (Doll's Festival) Subject: Other Topics / English Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Presentations / Other Hina-matsuri is also known as the Doll Festival. It takes place in Japan every March and celebrates the health and happiness of girls. In the run up to the festival, it is common to see public displays of ornamental dolls and families with daughters will also put up displays of dolls at home, many of which have been passed down…
Setsubun means ‘division of the seasons’ and therefore the festival marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring according to the old lunar calendar. It’s celebrated in Japan in early February. One of the most common traditions associated with Setsubun is bean throwing, called mamemaki in…
…: Tsuru no Ongaeshi – The Grateful Crane Subject: Other Topics / English Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Other This is a story from Japanese folklore. A man rescues a crane and receives a mysterious visitor later that day. This is a short kamishibai, perfect for when you need a quick story. Suitable for both KS1 and KS2. Resources The PowerPoint (PPT), with some animated effects and music, is created to look like a live kamishibai show.…
…ai: Kaguya Hime - The Moon Princess Subject: Other Topics / English Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Other Introduce your students to a legend from ancient Japan. Kaguya Hime, also known as The Bamboo Cutter's Tale, is the story of a baby girl found in a bamboo stalk. She grows up to become a beautiful young woman, who asks five suitors to prove their love by completing a series of almost impossible challenges. Most…
…ai: Hanasaka Jiisan Subject: Other Topics / English Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Other Hanasaka Jiisan - The Old Man Who Made Flowers Bloom An old couple come into good fortune when they find a puppy, but their mean-spirited neighbours are unbearably jealous. When they try to use the dog for self-gain it leads to a surprising series of events. This is a classic tale of good being rewarded whilst wickedness receives its…
…Momotaro – Peach Boy Subject: Other Topics / English Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Videos / Other Momotaro is the story of a boy found in a peach. He goes on an adventure to defeat the monsters terrorising his village, making friends along the way. Momotaro is a well-known hero in Japan and there is even a song to accompany the story. Suitable for Reception to Year 4. This kamishibai also includes Japanese onomatopoeia…
…y of Japan - Lesson 3 Subject: Geography Level: Key Stage 3 Age: 11-15 years Resource Type: Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets In Lesson 3, students explore the wildlife of Japan and consider what makes it home to so many different animal species. Using the information sheets, students will learn about some animals and their habitats and create a labelled map showing where they are located in Japan. Learning Objectives Identify animals found in Japan. Locate where each animal can be…
…estival (July) Subject: Other Topics / Geography / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 11-15 years / 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets / Videos / Other Tanabata is a summer festival based on an old story which tells of the annual reunion of two lovers in the Milky Way. The characters in the story represent two stars, Vega and Altair, and so it is also known as the ‘Star Festival’. Tanabata is famous for its…
…: The Story of Tanabata (Star Festival) Subject: Other Topics / English Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Other The Story of Tanabata (aka Bridge Across the Milky Way) The Tanabata story tells of the annual reunion of two lovers in the Milky Way. Originally a Chinese legend it made its way to Japan long ago and is the inspiration behind the Japanese Tanabata Festival celebrated on July 7 (and August 7 in some areas). The…
…Japanese Sports Day: Lesson 5 Subject: Other Topics / Physical Education Level: Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 11-15 years / 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Lesson Plans / Other Lesson 5: Evaluating Self-Performance Students are introduced to two Japanese characters which make up the word kaizen, meaning ‘to improve’ in Japanese. Students will then complete elements of an obstacle course and reflect on their own performance and identify areas where they can make…
…y of Japan - Lesson 2 Subject: Geography Level: Key Stage 3 Age: 11-15 years Resource Type: Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets This this lesson, students will learn about the climate of Japan and the climatic variations between different regions. Using information fact sheets about the different seasons and seasonal festivals they will produce a climate calendar and decide the best time to visit Japan. Learning Objectives Describe the climate of Japan. Investigate the climatic variations…
…tival (August) Subject: Other Topics Level: Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 11-15 years / 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets / Videos / Other Obon is one of the most important annual festivals in Japan and takes place in the summer. It is based on the Buddhist belief that the spirits of ancestors return to their family home at this time of year. In this lesson, students will learn about the customs and activities associated…
…y of Japan - Lesson 4 Subject: Geography Level: Key Stage 3 Age: 11-15 years Resource Type: Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets In Lesson 4, students study a population graph and produce a written description of the changes in Japan over the past 100 years. There is also the option for them to compare this against changes in other countries, including the UK. Students will then use population data to produce their own choropleth map showing Japan’s population density and consider the…
… Lesson 1 Subject: Maths Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets / Other Introduction to the Soroban In the first lesson, students will be introduced to the Japanese abacus and learn how it works. Learning Objectives: To understand what a soroban is and how it is used. To understand that a soroban can represent large and small numbers. To identify and represent numbers 1-9 on a soroban. Resources: Soroban Teaching…
…ulture and Wellbeing - Lesson 5 Subject: Other Topics Level: Key Stage 2 Age: 7-11 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets In this lesson, students will learn the importance of learning and trying new things as one of the '5 Ways of Wellbeing'. They will explore the links between positive wellbeing and the development of new skills and knowledge through the Japanese art of manga; students will complete a series of drawing tasks and create their own manga…
…ember) Subject: Other Topics Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets The 7-5-3 Festival (Shichi-Go-San 七五三) is an annual celebration held on November 15. The ages of 3, 5, and 7 were important milestones for Japanese children in the past and families with daughters aged 3 and 7 and sons aged 3 and 5, will try to visit a shrine to pray for the future health and happiness of their children on this date or…
…: The Moon Rabbit Subject: Other Topics / English Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Other The Story of the Moon Rabbit (aka Tsuki no Usagi) In Japan, it is said that a rabbit lives on the moon and this folktale explains how that came to be. One day, a fox, a monkey and a rabbit encounter an old man in need of help. All three animals set out to gather food for him, but it is the rabbit who offers the biggest sacrifice. Suitable for Reception to Year 4.…
It conveys furiously in many directions how Japanese “cultural malaise” came about due to a severe mismatch between Japan’s bureaucratic system and the realities of modern life, and it reveals how Japanese bureaucrats have poisoned and ruined nature in Japanese culture. Although over the decades a considerable number…
… with Haiku: Lesson 1 Subject: Other Topics / English Level: Key Stage 3 Age: 11-15 years Resource Type: Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets In this lesson, students will respond creatively to images of Japan, using sensory language to write a description of a scene and will reflect on the concept of journeys. Learning Objectives Explore the uses of the 5 senses in description to: Identify words which explore the senses Explore the effect of sensory language Explain how sensory language…
The Japan Society - Children’s Day (May) 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
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… (April 2015, Volume 10, Number 2) Contents Japan’s Modern History, 1857-1937: A New Political Narrative Destroying the World to Save it: Aum Shinrikyou, Apocalyptic Violence and the New Global Terrorism Men to Devils, Devils to Men: Japanese War Crimes and Chinese Justice Strange Weather in Tokyo The Guest Cat International Politics in Northeast Asia: The China-Japan- United States Strategic Triangle Contributors Guest EditorWilliam CottrellSpecial ReviewerSir Hugh Cortazzi ReviewersChris…
Download the Japan Society Activity Booklet for origami, colouring in and a mini quiz! You can also take the Japan Society Quiz to enter our prize draw and be in with a chance of winning a box of Japanese goodies. Japan Society Activity Booklet (PDF 1MB) Kamishibai Kamishibai, meaning “paper theatre”, is a Japanese style of storytelling. Watch the performance of Momotaro, a…
… Culture and Wellbeing - Lesson 2 Subject: Other Topics Level: Key Stage 2 Age: 7-11 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans In this lesson, students will explore the importance of connecting with other people, one of the '5 Ways to Wellbeing'. Using the Japanese festival of Obon, students will think about what home and family means and why connecting with others improves our wellbeing. Learning Objectives To think about the concept of home and our relationships with…
…May 2009, Volume 4, Number 2) Our bimonthly eclectic mix of stimulating Japan-related book, film and stage reviews kicks off with Sir Hugh Cortazzi’s look at the centennial book of the Tokyo-based Japan-British Society. This Society was established in October 1908, having grown out of the Tokyo branch of our own Society. The work charts the first 100 years of its accomplishments, which include attracting several Japanese Prime Ministers to its events. The fact that there have been considerably…
We hope so far our readers have enjoyed discovering new books, films and events and learning about Japan. None of this would have been possible without our fantastic reviewers so we want to open this issue with a big thank you to all of them for their help. We are delighted to include in this issue two academic publications…
…ow to Make An Origami Box Subject: Other Topics / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 15+ years / 11-15 years / 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Videos / Other Want to make your own unique gift box for a present? Or need boxes to store your tiny things, like beads, buttons or sweets? An origami box is unique and useful. It is also very easy to make. All you need is a square piece of paper! Follow the video to make an origami box. You can also…
…s Day Origami Ideas Subject: Other Topics / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 15+ years / 11-15 years / 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Videos / Other Looking for some craft activities to do for Valentine's Day this year? Why not try making your own origami decorations, a gift box for Valentine's Day sweets, or a secret message envelope? Follow the video to make your own secret message envelope. You can also download the PDF origami pack below…
This has been a strange and difficult year, but we hope our publication has accompanied you during these uncertain times offering new opportunities to discover, read and learn about Japan. In 2020 The Japan Society Review has featured more than 30 reviews, including the five reviews in this December issue which cover non-fiction books on Japanese history, philosophy, gardening, film and…
With many events in the UK being held online, cancelled or postponed due to the current pandemic, this October issue concentrates on books, but nevertheless the scope of our publication is once again as diverse as always. Our first review explores the recently published memoirs of Hans Brinckmann, a Dutch banker who has…
Susan Meehan looks at the highly readable “Japan through writers’ eyes,” which reminds us what fantastic prose Japan has inspired from the pens of both foreign and indigenous authors. For those who love to discuss such writers we launched “Japan Society Book Club” in June which meets regularly (for more information see the…
September 2009 itself heralded in seismic political change with the first non-Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Prime Minister since Tomiichi Murayama back in 1996, and more significantly the first unified opposite party to take power since the formation of the LDP in 1955. To mark such a pivotal moment Fumiko Halloran reviews several recent Japanese language books about the new Democratic Party of…
In 1885 the seemingly unquenchable demand for knowledge and insights into the mysterious Land of the Rising Sun led to the creation of a mock Japanese village in Knightsbridge populated by Japanese artisans as well as the debut of Gilbert and Sullivan’s ever popular comic opera The Mikado. In an excellently researched book, Sir Hugh…
We present here a small selection of thoughtful reviews and reading suggestions to accompany readers into the autumn season. The unexpected news of the resignation of Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has shaken the scene of Japanese politics. Japan Society Chairman Bill Emmott reviews the timely published biography of Abe by American analyst Tobias S. Harris who presented his view of the politician and his…
… (September/October) Subject: Other Topics / English Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets / Other Otsukimi or Tsukimi (月見) literally means “Moon Viewing” and is an autumn festival in Japan celebrating the Harvest Moon. The festival is also known as jugoya (十五夜) meaning “15th night” as it was traditionally observed on this night of the lunar calendar. The origins of the custom are thought to date back to the Heian…
… (December 2009, Volume 4, Number 6) Professor Ian Nish kicks off our last issue of 2009 with an article on Roger Dingman’s fascinating new book on how the US Navy & Marine Corps trained its interpreters and translators during the Second World War. Professor Dingman demonstrates how this highly significant and normally overlooked part of the war effort had a long term and profound impact on post-war Japan, producing a host of prominent Japan specialists such as Donald Keene, Ted de Bary and…
We also offer our first Japanese language DVD review, which we hope will become a regular feature. Simon Cotterill looks at the cult 2004 film “Kamikaze Girls” (下妻物語) which is due to be released on DVD in January 2009. As in previous years we also have a selection of film reviews from the immensely popular “Premiere Japan” event held annually at BAFTA. Susan Meehan gives us her…
” The author looks at three foreign owned Japanese companies and compares them to three regular firms. The book provides some thought-provoking insights into Japanese employment patterns, gender equality, attitudes towards shareholders along with a host of other topics. As a byproduct key characteristics of the…
… (April 2010, Volume 5, Number 2) As spring finally bursts forth and election fever grips the British media, we present another issue brimming with illuminating reviews on the latest Japan-related books and movies. Sir Hugh Cortazzi looks at a fascinating book on the Mongol invasion of Japan. Most readers are probably familiar with the so called sacred/ divine wind or kamikaze which blew the invading Mongol fleet off course, saving Japan. Few will know the more detailed historical picture this…
…ai: Lesson 9 Subject: Other Topics / English / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Lesson Plans Perform Kamishibai Students will practice their public speaking skills by using the illustrated cards they produced in the previous lesson to perform their own kamishibai. They will also give constructive feedback to peers and improve their performance based on feedback they receive. Note: Students will write text for the kamishibai cards in Lesson…
… (June 2010, Volume 5, Number 3) Since the last issue both Japan and the UK have new Prime Ministers, although some might argue that each country’s fortunes in the World Cup had a bigger impact on the national psyche. We reviewed several Japanese language books on now former PM Yukio Hatoyama in issue 22 and hope to soon bring you a review of one of the recently published books on Naoto Kan (菅直人の原点を探る). This issue’s feature reviews focus on the war and its aftermath, a much more turbulent and…
…ai: Lesson 10 Subject: English / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Lesson Plans / Videos Write Kamishibai After considering the audience, students will finalise their kamishibai text by writing it down, paying careful attention to spelling and punctuation. Learning Objectives Write for a clear audience and purpose, using features of description and storytelling to engage, entertain and inform the reader. Use style sentence structure, word…
…ai: Lesson 4 Subject: Other Topics / English / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Lesson Plans Build the Story Map This lesson focuses on oral storytelling; the students will develop their ability to tell stories through games and group work. Students also have the chance to add to the story map from the previous lesson. Learning Objectives Extend knowledge by retelling a story, asking relevant questions and listening to peers. Use spoken…
Elizabeth Ingrams explores Lesley Downer’s gripping new historical novel The Courtesan and the Samurai. This historical tale is set on the borderline of the Edo and Meiji Periods, two eras which form the backdrop for several of our reviews. Downer weaves her narrative in the turbulent years 1868-9 and…
…ai: Lesson 3 Subject: Other Topics / English / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Lesson Plans / Videos Develop Story Mapping Skills In this lesson students continue to look at story structure and build on the skills from the previous two lessons by creating a story map, putting all the key events of a story in order. At the end of the lesson they will review their own work. Learning Objectives Develop skills to organise and visualise story…
Our first review is of Britain and Japan: Biographical Portraits VII which is another superb volume in the acclaimed Biographical Portraits series that profiles people who have contributed to enhancing Anglo- Japanese relations. This seventh volume in a series, which also includes publications such as Britain and…
…: Lesson 8 Subject: Other Topics / English / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Lesson Plans Create Kamishibai In this lesson students illustrate their kamishibai cards, in preparation for their performance. The work is divided up between the class so that all students are working together to create a complete kamishibai set. Learning Objectives Work as a team to identify key elements of a story and create a clear plan which includes all of…
… (December 2010, Volume 5, Number 6) In this issue we focus on contemporary Japanese themes with reviews examining the current state of gender equality, politics, social issues, foreign policy and modern architecture. We also have a retrospective report on the exhibition of prehistoric Japanese miniature clay figurines held at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich during the summer of 2010. Our first review explores The New Paradox for Japanese Women: Greater Choice, Greater…
Our first review, The Japanese in War and Peace 1942-48, provides some fascinating insights into some of the most turbulent years in the country’s history. In his youth, Professor Ian Nish was a member of the British Occupation Force in Japan, part of the Allied Occupation following the end of the war. In this book he…
Our first review looks at the conundrum of Japanese whaling, a topic often in the international media. Professor Jun Morikawa explains how Tokyo’s combative and controversial whaling policy has evolved in recent decades. He clinically dissects the myths surrounding the industry, tackling the contradictory…
Too often our view of Japan is distorted by a Tokyo-centric bias which neglects other regions and downgrades their importance in the national narrative. Andrew Cobbing’s excellently researched new work is the perfect antidote to this tendency, reminding us of the significant role Japan’s mighty south island has played in the country’s history. As the…
Both figures are from the early decades of Anglo-Japanese relations when Japan was still a distant, mysterious land and bilateral ties were in their infancy. As usual, we also offer a selection of prominent new Japanese language books including Fumiko Halloran’s examination of the turbulent relationship between Japanese film…
Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931 and set up the puppet state of Manshūkoku (満州国) into which there was a massive influx of Japanese colonists. By the time Tokyo surrendered in 1945 about 1.5 million Japanese civilians had been encouraged to settle in the colony. Upon Tokyo’s capitulation, the Soviets…
… (December 2021, Volume 16, Number 6) The last issue of The Japan Society Review in 2021 presents six reviews of books which focus on different aspects of Japan, from its history to anthropology and textile design. The first review covers Toward Creation of a New World History, the English translation of an academic monograph originally written in Japanese by Professor Haneda Masashi. This publication reflects on the discipline of World History from a Japanese perspective considering issues of…
…1 (August 2023, Volume 18, Number 1) The Japan Society Review is Back! After a hiatus of one year since our celebration of the 100th issue of the publication, The Japan Society Review returns full of energy and great content, featuring books on Japanese design, gardens and traditions, as well as literary fiction and contemporary music made in Japan. The first review of this issue presents a survey of Japanese design as seen through the lens of Japan’s traditional colour palette. Rossella…
…(May 2006, Volume 1, Number 3) This issue provides you with another great selection of stimulating reviews, this time covering everything form the Chrysanthemum Throne (Enigma of the Emperors) to the Chrysanthemum itself (Garden Plants of Japan). We also have two griping books (Flyboys and To the Kwai and Back) for the regular memoirs section as well as four thought-provoking books on Japanese social issues (Family and Social Policy in Japan; Multicultural Japan; Brokered Homeland and Art and…
We have a fine selection of new reviews including two gripping tales of romance, a pair of stimulating biographies, a groundbreaking historical analysis and much more. We also feature our very first theatre review as part of our efforts to expand the review project. By sheer coincidence, Yukio Ninagawa's brilliant new inter- pretation of Shakespeare's Titus…
…(August 2022, Volume 17, Number 4) As we celebrate the 100th issue of the Japan Society Review, current and former editors share their memories and challenges editing the publication, while dedicated reviewers, editors and trustees offer Japan-related recommendations of books, films and events for our readers to explore. Contributors EditorAlejandra Armendariz-Hernandez Former EditorsSean Curtin, Jack Cooke, William Upton ReviewersChris Arning, Cameron Bassindale, Chris Corker, Katie Croft,…
…(September 2006, Volume 1, Number 5) September 2006 will be remembered as a historic month for Japan with the birth of the first male heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 41 years and the election of a new prime minister to replace the flamboyant Junichiro Koizumi. The focus of this issue of Japan Book Review also has a strong historic flavour with an excellent selection of new reviews. War diaries and memoirs form this issue's main theme, with several new books offering deep insights into…
We also launch our new Arts Review feature with a look at two recently published works, both offered at specially discounted prices for our readers. As those who visit our website regularly will already know, we are now reviewing much more than books and have widened our scope to cover movies, the stage, arts and Japan related events. Our expanded…
We also review other books on the topic which examine different aspects of Japan's wartime past. You will also find the usual broad selection of stimulating reviews on the latest books about Japan. In this issue we look at new works on Japanese literature, Sake brewing, administrative reforms and have…
…June 2022, Volume 17, Number 3) The June issue of The Japan Society Review reaches you more eclectic than ever, featuring reviews of books on Japanese design and mythology, literary fiction, and contemporary dance. Sarah Teasley’s academic monograph Designing Modern Japan takes us on a revealing journey exploring the history of design in Japan from the middle of the 19th century to the present day. Weaving together the stories of people who shaped Japan’s design industries with social history,…
We can only present a very limited number of photographs from these books in the following pages, but if you visit our website you will find a host visual gems. As usual, we also have some great reviews of new historical works plus exciting general interest books. The featured Japanese courtyard gardens book also boasts an…
… (April 2022, Volume 17, Number 2) Welcome to the April issue of The Japan Society Review! We are very pleased to present reviews of four books and one Netflix series showcasing different aspects and stories from and about Japan. The first review of this issue focuses on a book exploring the renowned Shikoku pilgrimage, a Buddhist pilgrimage route taking in 88 temples around the Shikoku Island. In The Shikoku Pilgrimage: Japan’s Sacred Trail, author John Lander offers an interesting…
…(June 2007, Volume 2, Number 3) June was an exciting month for us with the publication of two much anticipated Japan Society supported books, "Japanese Envoys in Britain, 1862-1964: A Century of Diplomatic Exchange" and "Britain and Japan: Biographical Portraits, Volume VI." Both were launched at an enjoyable joint event held on Tuesday 19th June at the Daiwa Foundation's Japan House in London. In this issue we are reviewing the Envoys book and our next issue will feature Biographical Portraits…
In 2022 this publication will reach a landmark 100 issues, an inspiring moment in our ongoing mission to celebrate the vibrancy and variety of Japanese culture, history, politics and much more. As we advance toward that milestone, this issue also brings together a interesting selection of reviews focusing on Japanese art, gardens,…
This issue marks an important milestone in the development of the Reviews project as we launch our new regular reviews of Japanese language books, publish our first fictional book reviews and introduce our new readers' comments section. While we have published reviews of Japanese language books in the past, we have…
… (September 2008, Volume 3, Number 4) It seems that in Japan changing prime minister every September is rapidly becoming a seasonal fixture, a trend no doubt Gordon Brown is hoping doesn’t spread to the UK. To mark the beginning of Taro Aso’s premiership we are reviewing his recent book (Totetsu Mo Nai Nippon) along with those of four of his rivals and potential future prime ministers. These books represent a recent trend for would-be pretenders to the political throne of publishing a book…
This October issue is more eclectic than ever and we are thankful to our reviewers for their time and expertise. The issue opens with a review of British Extraterritoriality in Korea, 1884-1910: A comparison with Japan, an academic publication discussing the British experience in Japan through the lens of extraterritorial…
00pm to 5.30pm (BST) For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region.Following the formal business of the AGM, members are invited to remain in the Zoom meeting for further discussion and to share views with trustees and staff. The meeting will conclude by 5.30pm. Booking DetailsFree – Japan…
… (October 2007, Volume 2, Number 5) Along with our usual great selection of new book reviews in this issue we offer our first proper film review of the award-winning and highly popular movie Hula Girls. We now hope to start regular reviews of major Japanese films and DVD releases to complement our book line-up. You will also find a preview of the thought-provoking debut novel Under the Sun along with our main features and Japanese language book reviews. Finally, please keep on sending in your…
The opening review explores a two-volume academic work focusing on public diplomacy, human rights, and modern slavery in Japan and the US. Providing an extensive collection of primary sources, US-Japan Human Rights Diplomacy Post 1945, written by Roger Buckley, offers an analysis of the historical context, debates, and…
… (June 2021, Volume 16, Number 3) The opening review of our June issue explores the fascinating life and career of Herbert Ponting, the photographer on Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s Terra Nova expedition to the South Pole. Ponting’s travels in Japan during the Meiji period are likely to be of particular interest to readers and resulted in several photographic series and publications including his Japanese memoirs In Lotus-Land Japan. To learn more about Ponting and Japan, join us on Monday 16…
Our first article looks at a major new work by Sir Max Hastings on the dramatic final year that lead to Japan's wartime defeat. We also feature three recently published Japanese language books which offer insights into the Koizumi years and the US-Japan relationship. New reviewer William Farr offers his verdict on a Japanese hot…
Within our new-look publication you will find the usual wide-ranging selection of riveting review articles on the latest Japan-related books and films. In this issue we have some fascinating pieces spanning Japanese politics and literature to gardening along with a look at some recent fictional books plus our regular film feature and much much more! This issue marks our return to regular…
…of Japan - Lesson 7 Subject: Geography Level: Key Stage 3 Age: 11-15 years Resource Type: Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets For the final lesson in this unit, students will consider the different materials and techniques which have been used to design buildings in Japan, allowing them to withstand earthquakes. Students will choose the most appropriate materials and techniques for their own design which they can draw or make into a 3D model. Learning Objectives Identify building…
…y of Japan - Lesson 5 Subject: Geography Level: Key Stage 3 Age: 11-15 years Resource Type: Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets Japan is well known for having a large number of active volcanoes and in this lesson students will study Sakurajima, located on the island of Kyushu and learn to describe its key features. In addition, students will consider the impact that Sakurajima has on the surrounding area and categorise these into social, economic and environmental effects. Learning…
Sir Hugh Cortazzi looks at a stimulating new book by Bill Emmott “Rivals: How the Power Struggle Between China, India and Japan will Shape our Next Decade.” As the title indicates, it explores how the future dynamics between Japan, China and India might evolve and the possible regional and global impact. This is followed by Fumiko Halloran’s review of a…
…y of Japan - Lesson 1 Subject: Geography Level: Key Stage 3 Age: 11-15 years Resource Type: Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets In the first lesson of this unit students learn key features of Japan’s location and geography, including that it is within the Pacific Ring of Fire and on the boundaries of four tectonic plates. They will consider the opportunities and challenges of living in Japan. Learning Objectives Describe the location of Japan. Investigate the hazards and other challenges…
Offering the perfect antidote to the 2008 Olympic media-onslaught, Professor Ben-Ami Shillony, one of our regular review team, has produced a fascinating review of a new book on the Olympics that never were, the forgotten 1940 Tokyo Olympics. Sir Hugh Cortazzi, another stalwart reviewer, follows this up with a…
… (April 2021, Volume 16, Number 2) With five reviews covering a wide range of topics and styles, from an academic monograph to memoirs, fiction, and an art book, the April issue of The Japan Society Review offers an excellent example of the rich variety of Japan-related publications regularly arriving in the UK. The issue opens with a review of Towards Japan: A Personal Journey, the autobiography of J. Arthur Stockwin. Distinguished author and former Professor of Modern Japanese Studies at…
… (June 2011, Volume 6, Number 3) In this issue we focus on Japanese religious thought, philosophy and ideology, covering Japan’s two main religions (Buddhism and Shinto) as well as Christianity and some lesser known ideologies. Sir Hugh Cortazzi examines the ideology surrounding the tea ceremony which is explored by Tim Cross in a thought-provoking new study. While superficially the tea ceremony seems an innocuous, sedate affair the symbolism underpinning some aspects of it have been used in…
… (October 2011, Volume 6, Number 5) In this issue we delve into the murky world of Japanese politics focusing on one of the pivotal contemporary figures in the nation’s ever changing political landscape, Ichiro Ozawa. He was instrumental in toppling the LDP from power in the 1993 and was the master strategist who brought the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) to power in 2009, dispatching the LDP for a second time. While we often think of Japanese politics as relatively stable, Ozawa’s career…
Despite his productivity (he only began working as a novelist at the age of 42, following a career as a journalist) only a handful of his works have made it into English. British and American publishers have until recently only been drawn to the historical fiction for which he dedicated most of his writing career, but…
…December 2017, Volume 12, Number 6) The December issue of The Japan Society Review closes a wonderful year of publications, films, performances and events which have brought Japanese culture, arts and history to a UK audience. In 2017, the Review has featured over 30, from the latest anime hits to academic books and stage plays, combining familiar topics with new approaches and authors. Some additional reviews appear online only on our website. All this has been possible only thanks to our…
In this issue we have some sharply contrasting books, starting off with a look at how the latest developments in risk management are sustaining Japanese capitalism and thenturning in the opposite direction to chart the decline of the left in Japanese politics. The next two books span the spectrum of history from the shinkansen, icon of Japanese modernity, to the prehistoric Jomon period. The regular memoirs…
The first Japanese emperor who studied outside Japan, he attended University of Oxford between 1983 and 1985 (his memoirs of those years were translated into English by Sir Hugh Cortazzi as The Thames and I (reprinted 2019)). His ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne continues a long history of relations between the Japanese imperial and British royal…
… (February 2015, Volume 10, Number 1) Contents An Interview with Ueda Lisa Designing Nature: The Rinpa Aesthetic in Japanese Art Masterpieces of Artisanal Japan: Wazuka Tea and Ogatsu Inkstones Tango at the End of Winter Contributors EditorWilliam Cottrell ReviewersSir Hugh Cortazzi, Susan Meehan and Mike Sullivan Download the PDF Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here…
The Japan-related event of the UK summer is without doubt the impressive Citi exhibition Manga マンガ at the British Museum. Marketed as ‘the largest exhibition of manga ever to take place outside of Japan’, it aims to explore manga’s global appeal and cultural crossover, examining the origins and history, the main genres, authors and characters and the role that this distinctive form of Japanese popular…
Written by Murasaki Shikibu, a lady-in-waiting in the early eleventh-century imperial court, it is often considered the first example of a psychological novel in the world. The Tale of Genji has influenced Japanese literature, art and crafts for more than ten centuries and still does so today. This issue of The Japan Society Review opens with a review of the catalogue…
Thanks to our team of dedicated reviewers, we again hope to bring you details of the latest and most interesting publications, films and events related to Japan. As in previous issues, we will maintain a balance between academic, non-fiction publications and works of popular culture, including contemporary work and literary classics, celebrated authors and new comers as well as film, stage…
This year has provided wonderful opportunities to read and learn about Japan through publications, films and events and in the Review we have covered 29 of them, from art exhibitions to academic books, literature, and theatre. The Japan Society is extremely grateful to all of its reviewers for giving up their time and expertise. They transmit their knowledge and passion about Japan in their…
… (October 2018, Volume 13, Number 5) The October issue of The Japan Society Review includes a variety of topics and authors showing the diversity of Japan- related publications, which have arrived at bookshops and libraries this year. On this occasion, the Review concentrates on Japanese literature, cinema and food aiming to also cover the wide-ranging interests of our readers.The issue opens with a review of the most recent novel by Murakami Haruki, Killing Commendatore, an epic work in which…
… (August 2018, Volume 13, Number 4) This issue of The Japan Society Review is dedicated to the memory of Sir Hugh Cortazzi, former British Ambassador to Japan (1980-1984) and Chairman of the Japan Society (1985-1995), who died on Tuesday 14 August 2018, at the age of 94. Sir Hugh was the most distinguished Japanese specialist of his generation in the Foreign Office, and his association with the Society began long before he became Chairman. He was Chairman of the Society during its centenary…
Part of the ritual of preparing for the holidays, whether at home or travelling somewhere around the world, often includes preparing our “summer reading list” and choosing the books that will accompany us in our well-deserved free time. In the June issue of The Japan Society Review we would like to offer you five extra choices for your summer reading, a selection of books…
…April 2018, Volume 13, Number 2) The cherry blossom season has come and gone both in Japan and the UK, but the experience of enjoying the beauty of nature can always continue, for example, visiting parks or gardens, or reading about them. The April issue of The Japan Society Review opens with a book examining the origins and deeper meanings of Japanese gardens as an art-form. In The Japanese Garden, Sophie Walker addresses the question of ‘What is a Japanese garden?’ in relation to Japanese…
We enter 2018 with renewed enthusiasm, bringing you reviews of interesting books, films and other events related to Japan. In this issue, we include reviews of two academic books, one focusing on the past and the other considering the future of Japanese politics and nationalism, an anthology of short stories by writers based in Kyoto, a book…
… (October 2017, Volume 12, Number 5) In this issue, The Japan Society Review focuses on four non-fiction publications which explore from different perspectives a series of key events and persons in Japanese history, politics and art. Japan Society Chairman Sir David Warren reviews Ghosts of the Tsunami written by British journalist Richard Lloyd Parry. As the Asia Editor of The Times, Lloyd Parry covered the news of the triple disaster which occurred in the north-east of Japan on March 11,…
The opening review focuses on the catalogue of the exhibition Conflicts of Interest: Art and War in Modern Japan held at the Saint Louis Art Museum, October 2016 to January 2017. Illustrated with a collection of visual works, this volume chronicles Japan’s rise as a modern nation from the beginning of the Meiji Restoration…
First, the Japan Society Chairman Sir David Warren writes about Robert Morton’s biography of A. B. Mitford, one of the earliest British diplomats in Japan, who served in the Legation from 1866 to 1870. Next, Sir Hugh Cortazzi reviews the memoirs of Oswald White, Consul in Japan, 1903-1941: Oswald…
… (June 2017, Volume 12, Number 3) Looking at the titles of Japanese books recently released in the UK, it is evident that the landscape of Japanese literature translated into English is becoming more and more rich and diverse. Now, together with the works of celebrated authors, lesser known stories from new Japanese writers are also reaching us thanks to the dedicated effort of publishers and translators.The June issue of The Japan Society Review illustrates this trend by reviewing two…
The book Carmen Blacker – Scholar of Japanese Religion, Myth and Folklore: Writings and Reflections, reviewed for this issue of The Japan Society Review by Jim E Hoare, offers new insights into her research and life. This tribute volume not only includes texts written by family members, friends and…
… (February 2017, Volume 12, Number 1) This first issue of The Japan Society Review in 2017 covers a wide range of topics and media, from history to humour and origami, from academic books to popular films, aiming to bring you some of the latest Japan-related publications and events in the UK.The monograph by Dr Gordon Daniels offers a comprehensive study of one particular episode of the Anglo-Japanese history, the Japanese Red Cross Mission to Britain during the First World War. As our reviewer…
The Review could never claim, or attempt, to give an exhaustive account of the latest Japan-related publications and performances in the UK, but looking back on the books, films, artists and performances featured in this publication throughout 2016 does give an impression of the healthy level of interest in Japan in Britain. This issue is no different with reviews of new historical fiction, theatre,…
…October 2016, Volume 11, Number 5) In June we celebrated the launch of Britain and Japan: Biographical Portraits, Volume X, the latest addition to a 25-year project documenting the lives of those involved in the development of the UK-Japan relationship. Volume X brings the count of these ‘pen-portraits’ up to over six-hundred, and is dedicated to all those who have contributed to the series; as Sean Curtin comments in his review, the writing of a biographical portrait has itself become…
… (August 2016, Volume 11, Number 4) In this edition of the Japan Society Review we feature three superstars of contemporary Japanese literature, Furukawa Hideo, Tawara Machi and Wataya Risa, all of whom have achieved both critical and popular acclaim.Furukawa Hideo has been described as the new Murakami, and while the comparison holds true in terms of his popularity and prolific output, his breadth of style and genre set him aside. Not only does he do Murakami-esque magic realism, but his…
The summit, however, was largely eclipsed by President Obama’s visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Park. At the centre of his speech were the hibakusha. But the hibakusha have by no means always been at the centre of the nuclear narrative, and in Nagasaki: Life After Nuclear War Susan Southard presents the life stories…
In this issue, Annabelle Sami reviews a production that brings such issues closer to home. After Hiroshima considers the reception in the UK of the news of the atomic bombings and the way in which they were reported in the media. On a similar note, Jenny White, reporting on Japan Now, a conference examining contemporary Japanese art and culture, sets the event in the context…
Unsurprisingly, in the UK the focus was on the war in Europe, but it is important to remember that the war in the Pacific took place on a greater geographical scale, accounted for around fifty percent of the overall deaths and casualities, and continues to play a major role in regional and international relations. Coinciding with the anniversary, Barak Kushner – a…
We are now delighted to be able to resume print production of this bimonthly publication, and over the next six months will also be sending out the missing issues. As ever, we are keen to welcome new contributors with an interest in and knowledge of Japan, and also welcome suggestions as to books, films and events…
… (October 2015, Volume 10, Number 5) Contents Netsuke: 100 miniature masterpieces from Japan by Tsuchiya Noriko An Interview with Junichi Kajioka Kiku’s Prayer by Endō Shūsaku Revenge by Ogawa Yōko Contributors EditorWilliam Upton ReviewersChris Corker, Hugh Cortazzi, Suki Maw and Mike Sullivan Download the PDF Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
…August 2015, Volume 10, Number 4) Contents Obtaining Images: Art Production and Display in Edo Japan by Timon Screech Vessels of Influence: China and the Birth of Porcelain in Medieval and Early Modern Japan by Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere Throne of Blood directed by Akira Kurosawa Interview with Yuriri Naka Contributors ReviewersSir Hugh Cortazzi and Mike Sullivan Download the PDF Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read…
We hope the new-look format for the reviews will enhance your enjoyment of this highly popular feature. The theme for this inaugural issue is memoirs and we are featuring four newly released books under this heading ranging from the lifetime memories of the distinguished scholar Geoffrey Bownas to Crown Prince Naruhito's account of his two years at Oxford. You will also find several other reviews of recent…
…December 2019, Volume 14, Number 6) The last issue of The Japan Society Review in 2019 includes reviews of five books which, in one way or another, explore the interactions and encounters of Japan and Japanese culture with the rest of the world. In Quaint, Exquisite: Victorian Aesthetics and the Idea of Japan Grace E. Lavery explores how Japan captured the Victorian imagination and transformed Western aesthetics, from the opening of trade with Britain in the 1850s, to the present day and the…
Susan Meehan kicks off with a gripping new work by Roger Pulvers on Lafcadio Hearn, the great Japan chronicler of the 1890s who captured the essence of traditional Japan before it morphed into its modern form. Hearn was himself a true global citizen, having a Greek mother, Irish father and being schooled in England, Ireland and France. This background imbued his…
… (April 2020, Volume 15, Number 2) The arrival of spring this year has been marked by the lockdown and difficulties due to COVID-19, but nevertheless the bright light and colours of the season have arrived in our streets, gardens, and parks. This issue of The Japan Society Review hopes to bring some of that beauty also into your homes featuring the review and some astonishing images of the exhibition Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk opened at the Victorian & Albert Museum in London last February.…
Richard Lloyd Parry, author of the acclaimed People Who Eat Darkness, gives us an interview about his new book looking at the life and death of Lucie Blackman. Lucie went missing in Tokyo on 1st July 2000, and months later her body was discovered, dismembered and buried in a coastal cave in Kanagawa. Parry’s book comprehensively examines the whole case from various angles and perspectives. The…
00am to 12.30pm (BST) 7.00pm to 8.30pm (JST)Following the formal business of the AGM, members are invited to remain in the Zoom meeting for further discussion and to share views with trustees and staff. All will be over by 12.30pm. Booking DetailsFree – Japan Society members onlyRegistration essential The Board values the opportunity to engage…
… (April 2020, Volume 15, Number 3) Politics, History and International Relations are front and centre in this June issue of The Japan Society Review which includes reviews of three recently published volumes on these topics. The first is Transnational Nazism: Ideology and Culture in German-Japanese Relations, 1919-1936, an academic monograph exploring German-Japanese relations during the interwar era from the standpoint of their civil societies. The second, The Japan Affair, an edited…
… (April 2012, Volume 7, Number 2) To mark the first year anniversary of the devastating 11 March 2011 Tohoku Earthquake, now also known as the Great East Japan Earthquake, we devote this issue to looking at its aftermath. The massive scale of the destruction and terrible loss of life is almost beyond comprehension, something which poses a challenge to those trying to chronicle the catastrophe. Susan Meehan looks at the first documentary to have been made in the aftermath of the earthquake and…
Susan Meehan and others explore the historical novel Blossoms and Shadows by Lian Hearn, which is set at the genesis of the Meiji era. Hearn states in an interview included at the end of the book that the Meiji Restoration ranks along with the French Revolution and American Civil War in terms of regional and global impact. It certainly marks the emergence of Japan on…
…Japanese Sports Day: Lesson 3 Subject: Other Topics / Physical Education Level: Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 11-15 years / 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Lesson Plans / Other Lesson 3: Fun and Physical Activity This lesson highlights the importance of humour and having fun at a Japanese sports day. Students must think creatively and work collaboratively with their team to devise an activity for the opposing team that meets the criteria they have been given.…
Michael Sullivan examines All the Emperor’s Men which charts the legendary director Akira Kurosawa’s incursion into Hollywood. In an in-depth book Hiroshi Tasogawa details Kurosawa’s traumatic involvement in a fractious partnership with 20th Century Fox. Kurosawa was slated to direct Tora Tora Tora, which was supposed to tell the story of…
…- Japanese Sports Day: Lesson 1 Subject: Other Topics / Physical Education Level: Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 11-15 years / 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Videos / Other Lesson 1: Radio Taiso Warm-Up In the first lesson, students are introduced to the Radio Taiso exercises that are performed by the whole school as a warm-up before sports day. At the end of the lesson, the students’ own Radio Taiso performance can be recorded and played back…
…- Japanese Sports Day: Lesson 2 Subject: Other Topics / Physical Education Level: Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 11-15 years / 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Lesson Plans / Other Lesson 2: Communication in Pair Work In this lesson, students will realise the importance of effective communication in pair work as they take part in physical activities which test and strengthen their ability to work well in pairs. Learning Objectives To understand how communication…
…- Japanese Sports Day: Lesson 4 Subject: Other Topics / Physical Education Level: Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 11-15 years / 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Lesson Plans / Other Lesson 4: Teamwork in Sports Students look at the importance of working with others and how effective teamwork can improve performance. The students will take part in several physical activities which test and strengthen their ability to work well in teams. Learning Objectives To…
Sir Hugh Cortazzi starts off the issue with a review of Reimagining Japan, The Quest for a Future That Works which, as he highlights, covers the far-ranging challenges that Japan faces, such as inadequate leadership as well as young people who stay at home (not just their family home, but also don’t venture abroad) and lack the necessary…
. . flat and bleached of all colour.’ This is one of the many imaginative repostes given by author Kazuo Ishiguro in his conversation with Celyn Jones, which opens this issue. Our staff reviewer, Susan Meehan, was in the front pew at Friends’ House to absorb the wit and wisdom of both writers. Discussion centered around Ishiguro’s…
…The Rainy Season (June) Subject: Other Topics / Geography Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans / Worksheets / Other June is known as the rainy season in Japan, which brings heavy rainfall across much of the country. Although it can be humid and uncomfortable, the rain has many positives too - filling up the rice paddies and making colourful hydrangeas a common sight. In this lesson, students learn about the weather…
… (February 2013, Volume 8, Number 1) The ties between the Japanese and British archipelagoes form the heart of this issue’s reviews, with articles on new performances and retrospectives linking the history of the two island nations.The Japan Society is pleased to mark the publication of the eighth volume in the Britian and Japan: Biographical Portrait Series. This series covers the biographies of hundreds of British and Japanese personalities, whose lives and achievements are worthy of record.…
We start our 15th year of publication with renewed energy and commitment to advance the knowledge and understanding of Japan. In this period of crisis and uncertainty due to COVID-19, we hope all our readers and their families and friends keep healthy and well and invite you to discover new aspects of Japanese culture from the safety of your home. If you are intrigued by these suggestions and…
It was a truly unprecedented catastrophe so traumatic that its consequences are still reverberating through Japanese society. The massive cost in human life and the sheer scale of devastation would be difficult for any society to cope with but Japan must also deal with the additional aftermath of three nuclear meltdowns at the…
WilbornStrategic Studies Institutepublished February 2013 (originally published March 1996) by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform58 pagesISBN 1482339471 Review by Michael Sullivan In order to understand the events of today it is vital to analyse the past; however by understanding the present it is possible to see a glimpse of the future. Nearly twenty years ago Thomas L. Wilborn completed one…
…June 2013, Volume 8, Number 3) This issue focuses on a selection of Japanese writers in translation, from the current poster-boy of Japanese fiction, Haruki Murakami, to the rarely translated historical novelist, Shiba Ryōtarō.Any country’s literature is essential to a broader understanding of its character and history. The great Japan scholar and translator Louis Allen once wrote: In order to know a nation fully you have to go beyond knowing the way it expresses itself in its laws, its…
J.R.R. Tolkien, one of my favourite authors, once observed, ‘If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.’ Sound advice and in this issue we focus on food, drink and music to broaden our review menu which will in future offer such articles to our regular mix. Susan Meehan gives us her take on the much…
… (October 2013, Volume 8, Number 5) October’s issue is themed around family and our reviewers explore recent books and films that deal with familial relationships; their joys, troubles and complications.A particular highlight of the issue is Hirokazu Kore-eda’s new film Like Father, Like Son. For long-time fans of the director this latest release further consolidates his reputation; making spare, unadorned films that explore deeply complex human emotions. The film will resonate with everyone…
… (December 2013, Volume 8, Number 6) While preparing our final issue of 2013, it was with deep sadness that we learnt of the passing of Sir John Whitehead, distinguished former British Ambassador to Japan (1986 to 1992) and much respected former chairman of the Japan Society (2000 to 2006). Thanks to Sir John’s encouragement and kind support, this publication was launched in January 2006. We dedicate this issue to his memory. In issue 48 we focus on significant Japan-UK anniversaries, during…
… (February 2014, Volume 9, Number 1) In this first issue of 2014, we focus on Japan’s wartime Thai- Burma Railway which has recently been in the spotlight following the release of the internationally acclaimed movie The Railway Man. The film is based on Eric Lomax’s moving book of the same name and our review by Susan Meehan explores both versions of this emotive tale. On a positive note, this regrettable chapter in UK-Japan relations clearly demonstrates that bitter former foes can…
We have now reached the milestone of 50 issues since first appearing in January 2006. To mark the occasion, we have an article by each of our current key contributors with pieces mainly focusing on contemporary issues.For those who wonder how we reached this landmark, here’s a very brief history of our first 50 issues. It…
We begin with Chris Corker looking at Granta: 127, a collection of stories and images solely focussed on Japan covering a range of styles and perspectives.We then move onto two animated films, one re-release of a 1991 classic, the other a brand new effort from a renowned director. Chris Corker’s review of Roujin Z considers…
We begin with Murakami’s Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage, another great success from the author focussing on isolation and disconnection.We then move onto the theme of Japanese and international relations with Sir Hugh Cortazzi’s review of British Courts and Extra-territoriality in Japan, 1859-1899. Remaining on this subject, we offer a review by Ian Nish of two…
We consider an overview of Japan from a broad range of perspectives, a mystical jigsaw compilation of fiction, artisanal crafts, another collection of short stories veering away from the romanticisation of Japan, a film that sets its sights on issues of fatherhood and finally an insight into an East Asian film festival.Sir Hugh Cortazzi kicks off issue 53 with a…
…(December 2023, Volume 18, Number 3) Welcome to the December issue of The Japan Society Review! We are finishing 2023 with a great selection of literary works, from classic authors to new voices, from short stories to long historical novels, and the comeback of the iconic Godzilla. We hope you all have enjoyed our reviews this year and would like to thank once again our dedicated reviewers for their work. From 2024, The Japan Society Review will be switching from a bimonthly to a quarterly…
Our first review of Issue 54 is of Lee Sang-il’s remake of Clint Eastwood’s critically acclaimed film Unforgiven. Sang-il’s version sets the narrative in the era of the Edo Shogunate, as Chris Corker assesses the balance Unforgiven strikes between faithfulness to the source material, and artistic decisions to leave…
The October issue of The Japan Society Review is here with some suggestions for you to enjoy in the warmest spot of the house watching the rain from the window. The issue opens with two reviews that look at Japan from a personal perspective. In My Families and Other Samurai: A Memoir, Fukuda Haruko OBE weaves together the intricate threads of…
…8 (March 2025, Volume 20, Number 1) The March issue of The Japan Society Review presents a diverse selection of reviews that explore Japan’s civil society, urban history, postwar literature, and contemporary cinema, offering new insights into both past and present. We begin with the Handbook of Civil Society in Japan, edited by Simon Avenell and Ogawa Akihiro. This volume brings together leading scholarship on civic engagement, exploring how civil society in Japan has evolved and responded to…
The Japan Youth Collective is back with a focus on Reflect and Refine this January! For the first session of 2024, the Japan Youth Collective learnt about the significance of New Year in Japan and how people celebrate, such as playing the popular New Year's game Fukuwarai (福笑い). After playing a traditional Fukuwarai game as a warm up, Atsuko Console gave a short presentation to the Collective,…
The Japan Society - Sir Ernest Satow’s Private Letters to W.G. Aston and F.V.Dickins 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events…
Contact Small Grants Visit our Small Grants Archive to find out about previously funded projects. Small Grants Archive Small Grants Overview Japan Society Small Grants are made in support of small scale projects and events which increase awareness and understanding of Japan in the UK. The Japan Society particularly encourages applications from those who are involved in organizing grassroots projects and from schools and educational…
Yoshiko Sakurai is a well-known journalist and social critic in Japan, especially famous for her rightwing and sometimes ultra-nationalistic stance. She regularly contributes her essays on social issues to various journals and magazines, and this book is a collection of such contributions of the past year or so. Her interests are wide-ranging, from such…
This new issue of The Japan Society Review covers six of them thanks to the fantastic writing our volunteer reviewers. We open our selection with a review of Abe Naoko’s new book, The Martyr and the Red Kimono. Following her successful previous work, ‘Cherry’ Ingram: The Englishman who Saved Japan’s Blossoms, Abe focuses now on…
…6 (September 2024, Volume 19, Number 3) The September issue of The Japan Society Review brings together a captivating selection of reviews that delve into diverse aspects of Japan's cultural, historical, and literary tapestry. Our volunteer reviewers provide their insights on six unique works, each enriching our understanding of Japan’s past and present through personal stories, historical analyses, and explorations of cultural expression. We begin with In the Service of the Shogun: The Real…
…5 (June 2024, Volume 19, Number 2) The second quarter of 2024 has continued to enrich the UK's cultural landscape with an impressive variety of books, exhibitions, and events that delve into different facets of Japan. The latest issue of The Japan Society Review presents five reviews, each crafted by our dedicated volunteer reviewers, providing insightful reflections on these engaging works. We begin with Christopher Harding's The Light of Asia, a profound exploration of the cultural and…
…ion Form (Word / PDF), complete and return to:Small GrantsThe Japan Society13/14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Note: Please read our Privacy Policy to find out how your data is used. Online applications will be acknowledged by email within one week of receipt. Your Contact Details Title Name Job Title Organization Address Post code Telephone Email Website Individual / Organization Please select... Organization Individual About Your Project / Event Project/event title Brief description Outcome…
…7 (December 2024, Volume 19, Number 4) The December issue of The Japan Society Review concludes 2024 with a compelling selection of reviews that explore Japan’s artistic, theatrical, and literary traditions, offering insight into both historical legacies and contemporary interpretations. We begin with Salon Culture in Japan: Making Art 1750-1900, edited by Yano Akiko, which examines the dynamic artistic exchanges that flourished in early modern Japan. Through a close study of salons, ateliers,…
…lture in Japan: Making Art 1750 – 1900 was published in summer 2024 to accompany the special display of a selection of works from the British Museum’s collection of Japanese art, City life and salon culture in Kyoto and Osaka, 1770–1900 (April 2024-March 2025). The book and the display are the results of a three-year project supported by UK Research and Innovation through the Economic and Social Science Research Council and by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science through an…
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
…ources Loan Resources Search Resources Art & Design English Geography Physical Education Maths Other Topics Contact Education Connect with Japan Japan In Your Classroom (JIYC) Access to Experts Events & Special Programmes Japan Youth Collective Sixth Form Japan Day World Children's Haiku Contest Ekiden Relay Race UK-Japan Costume Design Contest Emperor's Visit 2024 News Japan Resources for the Summer Term! Applications Now Open for the Japan Youth Collective 2025-2026! Grants Small Grants…
…esources Loan Resources Search Resources Art & Design English Geography Physical Education Maths Other Topics Contact Education Connect with Japan Japan In Your Classroom (JIYC) Access to Experts Events & Special Programmes Japan Youth Collective Sixth Form Japan Day World Children's Haiku Contest Ekiden Relay Race UK-Japan Costume Design Contest Emperor's Visit 2024 News Japan Resources for the Summer Term! Applications Now Open for the Japan Youth Collective 2025-2026! Grants Small Grants…
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
Ultimately, for those who rankle at the novel's overly sentimentalised treatment of death, be warned that this book - as with so many others in what seems to be a burgeoning category - wears every inch of its tearjerker status on its sleeve. It will either leave you a sobbing wreck, or exhaust you in its attempt at it. And…
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The Japan Society - Archived Event 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover our…
The memoir spans across twelve years covering the life of a thirty-something year old Scotsman in rural Japan. Like most travellers, Maloney has lived an unusual yet interesting life. After university, he travelled to various places before ending up in Japan teaching English. It is here that he meets his wife Minori, settles in its rural district and ultimately…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
… All Individual Membership benefits plus Recognition on the website Recognition in The Japan Society Annual Proceedings and hard copy of the publication Two complimentary invitation to The Japan Society Christmas Party (for you and one guest) One complimentary invitation to an intimate dinner with a guest speaker (from the Monthly Lecture Series) OR to a Joint Lunch with the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry One complimentary invitation to private views of exhibitions with curators and…
…from the Morisaki Bookshop By Yagisawa Satoshi Translated by Eric Ozawa Manilla Press (2024)ISBN-13: 978-1786584960 Review by Renae Lucas-Hall Some stories resonate deeply, capturing the heart of every avid reader. This delightful volume is one such gem, perfect for those who cherish books, not just for their musty charm but for the dreams, adventures, and life lessons they offer. Days at the Morisaki Bookshop and its sequel, More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, are combined in this publication…
…on - Kimono: Kyoto to CatwalkVictoria and Albert Museum (London) (29 February - 21 June 2020) Review by Duncan Bartlett Europe’s first major exhibition of the kimono is a celebration of the garment’s unique place in the story of global fashion. The Victoria and Albert Museum in London is showing more than 350 creations in Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk, which opened to the public on February 29th, 2020. Speaking at the opening of the exhibition, its curator Anna Jackson said: “We want our visitors to…
… to Haiku - Beyond 5 7 5 Subject: Other Topics / English Level: GCSE+ / Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 15+ years / 11-15 years / 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Videos / Other Paul Conneally, haiku poet, introduces the key elements of haiku in this video, illuminating some of the common pitfalls and misunderstandings of what haiku is about. Watch this short 6 minute piece to stimulate ideas and then try writing haiku outside. You can print out and use one of our Writing…
…Kyogen Masks: Tradition and Modernity in the Art of Kitazawa Hideta provides a rare treat—not only spectacular photographs of beautifully crafted works of Japanese art, but also revelatory elucidation of this revered ancient theatre form presented in a straightforward and accessible style. The first thing that must be said about this book is that it is a beautiful object, truly exquisite in design and layout that makes excellent use of colour, space and typography. Simple calligraphic kanji…
Law Cambridge University Press (2019) ISBN-13: 978-1108474634 Review by Francesco Cioffo It is really difficult to say anything new when the topic has been analysed and scrutinised from almost every possible angle. Such is the case of the history of the Axis and the experiences of Italy, Germany and Japan in the first half of the 20th century. Yet Ricky Law has produced a remarkable monograph that aims to move…
…Meet You Anywhere: A Memoir By Susan Kiyo Ito Mad Creek Books (2023) ISBN-13: 978-0814258835 Review by Shehrazade Zafar-Arif In this poignantly honest and intimate memoir, Susan Kiyo Ito recounts her journey as the mixed-race adopted child of Japanese-American parents, her journey to track down her birth mother as an adult, and how this affected the trajectory of her life. Despite its heavy subject matter, the book has a surprisingly light-hearted tone, even verging into comedic in places -…
The boards have been covered with suminagashi, a delicately marbled paper that employs the mercurial technique of floating coloured inks in a constant state of movement on a vat of water. The swirling, concentric rings of colour are captured and transferred at the moment that the sheet of paper is lowered onto the surface of the liquid. Just as suminagashi alludes to the flow and movement of water that is essential to the marbling…
…nese Art of Living Seasonally By Natalie Leon Watkins (2024)ISBN: 978-1786787859 Review by Renae Lucas-Hall In this chaotic world, Natalie Leon’s inspirational book offers readers a path to inner peace, creativity, and a new or renewed appreciation of Japan and its natural environment. In Japanese culture, the seasons and the living world are an integral part of daily life. During summer in Kyoto, locals might savour fresh seafood on a veranda overlooking Kibune River, stay at a ryokan (inn)…
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…abinet Minister Greg Clark Appointed as New Chair of The Japan Society We are delighted to announce that the Rt Hon Greg Clark has been appointed as the new Chair of The Japan Society, effective from 1 January 2025. The appointment was approved by members at the Annual General Meeting held at the Embassy of Japan on 11 September 2024. This appointment brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the organisation, particularly in strengthening UK-Japan relations in politics, science and…
…on - Michael Kenna: Japan, A Love Story at Asia House, London W1G 7LP(25 September – 20 October 2024) Official website * Organiser of Michael Kenna: Japan, A Love Story will manage an exhibition stall for Japanese books at Japan Matsuri on Sunday 6 October, in Trafalgar Square, and the gallery at Asia House will be open for a combined visit that day. Review by David Tonge This is one of those reviews where I only need to say – ‘simply beautiful and inspiring, please go and see it with your own…
30pm for 5.00pm startCarriages at 7.00pm VenueThe Locarno SuiteForeign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeKing Charles StLondonSW1A 2AH Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialInvited Guests and Donors of The Japan Society will not be charged but we welcome donations to cover the costs associated with running this special event. Given the venue's…
30pm for 5.00pm startCarriages at 7.00pm VenueThe Locarno SuiteForeign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeKing Charles StLondonSW1A 2AH Booking DetailsBooking essential - Priority will be given to Members of The Japan SocietyMembers of The Japan Society and their Guests: £10 per personNon-Members: £25 per person Bookings open for non-members from noon Monday 12 August 2024 (More details on how…
30pm Please note the change of time (this event was originally planned at 6.00pm)VenueEmbassy of Japan 101-104 Piccadilly London W1J 7JT Booking DetailsOnly for Members of The Japan SocietyFree – Registration essential Booking Deadline: 9 September 2024 - 12.00 noon The Board values the opportunity to engage with members at the AGM, which is a key event for…
The Japan Society - Takaoka’s Travels 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
…on - Yoshida: Three Generations of Japanese Printmaking at Dulwich Picture Gallery (19 June - 3 November 2024) Review by David Tonge Many of us will be familiar with the printmaking of Hokusai, Utamaro and Hiroshige. But few will have had the opportunity to explore the work of the Yoshida dynasty of artists, so I will get right to the point by saying this exhibition was not what I expected, is an absolute treat and one you shouldn’t miss. If you don’t know the Dulwich Picture Gallery, it’s 10…
…ervice of the Shogun: The Real Story of Williams Adams By Frederick Cryns Reaktion Books (2024) ISBN-13: 978-1789148640 Review by Trevor Skingle The new FX series Shogun, based on the homonymous 1975 novel by James Clavell was released in spring 2024 and heralded a renewed interest in feudal Japan. It also led to a renewed interest in the character of John Blackthorne, which is based on William Adams (1564-1620), the English ship's pilot whose arrival in Japan on 19 April 1600 was destined to…
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…esson 5 Subject: Maths Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Presentations / Lesson Plans Lesson 5 Review and Practice In the final lesson in the scheme of work, students practice what they have learnt so far by using the soroban to tackle multi-stage problems involving both addition and subtraction. The lesson also includes practice of number bonds to 10 to lay the foundations for carrying and borrowing on the soroban. Learning Objectives: To strengthen…
…and Eggs By Kawakami MiekoTranslated by Sam Bett and David Boyd Picador (2020) ISBN-13: 978-1509898206 Review by Susan Meehan Challenging the Orthoxy Kawakami Mieko's epic novel zooms in on the experience of women, in particular working-class women from Osaka - the kind whose voices are not heard. Makiko, the family head, is a single mother who makes ends meet by working long hours as a hostess in a bar in Osaka. Natsuko, her younger sister by nine years, moved to Tokyo aged 20 to blog and…
…d of Ito Jakuchu - Classical Japanese Painter of All Things Great and Small in Nature By Sato Yasuhiro Translated by Michael Brase Japan Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture (2020)ISBN-13: 978-4866581354 Review by Laurence Green For those beyond the cloistered world of Japanese art history, the concept of “Japanese art” in and of itself remains unavoidably dominated by a preponderance toward the big names. With the likes of Hokusai and his eternally famous The Great Wave off Kanagawa more…
HarrisHurst & Company (2020) ISBN-13: 978-1787383104 Review by Bill Emmott With Abe Shinzo’s sudden resignation as prime minister, again on health grounds as after his first short period in office in 2007, it is right to ask what historians will think of him. For few can doubt that he will be seen as having been a more significant prime minister than most. In September 2012 he achieved the rare feat of returning to the Liberal Democratic Party’s…
… Away (Play) Adapted by John CairdCo-adapted by Maoko ImaiOriginal score by Joe Hisaishi London Coliseum (17 July - 24 August 2024)Official Website UK Review by Michael Tsang The theatre adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s film Spirited Away (directed by Miyazaki Hayao in 2001) has certainly made a mark on London’s theatre scene this summer, with its exceptionally long run of several months in a central London venue and its premiere attracting many celebrities such as Graham Norton to attend. Beyond…
The Japan Society - British Children’s Literature in Japanese Culture: Wonderlands and Looking-Glasses 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (13) Dear Japan Society members and friends In a week when pleasure at the prospect of returning to something closer to normal life has been balanced by concern about crowded beaches and a stubborn British resistance to learning from Japan by wearing masks when in shops and public places, I have found myself thinking about comedians, political talk shows and men with moustaches. I had better explain. Despite all the forces that have globalised large elements of popular…
The characters in the story represent two stars, Vega and Altair, and so it is also known as the ‘Star Festival’. The Tanabata Festival brings a splash of colour to public spaces across Japan as beautiful decorations go up on display. As part of the celebrations, it is a custom to write a wish on a coloured strip of paper…
The second installment - Of Blood and Flame - is due out in August, and promises more action-packed shenanigans from ‘European Samurai’ Joaquim Martinez as he does battle once again with the fury of the Shogun. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
A little rough round the edges perhaps, but thoroughly individual in its existence as a thing of many component folds and layers. There are many tales of Hiroshima. This is merely one of them. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
Linking everything together is Natsumi - not so much a character, but a vacuum for all of us to occupy. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
…wa Murders By Onda Riku Translated by Alison WattsBitter Lemon Press (2020) ISBN-13: 978-1912242245 Review by Jill Dobson The first novel by prolific and award-winning author Onda Riku to be published in English is prefaced by a transcript of a police interview with Aosawa Hisako, the sole survivor of a mass murder that has claimed the rest of her family. Hisako, the obvious suspect, is blind; how could she have carried out a mass poisoning? The rest of the novel unfolds from this basic…
…e Wild Ladies Are By Matsuda AokoTranslated by Polly BartonTilted Axis Press (2020) ISBN-13: 978-1911284383 Review by Charlotte Goff What’s stopping you from getting the life you want? For the protagonist of Smartening Up, the second in Matsuda Aoko’s newly translated ghost stories, it is her hair. If only she had remembered to epilate, she would surely never have been dumped. If only she had long, golden locks, the rest of her life would fall into place. It takes a visit from her dead aunt to…
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Here is hoping these are the first of many to come. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
The Japan Society - Stranger in the Shogun’s City 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing…
As I turned the pages of in the summer of 2020, I wondered if the reaction to the coronavirus crisis will be any different to responses to previous disasters, such as the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. If the historical precedent cited by Professor Glosserman is followed, this would appear unlikely. Glosserman is frustrated that no matter how serious Japan’s problems, they do not provide the impetus for…
…Affair By David Howell Gilgamesh Publishing (2020)ISBN-13: 978-1908531452 Review by Peter Kornicki Japan and Britain are not only democratic nation states that happen to be islands, as both the author of this book and the former Japanese ambassador, Tsuruoka Kōji, remind us in their prefaces, but they are also monarchies in a world where monarchies are increasingly rare and they both once had extensive empires, albeit for a much shorter period in the case of Japan. They have therefore often…
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…the current discussion on kimono by narrating it not as purely as a traditional costume, but as a fashionable and diverse garment which had to overcome many obstacles and adapt to different historical circumstances in a variety of ways. The overall presentation within the exhibition catalogue is both inspirational and educational, and should therefore be added to the personal library of anyone with an interest in textiles, art and crafts. High-resolution images of some of the kimono distributed…
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
Kubo Misumi's masterful storytelling, combined with Polly Barton's adept translation, makes this work one of surprising emotional significance, especially considering it makes for very easy reading. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information.…
Reportedly, legal issues and censorship have prevented its release, with claims that certain video and audio clips—including CCTV footage of Yamaguchi dragging Ito from a taxi, audio from a taxi driver and police investigator, and conversations with her lawyer—were used without permission. The film sheds light on critical social issues, and all Ito has ever wanted is to tell the truth and…
This is a murder mystery for sure, but a high-octane, page-turning thriller it is not. But for the reader prepared to take their time with it, to bathe deeply in the distinctly odd world it constructs, there’s an undoubtable charm that will find its way under your skin, whether you want it to or not. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here…
International organizations, governments, think tanks, pressure groups and local communities use the term “civil society” all the time.It is invoked at one level by both Japan’s International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of their good governance policies. At the…
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The Japan Society - The Vendetta of the 47 Rōnin in Modern Kabuki: A Translation of Mayama Seika’s Genroku Chūshingura 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
Cost £48 Add to Basket Family 2This is our household membership option, with benefits available to spouse/partner and children within one household. Cost £64 Add to Basket Direct Debit Individual / Family Membership ( £42.50 / £58.50) Please download our membership form (PDF) and print single-sided only. Please fill and sign the form by hand and send it by post to:MembershipThe…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
She intertwines historical insights, technical instruction, and philosophical reflections as she teaches her students how to use ink to create stunning paintings. She traces Sumi-e’s origins from China’s Sung period (960-1279) to its rise in Japan during the Muromachi era (1338-1573); telling the reader, it gained popularity in the mid-fifteenth century thanks to the Zen monk Sesshu Toyo. One may…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
45pm VenueThe Swedenborg Society20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Hall entrance on Barter St)London WC1A 2TH For a PDF map of the venue please click here Booking DetailsFree Lecture – booking recommended The presentation will trace the development of Buraku communities and policies towards them from the mid-nineteenth to the early twenty-first century. Following the formal abolition of senmin status in 1871,…
45pm VenueThe Swedenborg Society20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Hall entrance on Barter St)London WC1A 2TH Venue Map (PDF) Booking DetailsFree Lecture – booking recommended The Siberian Internment of over 600,000 Japanese Army servicemen (1945-1956) – captured in the Japanese puppet-kingdom of Manchukuo and driven into Soviet camps by the victorious Red Army…
The Role of the Comedian in Japan – with Till Weingärtner Monday 16 March 2020 / 6:45pm DateMonday 16 March 2020Time6.45pm VenueThe Swedenborg Society20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Hall entrance on Barter St)London WC1A 2TH PDF map of the venue Booking DetailsPlease note that this lecture has been postponed due to the current situation with COVID-19. The new date for the lecture is Monday 21 December (book online here). We apologise for the inconvenience and look forward to…
…fore Tokyo By Timon Screech Reaktion Books (2024) ISBN-13: 978-1789149555 Review by Trevor Skingle What a fascinating book, illustrated with some wonderful images, some of them quite unexpected! An almost academic but eminently readable introduction sets out the antecedents of Edo, the former name of the city known today as Tokyo. Then the book moves on to six chapters covering, firstly, how Edo was conceived; secondly, its layout and the central main bridge; thirdly, Edo in its abstract forms…
…nd Complete Account of the Life of William Adams - The English Samurai By Richard Irving Independently published (2024)ISBN-13: 979-8338435779 for Volume One / 979-8346079668 for Volume Two Review by Nicolas Maclean Professor Richard Irving’s magnum opus deserves the highest praise. Its two volumes, containing over 800 pages, are a treasure trove for scholars and researchers but also a “rattling good yarn” for generalist lovers of history, adventure and heroic achievement. Professor Irving has…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
…n Samurai : A Tale of Vengeance and Death in Haiku and Letters By Sato HiroakiStonebridge Press (2019)ISBN-13: 978-1611720549 Review by Trevor Skingle The most famous vendetta in Japanese history has led to many publications, most in Japanese. The majority of English publications are either fictional adventure novels or in depth academic studies. Until now there has been a dearth of material which focuses on the personal narratives of the protagonists. However, this deficiency seems to have…
…tumn Brocade By Miyamoto TeruTranslated by Roger ThomasNew Directions (2007)ISBN-13: 978-0811216753 Review by Robert Paul Weston When my wife spotted the review copy of Miyamoto Teru’s Kinshu on the bedside table, the book’s main title writ large, she assumed it was a treatise on alcoholism. “You’re giving up drinking?” she asked me. The problem was the final letter u—or lack thereof—in the word kinshu. Written without it, a native Japanese reader might assume the word is an English…
The Japan Society - Tanaka 1587: Japan’s Greatest Unknown Samurai Battle 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a…
YellenCornell University Press (2019)ISBN-13: 978-1501735547 Review by Francesco Cioffo If you are looking for a captivating grand narrative about how the Japanese military elite, intoxicated by the rhetoric of Pan-Asianism and imperialist megalomania, formulated a coherent masterplan for the control of the entire East Asian region, and perhaps the world, this is not the book you were looking for.[1] But if you are…
The novel starts in a comical vein like a classic ‘odd couple’ narrative but turns into something else: a poignant meditation on the generation gap, stigmatization in Japan, the perils of lazy prejudice in a stratifying society, the value of devotion to one’s craft and how we can find meaning in the mundane, no matter how tawdry or hemmed in our circumstances. The main character is…
… A Concise History By Michael WertOxford University Press (2019)ISBN-13: 978-1912866496 Review by Trevor Skingle From the Kabuki characters posing on stage in a mie pose through manga and anime to the historical sword fighting epics of Japanese cinema, the concept of the samurai has pretty much always provoked a variety of images in the mind. From the merciless assassin to the compassionate yet doomed hero, from the wandering masterless ronin to the philosophical kensei sword saint of legendary…
Hara specialises not only in Japanese cooking but also in the so-called “Nikkei cuisine”, a hybrid of Japanese and Peruvian cooking created by Japanese migrants to South America in around the 1900’s. Peru has the second highest population of Japanese residents in South America, second only to Brazil, and the impact…
114). Hearing about this escape, the narrator cannot quite imagine how these people crossed the water, so completely has the concept of a boat been expunged from her mind. Otherwise, the islanders submit to their fate, even as, towards the end, they start to disappear themselves, body part by body part. Like the protagonist of her novel, the…
Through their gifting of two folding screens, decorated with depictions of a castle near Kyoto, the envoy provided the Pope in Rome with the Western world’s first glimpse of Japanese architecture. From this early encounter, the reader is taken to Dejima in Nagasaki during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries: the sole port through which Japan…
In order to appreciate or even understand this collection of folk tales, you must detach yourself from your present reality and open yourself up to a world not just of fantasy but of ancient mythological history where Shinto traditions, mysticism and anthropomorphism are very much alive. Lafcadio Hearn, also known by his…
The idea seems faintly ridiculous; how can we combine these three things in a way that makes sense, let alone be entertaining? And yet, the three concepts combine surprisingly well. The original story is one that many people know, making the less-familiar elements easier to make sense of. Meanwhile, the story of the miser Scrooge confronting a number of…
Wrathful. One of the soldiers glanced at the sword in his own trembling hand and his look revealed all: it was not weapon enough to fell such a man… The three soldiers remained spellbound, unable to move. Even words failed them. “Yasuke de gozaru,” the African samurai challenged, stepping forward into…
The novel reminds us that ethnic minorities, religions and cultures – notions that very much exemplify the diversity of life – have somehow become “incompatible” with the modern world. Dictatorial leaders and governments akin to those of the Second World War have embedded this idea into the masses causing a widespread fear and rejection of people. In the novel, the propaganda becomes so strong that the Japanese soon begin to suspect their own people of political play; ‘they…
…on - Hiroshige: Artist of the Open Road at British Museum (1 May – 7 September 2025) Review by Sanae Inagaki Today, the name of Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) is so widely known that some might expect few surprises from his work. Yet the British Museum’s Hiroshige: Artist of the Open Road — the institution’s first-ever solo exhibition dedicated to Hiroshige and the first in London in over 25 years — offers far more than a straightforward retrospective. Rather, it invites us to reconsider…
…Point: Our World in Crisis By Café Reason Butoh Dance TheatreAl Jaber Auditorium, Oxford (11-12 January 2020) Review by Alice Baldock Butoh, an avant-garde artform that tiptoes along the precipice between performance art, dance, and absurdity, began in post-war Japan. It was a way of finding new means of expression, and it was also a form of protest. Café Reason interprets it as a way to ‘uncover the dance that already exists in the body’. Since the 1950s, what butoh is has both expanded and…
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…and the Floating World: Japanese Ukiyo-e Prints By Anna Jackson and Yamada Masami V & A Publishing (2024) ISBN-13: 978-1838510503 Review by Carolin Becke In Fashion and the Floating World, Victoria and Albert Museum’s curators Anna Jackson and Yamada Masami present an exploration of Japan's vibrant fashion culture in the Edo-period (1603-1868) through the lens of meticulously curated ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Drawing from the extensive collection of the V&A Museum, the authors delve into how…
The Japan Society - Exhibition - The Craft of Carpentry: Drawing Life from Japan’s Forests 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External…
Woodblock prints are no longer treated as visual curios, or wrapping paper for imported goods, but as a part of a long and varied tradition still unfolding—and still vividly alive in the eye of the viewer. If there’s a limitation to the catalogue it’s one inherent to the form: the experience it offers is necessarily partial, distanced by the page. The tactile immediacy of the prints is inevitably mediated. But in doing so,…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
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The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
…bership Individual For more information please contact our Head of Partnerships: Contact Membership Support The Japan Society through our donor scheme Become a Donor Leave a Gift in your Will for The Japan Society Leave a Legacy Individual Membership Individual Membership Types and Benefits Events Members have access to over 90 cultural, academic and business events per year. Priority booking options Members-exclusive events Free or discounted tickets Members-only playlist on YouTube with video…
Take a group of Italian percussionists, who just so happen to be karate experts too, and see what kind of musical concoction they can cook up. As Hirota Joji, who has been teaching the group for over ten years puts it, it’s ‘taiko with a martial arts touch’. The rhythmic, kinetic energy of the two disciplines would certainly seem to lend themselves to each-other, and for the…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
…e a Gift in your Will for The Japan Society Leave a Legacy Individual Membership Individual Membership Types and Benefits Events Members have access to over 90 cultural, academic and business events per year. Priority booking options Members-exclusive events Free or discounted tickets Members-only playlist on YouTube with video recordings of lectures Special discounts for external events Community Connect with individual and corporate members with an active interest in UK-Japan relations.…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
Proof of status will be required. Cost £10 Add to Basket OnlineThis discounted membership is designed for individuals who are normally unable to attend in-person events: Non-member fees will apply for event attendance. Reciprocal membership with The Japan-British Society in Japan not available. Cost £25…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
5MB) The PowerPoint file is read-only, however if you require an editable version, please contact the Education Team at education@japansociety.org.uk. External Resources Preparatory Learning Guide for Educational Travel in Japan (by JNTO)How to Enjoy Tokyo! (by Tokyo Metropolitan Government) More Online Resources Search Resources Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more…
…DREC Teaching Recommendations Are you interested in teaching about Japan or incorporating Japan into your curriculum? We have a wide range of free online resources to engage and inspire children and young people from Key Stage 1 up to Key Stage 5. Our online resources cover a variety of subjects including Art, English, Geography, Maths, PE, as well as other cross-curricular and extra-curricular enriching resources. Not sure where to start? Find resources suited to your students' age and…
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Proof of status will be required in the form: Under 25: Please upload a copy of an ID document which include your date of birth. Full time students: Please upload a valid student ID (with date) or a letter from your school on headed paper. JET membership discount is available for one year after return from Japan. Please indicate the dates of JET programme and prefecture in Japan. Under 25 / Full Time Student / JET…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
But this book also tells us a lot about growing up. For example, when Shuichi notices Kenta is no longer afraid of graves, he can see his childhood is receding (pp. 270-271). Young parents will relate to these special moments. Some chapters present unique formatting. One delves into the heartbeats of individuals worldwide. Another features Mrs. Ono's and Shingo's heartbeats transcribed into sheet music. Additionally, there is a section showcasing various Japanese…
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Cost £64 Add to Basket Direct Debit Individual / Family Membership ( £42.50 / £58.50) Please download our membership form (PDF) and print single-sided only. Please fill and sign the form by hand and send it by post to:MembershipThe Japan Society13/14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Note: electronic forms sent by email are not valid for direct debit membership. ConcessionThis…
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The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
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The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
Reciprocal membership with The Japan-British Society in Japan not available. Cost £25 Add to Basket Notes Membership is for one calendar year from the time of joining. Please read our privacy policy and terms & conditions. By filling a membership form, you state that you have read and agreed to them. If you choose it in the form, you will receive…
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The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
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The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
50 / £58.50) Please download our membership form (PDF) and print single-sided only. Please fill and sign the form by hand and send it by post to:MembershipThe Japan Society13/14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Note: electronic forms sent by email are not valid for direct debit membership. ConcessionThis membership is for Under 25s, Full-time students and Alumni of the JET programme, Daiwa Scholarships, and Working Holiday Visa (within five years of return – discounted rate for one…
Cost £25 Add to Basket Notes Membership is for one calendar year from the time of joining. Please read our privacy policy and terms & conditions. By filling a membership form, you state that you have read and agreed to them. If you choose it in the form, you will receive information about The Japan Society’s events and activities by email. If you are a UK tax payer, you can also help us by selecting the Gift Aid box in the payment…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
Reciprocal membership with The Japan-British Society in Japan not available. Cost £25 Add to Basket Notes Membership is for one calendar year from the time of joining. Please read our privacy policy and terms & conditions. By filling a membership form, you state that you have read and agreed to them. If you choose it in the form, you will receive information about The Japan Society’s events and…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Test-Membership Individual 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
…on - Design Discoveries: Towards a Design Museum Japanat Japan House London (15 May- 8 September 2024) Review by David Tonge It may seem odd that Japan, a beacon of design excellence, does not have a dedicated Design Museum. If you travel around Japan, you will be able to see design collections in regional museums and in Tokyo you can visit 21-21 site or the Axis gallery for example, both of which have rotating exhibitions. There is no shortage of opportunities to experience design, but there…
A string of recent Japanese films share this tendency to defy closures or resolved endings, and I wonder if these films collectively help expose the facile assumptions that many of us tend to have towards storytelling, especially the taken for granted demand for logically-resolved plotlines and fully-developed round characters: if climate change and other environmental issues remain unresolved, why should this film? Thus, a negative verdict…
…tedly a historical novel, but detailing as it does a period of near-unique rapid modernisation and cultural transformation, it is a historical novel on one of the most interesting periods of not only Japanese but world history. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
…om Surface To Form By Tung Ken LamWooden Books (2022) ISBN-13: 978-1907155451 Review by Robin Macey This is the latest book by UK origami expert Tung Ken Lam who is noted for his work on origami and mathematics. Tung Ken’s modular creations, including the WXYZ and Jitterbug, are known around the world as fine examples of original and economical folding. He has taught and presented his origami work in Japan, the USA and across Europe. This dense little pocketbook is split into 28 short chapters…
…rm Japan Day 2022 Thursday 10 November 2022 / 11:30am The Japan Society, in association with Ritsumeikan (UK), is pleased to once again welcome sixth form students back to an in-person Sixth Form Japan Day. Date10 Thursday November 2022 Time11.30am to 4.25pm*Please note the delayed start time, to allow extra time to travel to the venue in light of the TFL strike announcement. Exact times may be subject to slight changes on the day. VenuePlease note the venue is at Birkbeck University of London,…
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
Membership welcome pack will be sent to the delivery address indicated in the form. Cost £25 Add to Basket Concessional Membership This is a concessional membership for members under 25 years old, full time students and returnees of JET programme. Proof of status will be required in the form: Under 25: Please upload a copy of an ID document which include your date of birth. Full time students: Please upload a valid student ID (with date) or a…
The Essence of Japanese Design, starts this book by asking us a simple question: 'What colour is Japan. Is it red like the prominent circle of the Japanese flag, or the outlined lips and eyes of a geisha against her white foundation, the dramatic lines painted on a kabuki actors face, or the wood lacquers and pavilions…
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It is born from the ocean, land and sky and nourished in their music, dance and daily life.’ (P. 2) Everett Kennedy Brown is an American photographic artist, writer, and film producer and long term resident of Japan. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Le Monde, on CNN, NHK and is in permanent collections in Japan, Europe, and…
…and Other Stories By Tanizaki Junichiro Columbia University Press (2022)ISBN-13: 978-0231202152 Review by Laurence Green I have always thought of Tanizaki Junichiro as the grandmaster of a very particular old-school charm within the wider gamut of Japanese literature. From door-stop landmarks like The Makioka Sisters, to smaller delicacies like Some Prefer Nettles or The Key, he conjures up a world lost to time, but at once on the cusp of transition. This Japan at the turn of the early…
…apan: Twittering thanks to Japan By Paul Madden The Kawauso Press (2022)ISBN-13: 978-1838372910 Review by Ra Mason In this highly inventive book, Paul Madden maximises his extensive and varied experiences in Japan to provide a unique and, for many, fascinating series of insights into thirty-nine (san-kyu, or "thank you") aspects of Japanese scenery, history, life and culture. The concept of using tweets made by the author and the responses to them is ingenious. It brings a new edge and…
Tales of the War in the East are countless, but Takahashi’s skill in his take is in stripping back his prose to the very essence of the human condition, cleanly and clinically delivering the descent of one man into mortal oblivion: what remains of life itself - the soul, even - when submersed into the full ugliness and pointlessness of war? Back to Reviews Share…
The Japan Society - Yoshioka Nao at The Jazz Cafe 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing…
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00pm VenueEmbassy of Japan 101-104 Piccadilly London W1J 7JT Following the formal business of the AGM, members are invited to remain for an informal reception with sake generously provided by Sake Samurai and wonderful Japanese canapes from 5 Incorporated. Booking DetailsFree – Japan Society members onlyRegistration essential Booking Deadline6 September 202312.00…
50) Please download our membership form (PDF) and print single-sided only. Please fill and sign the form by hand and send it by post to:MembershipThe Japan Society13/14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Note: electronic forms sent by email are not valid for direct debit membership. Bulletin Membership This is a concessional membership for those that live overseas or outside London and are unable to attend events on a regular basis. You can still receive other membership benefits such as…
The Japan Society - Manga, Murder and Mystery - The Boy Detectives of Japan’s Lost Generation 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education…
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
…your Will for The Japan Society Leave a Legacy Individual Membership The Japan Society, a non-profit organisation with a history stretching back to 1891, is the leading body in the United Kingdom dedicated to the enhancement of the British-Japanese relationship. Our members are committed to promoting deep and lasting understanding between our two countries. Our strength lies in a broad based membership of individuals and organisations. We currently have a membership of over 1,000 members, both…
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45pm VenueThe Swedenborg Society20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Hall entrance on Barter St)London WC1A 2TH Venue Map (PDF) Booking DetailsFree- Booking essential Please note this is an in-person event subject to Covid regulations and the health and safety requirements at the venue. More details will be provided to attendees closer to the date. The activities…
…and Circles: Insights from Japan on Gardens, Nature, and Art By Marc Peter KeaneStone Bridge Presss (2022)ISBN-13: 978-1611720723 Review by Katie Croft The title of this lovely book is somewhat misleading. Although I assume that it is literally true (i.e. that Keane was in Japan when he wrote it), it gives a prospective reader the impression that they are about to encounter some specifically Japanese socio-cultural-historical non-fiction: perhaps it will include a critique of different periods…
…mming In Dappled Sunlight By Onda RikuTranslated by Alison Watts Bitter Lemon Press (2022)ISBN-13: 978-1913394592 Review by Laurence Green A couple meet up one final time, one last night together in which to dissect the past. Their relationship has broken down. Their apartment is now emptied and void of their possessions. All that is left is to get to the bottom of where it all went wrong; a horrific incident in which during a dreamy holiday trekking in the mountains, their guide suddenly dies.…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
…mama Bride: A Jewish Family Saga Made in Japan By Liane Grunberg WakabayashiGoshen Books (2021)ISBN-13: 978-0578844046 Review by Renae Lucas-Hall This compelling and insightful memoir reads like a classic love story full of trials and tribulations. Liane Grunberg Wakabayashi’s spiritual journey in Japan from secular to orthodox Judaism is a reflection on transformation, relationships, family values, finding happiness, and being true to oneself. Grunberg Wakabayashi moves from New York to Tokyo…
In every cluttered urban edifice, in every baby’s cry, in every trickle of sweat; a realm of possibilities. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
… comes on like a high-intensity cocktail of distinctly bizarre tales that invariably, through a particularly slanted, satire-driven look at issues of gender, sex and drug use, force us to see the familiar from new, compelling angles. A New York Times review drew an apt comparison between Suzuki and Ursula K. Le Guin; and certainly, stories like ‘Women And Women’ - the first tale in this collection, and also arguably the best - feel very much a pair with classics like Le Guin’s 1969 masterpiece…
50 / £58.50) Please download our membership form (PDF) and print single-sided only. Please fill and sign the form by hand and send it by post to:MembershipThe Japan Society13/14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Note: electronic forms sent by email are not valid for direct debit membership. Bulletin Membership This is a concessional membership for those that live overseas or outside London and are unable to attend events on a regular basis. You can still receive other membership…
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
Textile and Papermaking Practice, Past, Present and Future Monday 16 May 2022 / 6:45pm DateMonday 16 May 2022Time6.45pm VenueThe Swedenborg Society20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Hall entrance on Barter St)London WC1A 2TH Venue Map (PDF) Booking DetailsFree- Booking essential Please note this is an in-person event subject to Covid regulations and the health and safety requirements at the venue. More details will be provided to attendees closer to the date. The activities of the Japan Society…
This is not a great Japanese novel about womanhood, nor is it just a great Japanese novel. It is simply a great novel. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
As I said at the beginning, if you want a coffee table book of the latest Japanese design trends this is not for you. But if you really want to understand why design matters to Japan, this is a great place to start and is highly recommended. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy…
…idual Membership benefits plus Recognition on the website Recognition in The Japan Society Annual Proceedings and hard copy of the publication Two complimentary invitation to The Japan Society Christmas Party (for you and one guest) One complimentary invitation to an intimate dinner with a guest speaker (from the Monthly Lecture Series) OR to a Joint Lunch with the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry One complimentary invitation to private views of exhibitions with curators and art…
…se Myths: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, and Spirits By Joshua FrydmanThames and Hudson (2022)ISBN-13: 978-0500252314 Review by Renae Lucas-Hall This illustrated book by Joshua Frydman is well-written, thought-provoking, and visually engaging. Flicking through the pages, the text may seem dense and difficult to understand but it’s actually gripping and captivating to read. The first page begins with a tribute to the writer, teacher and translator Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904) who travelled to Japan in…
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However, once we accept this approach, we are free to even take pleasure in the fact that it is not a work to be understood in any definitive sense of the word. When we exempt ourselves from the expectation of answers, we can simply enjoy the detail and vibrancy of the ever-so-real world that Oyamada creates, and allow ourselves to react naturally and without inhibition to the events of the work. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
…eror's Visit 2024 News Design Competition - My London Pictograms Japan Resources for the Summer Term! Grants Small Grants Overview Contact Us Past Recipients Small Grants Archive Recently Funded House of the Setting Sun Minoru Nomata: Hands-on Learning Activities at the De La Warr Pavilion Join & Support Become a Member Why Join The Japan Society Individual Membership Corporate Membership Charity and Institutional Membership Contact Membership Become a Donor Individual Donor Corporate Donor…
45pmVenueThe Swedenborg Society20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Hall entrance on Barter St)London WC1A 2TH Venue Map (PDF) Booking DetailsFree - Booking essential Please note this is a hybrid event with the option to attend online or in-person. For in-person attendance, click the red button below to book your place(s); to book a place to attend online, please click here. For those of us who have…
…our Japanese Garden: A Guide to Creating a Unique Japanese Garden for your Home by Sadao Yasumoro and Joseph Cali Tuttle Publishing (2021)ISBN: 978-4805316146 Review by Katie Croft I was introduced to Sadao Yasumoro in Tokyo a few months ago, when he gave me this book. On that day, he was directing work at the site of a new garden project in Naka-Meguro, before taking a group of us to visit some of his completed garden projects (two of which are featured in this book). Despite being in his 80s…
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This augmentation allows Hamaguchi to reinterpret Murakami’s story with a different depth and world view, exploring new themes absent in Murakami’s version. Theatre director Kafuku is invited to Hiroshima (note the symbolism of this setting) to direct a multinational, multilingual production of Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. He is…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
…eror's Visit 2024 News Applications Now Open for the Japan Youth Collective 2025-2026! Japan Resources for the Summer Term! Grants Small Grants Overview Contact Us Past Recipients Small Grants Archive Recently Funded Orizuru: Folk Tales and Peace Minoru Nomata: Hands-on Learning Activities at the De La Warr Pavilion Join & Support Become a Member Why Join The Japan Society Individual Membership Corporate Membership Charity and Institutional Membership Contact Membership Become a Donor…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
…membership (£48) One complimentary invitation to The Japan Society Annual Dinner One complimentary invitation to one art and culture workshop Access to meetings to shape the ‘Next Generation of UK-Japan Leaders’ programme Cost £5000 Add to Basket Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
…Individual Membership benefits plus Recognition on the website Recognition in The Japan Society Annual Proceedings and hard copy of the publication Two complimentary invitation to The Japan Society Christmas Party (for you and one guest) One complimentary invitation to an intimate dinner with a guest speaker (from the Monthly Lecture Series) OR to a Joint Lunch with the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Cost £1000 Add to Basket Patron All Individual Membership benefits plus Recognition…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
…new Individual Donor For more information please contact our Head of Partnerships: Contact Membership Leave a Gift in your Will for The Japan Society Leave a Legacy Individual Donor We also invite members to support The Japan Society through our donor scheme. Your donations support the charitable activity of the Society including the schools education and outreach programme, which is funded almost entirely by individual and corporate donors. Members at this category receive all the benefits of…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
But what is perhaps the surest testament to this staging’s skill is that it feels like a production that could also exist quite apart from both of these audiences if it needed to. Born from the DNA of anime - but speaking with a theatrical voice that goes well beyond it. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our…
Perhaps the simplest answer the book has to offer is that we must first recognise that it exists. Kobayashi has written a novel that does a truly impressive job of threading modern anxieties into a compelling story that is informed by both wartime history and contemporary societal issues. Like all good works of art, this one does not preach but asks the reader to begin searching for answers themselves, because to understand the incomprehensible you must first…
…ies and Other Samurai: A Memoir By Fukuda Haruko Richfield and Barr Publishing Limited (2023)ISBN-13: 978-1399959056 Review by Laurence Green UK-based financier Fukuda Haruko will be familiar to many members of The Japan Society, not only as a former Joint Chair of the Society herself, but for her long and successful career in the cut and thrust world of finance, working as both a stockbroker and investment banker in the City of London. Forging a distinctly international career that traces its…
…rm Japan Day 2023 Tuesday 7 November 2023 / 10:20am The Japan Society, in association with Ritsumeikan (UK) and SOAS, University of London, is pleased to once again welcome sixth form students back to another Sixth Form Japan Day. DateTuesday 7 November 2023 Time10.20am to 4.20pm*Exact times may be subject to slight changes on the day. VenueSOAS, University of LondonThornhaugh StreetRussell SquareLondon, WC1H 0XG Nearest underground station: Russell Square. For directions to the venue and a PDF…
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
…Sweetheart (Play) Directed by Melly StillAdapted by Bryony LaveryBased on the novel Sputnik Sweetheart by Murakami Haruki Arcola Theatre (27 October-25 November 2023) Review by Michael Tsang The latest stage adaptation of Murakami Haruki’s novel Sputnik Sweetheart, directed by Melly Still and adapted by Bryony Lavery, demonstrates the malleable power of the theatre as a storytelling medium. Visualisation techniques and a well-designed stage allow this production to shine as a creative rendition…
Its intimidating length and style will prove insurmountable for many - while for those with the patience to work at it, excavating its rewards piece by piece, the lyrical beauty at its heart will begin to shine through. For those new to Yu’s writing, this is resolutely not a great entry point - but make no doubt about it, this hefty tome is another landmark entry in the career of one of Japan’s most important…
A young boy called Giovanni and the rest of his class are encouraged by their teacher to go outside and look at the stars after school. The first few pages are a lesson on the Tanabata festival or “Star Festival” that takes place once a year on the 7th day of the 7th month. Everything seems ordinary up until the section titled ‘Milky Way Station’ when one is transported into a unique world of make-believe.…
It is also a movie that deserves to be seen on the big screen, to feel that strange viewing catharsis as the power of Godzilla’s roar hits you like the train he throws so effortlessly through the sky. Minus One is one of those rare films that delivers both in ecstatic thrills and sobering reflections: in sum, it is a film that fulfils the potential the…
The use of the word “kingdom” here is interesting as it connotes something archaic; we imagine the narrator is thinking of a time long before his existence with the reign of a king or queen, a once booming population and thriving economy. We then witness a shift in time and are brought back to the present day with the remainder of the story. We are next presented with the character of Q with whom the narrator had a friendship with during his college years. How they came to be…
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The Japan Youth Collective is back with a focus on Reflect and Refine this January! For their first Catch-Up session after the winter break, the Collective members learnt about Japanese New Year traditions and customs, had a go at the popular New Year's game Fukuwarai (福笑い), and designed their very own ema board with wishes for the new year with artist and calligrapher Aya Burbanks.…
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…onor All Individual Membership benefits plus Recognition on the website Recognition in The Japan Society Annual Proceedings One complimentary invitation to The Japan Society Christmas Party Cost £250 Add to Basket Benefactor All Individual Membership benefits plus Recognition on the website Recognition in The Japan Society Annual Proceedings and hard copy of the publication Two complimentary invitation to The Japan Society Christmas Party (for you and one guest) Cost £500 Add to Basket…
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Beauty and History, Joy at Your Fingertips By Annegret Schopp-O'Dwyer AODW Publishing (2021)ISBN-13: 978-1527293274 Review by Carole Tongue When I was recommended London's Cherry Blossom by my partner who is an experienced publisher, I was somewhat surprised. He actually called it ‘special’, so I became curious. This is the first book ever about the Cherry Blossom in London. The cover is beautiful and the back cover amusing. Not many picture books have a Parrott quoting an…
Yuki, who leaves the Japanese countryside to pursue a musical career in London, where she becomes romantically entangled with her older teacher. Haruka, who runs away from her grandparents’ home to become a hostess in a seedy Tokyo club after her mother’s mysterious death. The book starts out slow and…
…the Sun Fell: Memoirs of a Survivor of the Atomic Bomb By Hashizume BunTranslated by Susan Bouterey Austin Macauley Publishers (2019) ISBN-13 : 978-1788780889 Review by Elizabeth Chappell Hashizume Bun might be well-known to some readers since her experiences of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima were made into a short anime film for children, A Hiroshima Girl’s Story of Survival for CBBC Newsround in 2016. Hashizume is a hibakusha, which means ‘person of the bomb’ in Japanese. Around 145,000…
…he Red Kimono is very much the spiritual successor to Abe Naoko’s previous book, ‘Cherry’ Ingram: The Englishman who Saved Japan’s Blossoms, which went on to become a surprise bestseller in the UK, no doubt spurred on by readers raised on a diet of Gardeners’ World episodes and the enforced isolation of the pandemic years. The cherry tree focus is this time interwoven with the thornier themes of war and religion, resulting in an at-times complex multi-segmented narrative that flits regularly…
…nime to Zen: Quick takes on Culture, Art, History, Food…And More, the latest in a long line of guidebooks and travelogues that attempt to answer that eternal ‘why?’ we have all posed at one point or other when considering what exactly it is that fascinates us so much about Japan. In the hands of Berlin-based freelance journalist David Watts Barton, who is capably assisted here with some rather charming illustrations from Yuko Nagasaki, we journey through a vast selection of over eighty-five…
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…efactor All Individual Membership benefits plus Recognition on the website Recognition in The Japan Society Annual Proceedings and hard copy of the publication Two complimentary invitation to The Japan Society Christmas Party (for you and one guest) One complimentary invitation to an intimate dinner with a guest speaker (from the Monthly Lecture Series) OR to a Joint Lunch with the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Cost £1000 Add to Basket Patron All Individual Membership benefits plus…
…re and Wellbeing Scheme of Work - PDF (167 KB) and All Lesson Resources (Zip File 18.1MB) or visit the lesson pages for more detailed information, additional resources, or to download individual resources. The suggested age group is Upper Key Stage 2 (years 5 and 6) but these activities can be easily adapted for KS1 or KS3. Visit the individual lesson pages for more information on the content of each lesson and to download the lesson plans and lesson resources. Note: This is a new resource and…
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It does not include receiving publications by post (events programmes, The Japan Society Review and similar), with the exception of the Proceedings of The Japan Society. Membership is for one calendar year from the time of joining. Membership welcome pack will be sent electronically. Cost £10 Add to Basket Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more…
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.. and Baseball By Robert WhitingStone Bridge Press (2021) ISBN-13: 978-1611720679 Review by Laurence Green Time has a way of getting to you. Half a century is a good spell of time, by anyone’s measure. For Robert Whiting, a journalist and author who has lived in Tokyo on and off for more than fifty years, looking back over that vast spread of years comes in the form of a fascinating memoir - Tokyo Junkie - that plays out like a love letter to what…
… Train from Hokkaido to Kyushu has certainly inspired me to follow the writers’ footsteps and travel the country from head to toe sometime! I think you too will be booking your train tickets and planning a trip across Japan after reading this one! Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
…f Sir Harry Parkes: British Minister to Japan, China and Korea, 1841-1885 By Robert Morton Renaissance Books (2020) ISBN-13: 978-1912961160 Review by Sir David Warren Sir Harry Parkes, British Minister to Japan at the time of the Meiji Restoration in 1868, has had a generally poor press. He is seen as bad-tempered, aggressive, the essence of the belligerent imperialist. Much of the evidence for this comes from more culturally sympathetic observers of Japan like Ernest Satow and William Willis,…
…ild Japan: Tracking the Culture of Foraged Foods, with a Guide to Plants and Recipes By Winifred Bird Stone Bridge Press (2021)ISBN-13: 978-1611720617 Review by Katie Croft I have been wanting to read a book on Japanese wild food plants for such a long time that I have, in idle moments, thought of trying to write it myself. Luckily for everyone, journalist Winifred Bird has done all the hard work of researching, translating and learning from Japanese experts to compile the first English…
…f MTV-esque ‘greatest hits’ melange of science-fiction tropes rendered into a bullet-like, postmodernist package; taken as a whole it makes a riveting statement as a Frankenstein for our After-Corona age. Electrifying stuff. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
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…ai: Japanese Storytelling Subject: Other Topics / English / Art & Design Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Lesson Plans / Schemes of Work / Videos Kamishibai is a traditional form of Japanese street theatre in the form of picture card storytelling. Unlike children’s storybooks, the text is written on the reverse of illustrated cards so that the story can be easily read while pictures are shown to the students. As creating and using…
…ith Haiku: Beyond 5-7-5 Subject: Other Topics / English Level: Key Stage 3 Age: 11-15 years Resource Type: Schemes of Work / Videos Haiku are a part of Japanese culture which are often mistakenly taught as just a three-line, 5-7-5 syllable poems. These three introductory lessons aim to introduce students to the true essence of haiku through the theme of journeys. Through the scheme of work, students will explore how haiku can connect us to our natural and urban landscapes and particular moments…
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… Fighting Heroes: Warriors, Samurai and Ronins By Jamie Ryder Pen and Sword Books (2024) ISBN-13: 978-1399057066 Review by Trevor Skingle This multi-layered book by Jamie Ryder, the founder of Yamato magazine, is difficult to categorise but it certainly is informative and thoroughly enjoyable. It is bit like a series of reviews of personalities in their factual historical, and occasionally mythological, contexts. Covering pioneering trail blazers that include, amongst others, an actor, a…
…dless Road: Ito Noe and the Women Composers of her Time By composer Francesca Le LohéWith Kubota Akiko (biwa), Komachi Midori (violin) and Zaiki Yura (piano)Actor’s Church, London (5 March) Review by Cameron Bassindale On 5 March, London was treated to a Japanese classical music performance of the highest calibre. On an Endless Road: Itō Noe and the Women Composers of her Time is an exploration of the female composers active in Japan during the life of Ito Noe, a feminist figure of the Meiji…
Extant, the leading performing arts company and charity in the UK managed for and by visually impaired professional arts practitioners, was founded in 1997 by Artistic Director Maria Oshodi. Yellow Earth Theatre is a British East Asian (BEA) touring theatre company led by Artistic Director Kumiko Mendl and was formed in 1995 by five British East Asian (BEA) actors: Kwong Loke, Kumiko Mendl, Veronica Needa, David KS Tse and Tom Wu.…
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…nese House Since 1945 is a large format 400 page book and like its excellent predecessor Japanese Design Since 1945 is thoroughly researched by Naomi Pollock and beautifully produced by Thames and Hudson. Pollock takes us on a journey from the 1940s – Rising from the Rubble, to the 2020s – Pandemic Panic. Each of these chapters begins with a brief sketch of the period highlighting key events such as the post-war housing shortage in the 1950s, or the Fukushima earthquake and tsunami in the early…
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…gagement with Japan, 1854–1922: The Origins and Course of an Unlikely Alliance By Antony BestRoutledge (2020) ISBN-13: 978-1138477308 Review by Robert Morton This is an extremely well-researched book which charts the relationship of Britain and Japan from its earliest days until the demise of the Anglo-Japanese alliance in the early 1920s. Best tells us in the introduction that the book ‘is concerned with solving the puzzle of both how the alliance came into existence and how it endured for…
For decades I would see Hans Brinckmann in the lobby of the apartment block in Mita but we rarely exchanged much more than a perfunctory nod and a mumbled "good morning". Now at last there is the opportunity to make up for lost time and learn a great deal about an international banker, strikebreaker, actor, author and…
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In the introductory section he explains why, quoting from a MITI report ‘There are half a million places to eat in Japan and less than 10% of them are sushi restaurants’. Koj contrasts this with his estimate that there are some 120,000 Japanese restaurants around the world and 90% of them serve sushi. He recognizes the appeal of sushi and its place ‘as the poster boy of Japanese culture’, that it is photogenic and regarded as a healthy food. But he laments that in…
…astle in the Mirror (film) Directed by Hara Keiichi Screened at the ICA in London as part of The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 11 February 2023 Review by Eleanor Garrett Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a brilliant animated adaptation of Tsujimura Mizuki’s popular novel of the same name (see review of the novel here). Directed by Hara Keiichi with a screenplay by Maru Miho, the film closely follows the original text, seamlessly bringing Tsujimura’s well-loved story to life on the…
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…llennium Forest: Pioneering a New Way of Gardening with Nature By Dan Pearson with Midori Shintani Filbert Press (2021)ISBN-13: 978-1999734541 Review by Katie Croft Dan Pearson is one of the few garden designers to have broken out of the horticulture world to find, if not A-list fame, then at least wider recognition with the general public. He is known for his wild, naturalistic garden style which can be seen at Lowther Castle in the Lake District, the Trout Stream Garden at Chatsworth and the…
…on Goes East: Imperial Japan and Soviet Communism By Tatiana LinkhoevaCornell University Press (2020) ISBN-13: 978-1501748080 Review by Francesco Cioffo Tatiana Linkhoeva’s Revolution Goes East is a remarkable study that aims to deepen our understanding of both Japanese modern history and the global history of the Russian Revolution. The main argument of the book is that, in the period between 1917 and the late 1920s, Japanese responses to the Russian Revolution were influenced by a combination…
…market, and both justifies and undermines this easily saleable formula, pairing the seemingly conventional wisdom of Japan with urgent and necessary observations of the nature of contemporary Japanese society. Part one starts by introducing the Japanese home, discussing the structural details of the traditional Japanese house before analysing how our living spaces affects the way we live our lives. Though conceding that no formula reflects all cases of Japanese living, the writers personal…
…etals Fall, but the Flower Endures: The Japanese Philosophy of Transience By Seiichi TakeuchiJapan Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture (JPIC) (2019) ISBN-13: 978-4866580692 Review by Chris Arning The first thing that occurred when considering how to review this book is that we judge books by their covers. We cannot help it. My specialism is brand semiotics which studies the implicit associations and connotations emedded in all sorts of merchandising and media. One of the principles I…
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PersonUniversity of Hawai’i Press (2020) ISBN-13: 978-082488178 Review by Francesco Cioffo Person’s Arbiters of Patriotism begins with a very important question: ‘how do we think about fanatics in history?’ (p. 1). This is indeed a very interesting and fundamental question which opens up a much wider debate about the role of the intellectual in the society and their relation to the actual centre of power, the state. Arguably, in…
In the title story - the translation of which was previously published in a special issue of Granta focusing on Japanese literature - the discussion of the postwar experience is at its most overt. We hear of an advert placed in the newspapers: ‘URGENTLY SEEKING QUALIFIED FEMALE STAFFExcellent pay and…
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…ght and Shadow on the Philosopher's Path By Imai YoshihiroTranslated by Naomi Reis and Emmy Reis Phaidon Press (2021) ISBN-13: 978-1838662547 Review by Riyoko Shibe monk: Light and shadow on the Philosopher’s Path is a chef monograph, where, through food writing – a blend of personal essays and photographs revolving around food and nature, concluding with a number of recipes – Imai Yoshihiro tells the story of his fourteen-seated wood-fire pizza restaurant. Imai started working at a pizzeria…
Besides containing 31 of Dorothy’s poems this slim volume includes affectionate writings by Princess Tomohito of Mikasa and Catherine Nagashima. Dorothy’s collection of poems illustrates her highly personal travels across three continents. In this volume her poems are accompanied by her own sketches; some of which were influenced by the works of…
…tle in the Mirror (novel) By Tsujimura MizukiTranslated by Philip GabrielDoubleday (2021) ISBN-13: 978-0857527288 Review by Riyoko Shibe Kagami no Koji, an innovative and tender blend of social commentary and magical realism, is a prizewinning novel by Tsujimura Mizuki published in 2017, with the English translation by Philip Gabriel, titled Lonely Castle in the Mirror, published in 2021. The story starts off like other fantasy novels. Instead of stumbling through the wardrobe to find Narnia,…
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00pm (GMT) Booking Details: Free - Online event Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
I am a twenty-seven year old male. Discretion guaranteed. Will cause no bother at all.’ It does not take long for Hanio to be in demand. He lurches from case to case as an assassin or detective-for-hire. He becomes involved with characters including shady mobsters, infatuated women and a vampire, and somehow rather charismatically bumbles through. Prepared as he is to be killed, he turns out to be rather adept at evading death, often leaving demise and bafflement in his wake. Full of wild…
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… Green Willow: Japanese surimono prints from the Ashmolean Museum, the catalogue of an exhibition held at the museum in 2019, discusses the relationship of text and image at length, and frames the development of surimono within the context of 19th century Japanese literati communities and Edo period material culture. The collection of surimono in the Ashmolean museum was developed in the 20th century, a majority of the objects donated by the founders of the Spalding Trust, an organization…
What this slim volume aims at is a modus operandi in which neither sci-fi or teen protagonists feel shackled to the stigma of cheap “genre” fiction, but instead inject the excitement and ideas of genre works into a refined, 'quality' sphere of literary zeal. Even when the story's final third transitions into a kind of high-stakes action set-piece straight out of a…
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The Japan Society - The Shikoku Pilgrimage: Japan’s Sacred Trail 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join…
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[1] To read more about the abuse disabled people face, see Karen Roy (2021), Domestic Abuse and People with Disabilities, Numotion, blog post. [2] For more information on NPO Noir, check out their Twitter page @nponoir. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
[1] To read more about the “familiar strange” in anthropology, check out Robert Myers (2011) “The Familiar Strange and the Strange Familiar in Anthropology and Beyond", Bulletin of the General Anthropology Division, 18:2. [2] Graham Kolbeins’ work portfolio: https://grahamkolbeins.com/work (accessed 22/10/2021). [3] Massive Goods’ About page: https://massive-goods.com/pages/about (accessed 22/10/2021). Back to Reviews…
…Mieko Kawakami: Live Staged by Jack McNamaraMusic by Hatis Noit Southbank Centre(23 October 2021) Review by Laurence Green Distilled to its purest essence, Mieko Kawakami’s Heaven is a work about bullying (read our review of the original novel here). What it means to bully, and to be bullied. But it is also a character study - a sometimes charming, sometimes uneasy unfurling of friendship between two middle-schoolers. There is the unnamed male narrator (played here by Nino Furuhata) - cruelly…
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Membership welcome pack will be sent to the delivery address indicated in the form. Cost £35 Add to Basket Bulletin (UK) Membership is for one calendar year from the time of joining. Membership welcome pack will be sent to the delivery address indicated in the form. Cost £25 Add to Basket Concessional Membership This is a concessional membership for members under 25 years old, full time students and returnees of JET programme. Proof of…
Notes [1] Interview with the Author’s Club on YouTube. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
…ation of a New World History By Haneda MasashiTranslated by Noda Makito Japan Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture (JPIC) (2018) ISBN-13: 978-4866580234 Review by Francesco Cioffo To paraphrase Benjamin Disraeli, World History is a career. As we witness the rise in many departments around the world of MA and PhD programs, specialised conferences, funded chairs, and research institutions on transnational and global topics, it is safe to say that World History has become one of the most…
To obtain the discount, visit Thames & Hudson online and enter the code NUNO25 at checkout. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
Located in the remote countryside of southern Kyushu, the Kurotsuchi that Hendry fell in love with represents what little remains of traditional, family-oriented rural Japan in the modern age. Hendry’s colourful descriptions and humorous personal accounts paint a vivid picture of what is clearly a beautiful part of the world and, if nothing else, the book provides some well-needed escapism at a time…
The volume's handsome dust jacket tells us that the T-shirts photographed and discussed here are in many ways just an extension to some of Murakami's other obsessions, including his well-documented passion for running (which he famously wrote about in What I Talk About When I Talk About Running) and, of…
…ety Chairman's Blog (48) Dear Japan Society members and friends So what metaphor or simile should we use to describe the situation we find ourselves in as we approach Christmas festivities and Bonenkai, in the second year of the pandemic? A roller-coaster? Round and round the mulberry bush? Groundhog Day? Or might we, in a more positive frame of mind, express gratitude for the many good things that have happened this year, from vaccinations to the Tokyo Olympics to the great support and…
… Human Rights Diplomacy Post 1945: Trafficking, Debates, Outcomes and Documents By Roger BuckleyRenaissance Books (2021) ISBN-13: 978-1912961122 Review by Ian Neary The UK government defines “human trafficking” as ‘the recruitment or movement of people, by the use of threat, force, fraud, or the abuse of vulnerability, for exploitation’. It is related to, although not identical with, on one hand “modern slavery” which may, but does not necessarily involve migrant labour and on the other “people…
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… - The Kimono in Print: 300 Years of Japanese DesignWorcester Art Museum (WAM), Massachusetts (US) (6 February - 2 May 2021) Review by Fiona Collins The first thing one encounters when walking into The Kimono in Print: 300 Years of Japanese Design, on view at the Worcester Art Museum (WAM), is a resplendent white wedding robe bedecked in colorful, abstracted maple leaves. Commissioned by the museum from Kyoto-based Chiso Studios, it stands on a platform in the center of the museum’s one room…
Ehrlich Stone Bridge Press (2021)ISBN-13: 978-1611720662 Review by Riyoko Shibe The Yamamba – the mountain witch, crone, or hag, part of the widely recognised “old woman in the woods” folklore – can be traced back to the Muromachi period (1336-1573), a time of rapid population growth when merchants and villagers began to travel more frequently into the mountains. Solitary women who had moved to the mountains, driven…
… Yoshimoto Banana have given the British reading public a real taste for a certain type of Japanese fiction, the release of Ayatsuji Yukito’s debut novel may signal the arrival of a new wave of Japanese mystery novels onto the British market. I believe the literary scene in this country would be all the better for it. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
The Japan Society - There’s No Such Thing As An Easy Job 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our…
But truth be told, despite this new translated edition coming from an academic publisher, such is the exceptional quality of the prose, the easy confidence in which it lures in the reader, it really owes itself to broadening its audience beyond the readily converted. Just as contemporary female voices in Japanese literature such as Kawakami Mieko have slowly but steadily blazed a trail for…
Arthur StockwinRenaissance Books (2020) ISBN-13: 978-1912961108 Review by William Horsley Through his 60 years as a Japan scholar Arthur Stockwin has made a lasting mark as an interpreter of the country and a major force in bringing Japanese studies out of a “ghetto” and into the mainstream of international studies. He achieved much of that during his tenure as the first Nissan Professor of Modern Japanese Studies at Oxford University between 1982 and 2003. His…
The more common translation is Japanese socks. It could be these tabi are somewhere in-between these two with a structured sole. However, I decided the least controversial translation to be socks. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The show was a wonderful introduction to the topic of Buddhist art in Japan, being both viewer-friendly for first-time visitors, and profound. It is greatly to be hoped that people managed to see it, despite the Covid situation. For those who could not make the trip, or others like myself who live abroad and could not go anyway, we have a lavish hardback catalogue, jointly published in the USA and UK, with full colour plates,…
The Japan Society - Herbert Ponting: Scott’s Antarctic Photographer and Pioneer Filmmaker 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External…
… the Fireflies (BFI Film Classics) By Alex Dudok de WitBritish Film Institute / Bloomsbury (2021) ISBN-13: 978-1838719241 Review by Laurence Green Based on the 1967 semi-autobiographical novel by Nosaka Akiyuki and recounting the heartbreaking struggles of two young children in Second World War-era Japan and the fire-bombing of Kobe, Studio Ghibli’s Grave of the Fireflies will need little introduction to those familiar with the studio’s internationally beloved oeuvre. As an iconic pinnacle of…
Seventeen historians speak on the show, examining the reunification of Japan through the rise of three figures: Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Beginning in 1551 with the death of Oda Nobuhide and the rise of his son, Oda Nobunaga, the show ends in 1616, with Tokugawa Ieyasu’s rise to power and the…
…iz - Teacher Script (PDF) Other resources: Take a look at our Undokai resources for ideas on how to hold a Japanese-themed sports day or download the full Sports Day Pack with full equipment lists and instructions for how to play each game. Also check out the authentic Japanese warm-up Radio Taiso, a traditional 3 minute exercise in Japan, often performed en-masse before school sports day. It can easily be incorporated into a P.E lesson or tried as a refresher activity between lessons. More…
In a fascinating afterword from author Mori Eto herself, she talks about how it was precisely this desire to impart change that motivated her to write about such a serious subject in the manner in which she did. Enheartened by readers who approached her to say they had reconsidered thoughts of suicide after finishing the book, or by parents for whom the book had seen…
The result is a thoroughly readable book, well deserving of its place in the contemporary Japanese canon. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
To obtain the discount, use the code TJS20 when purchasing the book here (the discount code expires on 31 August 2021 and is valid in the UK only). Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
The Japan Society - Individual Membership 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
…ndividual Membership benefits plus Recognition on the website Recognition in The Japan Society Annual Proceedings One complimentary invitation to The Japan Society Christmas Party Cost £250 Add to Basket Benefactor All Individual Membership benefits plus Recognition on the website Recognition in The Japan Society Annual Proceedings and hard copy of the publication Two complimentary invitation to The Japan Society Christmas Party (for you and one guest) Cost £500 Add to Basket Principal…
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
…membership (£48) One complimentary invitation to The Japan Society Annual Dinner One complimentary invitation to one art and culture workshop Access to meetings to shape the ‘Next Generation of UK-Japan Leaders’ programme Cost £5000 Add to Basket Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
The Japan Society - Individual Donor 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
I highly recommend this book. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
306) and who are “held in utter contempt by the clever, enlightened Japanese, and are left alone to work out their own salvation” (p. 314-315) This perception of the Ainu, gained from speaking to Japanese on the main island of Honshu, rubbed off on Ponting, who says they have no arts or crafts, literature or ambition. “If they should in course of time become extinct their…
…d the Tokyo Olympics Subject: Other Topics Level: Key Stage 2 Age: 7-11 years Resource Type: Presentations / Other Introduce KS2 students to Japan, Japanese culture and the Tokyo Olympic games using this interactive presentation which includes a short quiz and many fun facts. Show students images of Japan as they learn about its location, climate, the 4 main islands, and preparations for the postponed Olympic games. There are accompanying notes for teachers with brief explanations of some…
…uchi: the stream of fate Volume One: The Western SeaBy Edward MarxBotchan Books (2019)ISBN-13: 978-1939913050 Review by Peter Kornicki Noguchi Yonejiro (1875-1947), who was known in the West as Yone Noguchi, had a roller-coaster of a life but his works have fallen by the wayside. Who was he? He grew up in Japan and entered Keio Gijuku (now University) but in 1893, before he had turned 18, he abandoned his studies and sailed to California, apparently without any particular object in view. There…
…m of Lafcadio Hearn by Roger Pulvers Review by: Susan Meehan Talking about The Dream of Lafcadio Hearn at the Oriental Club in London on 24 October 2011, its author, Roger Pulvers, gave a measured account of Lafcadio Hearn, crediting him for his incredibly well-written yet fairly unknown journalistic work carried out mainly in the USA, his extraordinary insights into Japan and his role as a pioneer ethnographer and anti-elitist while pointing out that none of the stories he wrote in Japan were…
It asks us to question what it means to be a woman, what we put in our bodies and how our offspring will value themselves in a world we create. It teaches us that time is not only healing but changing. Fertility and food now come in various forms and no two experiences will be the same. These notions are not just about comfort, but personal progress and happiness; two notions integral to every humans journey of self-discovery. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society…
Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This book makes a valuable companion volume to the recent publication by Taschen of Hiroshige’s One Hundred Views of Edo which I reviewed in Issue 17 Volume 3 Number 5 (December 2008). The Taschen volume of upright prints was produced in full size reproductions of an…
Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Sir Alfred East RA (1844-1913) was a founder member of the Japan Society in 1891. He was commissioned by Marcus Huish, director of the Fine Art Society in New Bond Street in 1888 to “paint the landscape of Japan.” He travelled to Japan with Charles Holme and Lazenby Liberty who were also fascinated by Japan.…
99 (Hardcover) Review by Ian Nish Professor Dingman has based this enlightening study on extended interviews with former officers in the US Navy and Marine Corps who are now in their upper 80s. But he has also made much use of the unpublished memoirs to be found in the Navy Language School Collection in the Norlin Library, University of Colorado at Boulder…
…Power Struggle in East Asia, 1944-50, Britain, America and Post-War Rivalry In the series Global Conflict and Security Since 1945, Palgrave Macmillan, 2009, 250 pages including endnotes, bibliography and index, ISBN: 978-0-230-20297-9, £55 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi In 1945 when Lend-Lease ended, Britain was bankrupt. In the Far East the United States was dominant and the British were dependent on American good will but this was in short supply. The Americans were generally contemptuous of…
The Japan Society - Toad’s Oil (ガマの油) 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
…i [永田町ＶＳ霞が関] Kodansha, 2007, 253 pages, ISBN：978-4-06-214042-3, 1500 yen This book is about the complicated relations between politicians in Nagata-cho, where the Diet building is located, and bureaucrats in Kasumiga-seki, where most government ministries are situated. It is work that is interesting more because of who wrote it rather than for the subject itself. Yoichi Masuzoe was the Minister of Welfare and Labor [August 2007 to August 2009] and served in Prime Minister Taro Aso’s last…
The Japan Society - Yakuza Moon: Memoirs of a Gangster’s Daughter 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member…
…u [日本の歴史を英語で読む] (Reading Japanese History in English) Besutoshinsho, 2009, 192 pages, ISBN: 978-4-12225-9, 740 yen Review by Sean Curtin This handy bilingual work is definitely for anyone who wants to enhance or brush up their Japanese history vocab while improving their overview of Japanese history. In 86 compact chapters the authors take us from Palaeolithic [旧石器時代] Japan to the signing of the San Francisco Peace Treaty [サンフランシスコ講和条約] in 1951 and the subsequent Japan-US Security Treaty…
00 for 6.30pm Royal Anthropological Institute50 Fitzroy StreetLondon W1T 5BT Filmed over a period of three months, Gaea Girls (Kim Longinotto and Jano Williams, 2000) is a film about courage, transformation and dreams in the extraordinary world of Japanese women’s wrestling or joshi puroresu. It marked the fifth collaborative film between Longinotto and Williams examining gender defined and gender defying roles in contemporary Japan. Although…
The Japan Society - How I Caused the Credit Crunch: An Insider’s Story of the Financial Meltdown 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education…
… Late Victorian London: The Japanese Native Village in Knightsbridge and The Mikado, 1885 Sainsbury Institute, 2009, 100 pages including 16 plates, 12 illustrations, bibliography and index, ISBN: 0-9545921-1-5 Review by Sean Curtin The idea that in 1885 there was a Japanese village located in Knightsbridge, the heart of bustling Victorian London, may strike many as being something more suited to a fanciful Doctor Who plot than a genuinely real fact. Thanks to Sir Hugh Cortazzi this long…
…ate Victorian London: The Japanese Native Village in Knightsbridge and The Mikado, 1885 Sainsbury Institute, 2009, 100 pages including 16 plates, 12 illustrations, bibliography and index, ISBN: 0-9545921-1-5 Review by Sean Curtin The idea that in 1885 there was a Japanese village located in Knightsbridge, the heart of bustling Victorian London, may strike many as being something more suited to a fanciful Doctor Who plot than a genuinely real fact. Thanks to Sir Hugh Cortazzi this long forgotten…
…花は散れども) 2008, 118 minutes Review by Susan Meehan The scene is set in 1920s Ishiuchi (石内尋)in Hiroshima Prefecture and revolves around the sixth form at Ishiuchi Jinjo Primary School who are blessed with the warm-hearted and dedicated Mr Ichikawa as their teacher. Through him they learn compassion – having scolded Moriyama Sankichi on one occasion for sleeping in class, Mr Ichikawa then begs his forgiveness when Sankichi cheerfully recounts that he has been up all night harvesting rice. Mr…
One first encounters Emi and Yuka at school, in the excited lead up to a jump rope contest. Given the job of turning the rope for the contestants as neither can jump, the background to prickly Emi is slowly unraveled. Emi is intrigued by Yuka, who is often absent from school as a result of a kidney condition which means long stretches away at…
… 106 minutes Review by Susan Meehan Nonko, wonderfully played by Sakai Maki (坂井真紀), is a 36 year old divorcee who has returned home to her parents’ Shinto shrine in provincial shrine, embittered at the collapse of her marriage and the end of her film career as a starlet. Nonko mopes around the family home where she is supposed to be the ‘home help’ and spends most evenings in an alcoholic stupor, fuelled by visits to a bar run by a former classmate whose marriage has also come to an end.…
…The British Experience, 1854-1945 Global Oriental, 2009, 288 pages including index, bibliography, notes and 66 illustrations in colour and black and white, ISBN 978-1-906876-13-5 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi During the Edo period up to the arrival of Commodore Perry and his ‘black ships’ Nagasaki was the only port open to trade with China and, through the Dutch colony on the artificial island of Deshima, with Europe. In 1858 it was the first of the Japanese treaty ports to ‘welcome’ foreign…
g. In the Miso Soup). It is unapologetic, the narrative is driven and there is no real end point in sight. There are times when the actual story would not be believable in a piece of fiction as it is simply too fantastical. The story of an African-American man trying to make a living for himself in Tokyo when he falls down on his luck is not one often told. In political terms this would be ‘Realpolitik’, and the significance of this book is that it does not…
volume 1: ISBN 978-4163281100;volume 2: ISBN: 978-4163281209;volume 3: ISBN: 978-4163281308;volume 4: ISBN: 978-4163281407, Review by Fumiko Halloran The author, known for her best sellers on the corruption of power and social injustice, has come out with a novel that explores the political dynamics surrounding the return of Okinawa from the U.S. to Japan in 1972. Thinly disguised as fiction, the book is based…
…ntelligence in World War II by Ken Kotani (小谷 賢), translated by Chiharu Kotani, Osprey, 2009,224 pages including end notes, bibliography and index,ISBN 13-978-1-84603-425-1Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi “This study reveals a Japanese military that was in most respects dysfunctional in the field of intelligence. It was not so much a failure of the intelligence organizations themselves as a massive failure of the culture and bureaucratic organization of the Japanese military from top to bottom.”…
…da Met Rover CSY Publishing, 2008, 177 pages, ISBN-10: 0956034306 Review by Kiyoshi Ikemi Although it has now become nothing particularly unusual for two automobile manufacturers to cooperate with each other for mutual benefit, the collaboration undertaken by Honda of Japan and Rover of Britain late in the last century was unique even by today’s standards. As reviewed and analyzed in the book “When Rover Met Honda,” their collaboration started out with a modest project of Rover producing cars…
… Pearl Harbor – A New Perspective from Japan Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi “This is an extremely valuable addition to the literature on Japan’s Pearl Harbor attack” declares Professor Akira Iriye of Harvard University in his foreword to this English edition of Kaisen Shinwa [開戦神話], published by Chūō Kōen Shinsha in 2008. The author in his preface acknowledges the help of such British scholars as Ian Nish and quotes from Antony Best. It is based on considerable research into the original documents…
…anese Relations: Facing the Past, Looking to the Future? Review by Sean Curtin As the title suggests, this book explores postwar Sino-Japanese relations through the prism of historical disputes and competing interpretations of Japan’s invasion of China (1931-45). It utilizes an impressive array of Chinese and Japanese sources to create a comprehensive and authoritative assessment of the current situation. In recent decades bilateral political ties have been frequently strained over historical…
…Ruokalla Lokki) 2006, 102 mins Review by Susan Meehan After a serving of ‘Kamome Diner’ I emerged from the cinema feeling altogether uplifted and nourished as if by a good helping of comfort food, akin to someone in a ‘Ready-Brek’ advertisement. The captivating and beautifully-acted film centres on thirty-something Sachie, who has left Japan for Helsinki; there she has opened a plainly but attractively furnished diner offering simple Japanese fare. Though no one sets foot in the diner, there is…
The exhibition also features contemporary responses to the figurines, including images, photographs and film. ‘Playing in Time’ by Sarah Beare is a playful animation film commissioned especially for the exhibition. A photograph of Frida Kahlo with an Olmeca figurine made me think of the fact that Yasunari Kawabata (川端 康成) kept a…
… with Amber Eyes, A Hidden Inheritance Chatto and Windus , 2010, 354 pages, ISBN 9780701184179 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi My attention was drawn to this book by a review in The Economist of 22 May 2010. It ended with the unusually enthusiastic recommendation: “Buy two copies of this book; keep one and give the other to your closest bookish friend.” The review was accompanied by a photograph of a number of Japanese netsuke (根付) with an ivory hare in the foreground. [A netsuke is a form of…
This novel is set in 1868-9, a particularly turbulent year, covering the civil war between the shogunate forces, or “northerners,” and the imperial Japanese forces, or “southerners” as the two sides are simply called in the novel. This period is usually known as the Meiji Restoration. Written from the point of the losing side in the civil war, the protagonist here is Hana, a 17-year-old…
The first one was about the “joys and sorrows” of the Showa era with the focus on the sorrowful side of his own life (see the review in Issue 14 – Volume 3 Number 2 pages 4/5). This one, the second one is about “youth” in the Showa era and covers the initial period of rapid postwar economic growth following the…
The Japan Society - Japan’s Silk Road Diplomacy – Paving the Road Ahead 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a…
The Japan Society - The Golden Age of JAPANESE OKIMONO, Dr A.M. Kanter’s Collection 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events…
…s of Japan By Helena AttleeWith photographs by Alex RamsayFrances Lincoln Ltd, London135 pagesSBN978-0-7112-2971-6 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This is not a guide to Japanese gardens, nor is it a history of Japanese gardens. It consists of photographs with brief descriptions of selected gardens. The photos are well and artistically taken, but as there are only a few for each garden covered they inevitably do no more than show limited aspects of particular gardens. Anyone who wants some nice…
…ol Invasions of Japan 1274 and 1281 Illustrated by Richard Hook, Osprey, 201096 pages, copious illustration, ISBN978 1 84603 4565 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Richard Turnbull has specialised in the study of the samurai and Japanese warriors. His latest book on the Mongol invasions of Japan provides a colourful introduction to these important episodes in Japanese medieval history. Turnbull has drawn not only on published studies by previous scholars but also on translations which he has made…
…ce: Selected Poems Translated by Jeffrey Angles, with Sawako Nakayasu and You NakaiMi’Te Press, 2008, 64 pages, ISBN: 978-4-9904416-0-9 Review by Adam House Born in Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, Takako Arai grew up in a family closely connected to the local textile industry, a traditional craft in danger of facing extinction. The city’s skyline is famed for its sawtooth-roofed mills,in the the Nara Period. The city’s textiles were presented to the Imperial family, along with those from Kyoto. A…
The Japan Society - Yasukuni, the War Dead and the Struggle for Japan’s Past 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a…
Toby I House Press, Tokyo, 2007, 299 pages including index, ISBN 978-4-903452-08-1 Review by Ian Nish This is a volume of papers in honour of Marius Berthus Jansen, one of the great post-war pioneers of Japanese studies in the US, who died in 2001. Born in Holland, he emigrated to the US, served for three years during the Asia-Pacific war and then took up East Asian…
… and Change: Foreign Ownership and the Japanese Firm Cambridge University Press, 2009, 279 pages including index, ISBN 978-0-521-87870-8 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Three firms were studied by George Olcott in this well researched book, these were Shinsei Bank (formerly the Long Term Credit Bank), Chugai Pharmaceutical Co and Nissan. He compares the trio of firms, which are controlled by foreign capital, with three firms in the same lines of business which are not identified. The main themes…
Despite rain in Manchester, snow in the Rockies, donkey rides in Egypt and hellish music in Shanghai the inspection team lived to tell the tale. Yet this was no all-expenses-paid, fun trip for casual tourists. From late December 1871 until September 1873 a huge collection of Japanese politicians, officials…
…kio: Genba Shugi o Tsuranuita Gaikokan Asahi Shimbun Publishing, 2008, 347 pages, ISBN-13: 978-4022504791, 2000 yen Review by Fumiko Halloran Yukio Okamoto quit the foreign ministry when he was director (kacho) of the first department on North America, a position coveted by ambitious officials. As he was only 45 years old, this shocked not only his colleagues but his superiors who tried to keep him. His departure was reported by major newspapers, which was rare for an individual resignation in…
…nd Princess Chichibu, Two Lives Lived Above and Below the Clouds Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi In 1996 Dorothy Britton’s translation of part of Princess Chichibu’s memoir was published under the title The Silver Drum which was a sweet box given to the Princess by the Empress Dowager, the wife of the Taisho Emperor. She has now translated the whole of the memoir including various poems by the Princess. She has also added a new chapter at the beginning entitled “The Prince: A Vindication.” In this…
ISBN 978-1-905246. Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Peter Davies is Emeritus Professor of Economic History at Liverpool University. He contributed a biographical portrait of Frederick Cornes to Britain and Japan: Biographical Portraits Volume IV, Japan Library 2002. This volume also contained a biographical portrait by Merrick Baker-Bates of Peter Hewitt…
’ There is nothing in this book to explain the colourful and fascinating culture which developed despite the stultifying and often cruel bureaucracy which was a feature of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The index contains no reference to any of the great literary and artist figures of the era such as Basho, Saikaku, Kenzan, Korin, Harunobu and Hokusai to name only a few of the leading artists and writers who contributed so much more than the Tokugawa shoguns to the greatness of Japanese…
… With Nationalism and Communism: British policy towards Southeast Asia, 1945-65 In series Global Conflict and Security since 1945, Palgrave Macmillan, 2009, 312 pages including notes, bibliography and index, ISBN 978-0-230-52123-0 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Peter Lowe presents in this study a clear account of the complex and often inter-related problems in Southeast Asia which faced British ministers and officials in the first twenty years after the end of the Second World War. It is based on…
…n-British Society Centenary Book Published by the Japan-British Society, Tokyo, March 2009 (anyone interested in obtaining a copy of this book should contact the Japan British Society in Tokyo: http://www.japanbritishsociety.or.jp/) Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi The Japan-British Society celebrated its centenary in 2008. It was established as “The British Society” at an inaugural meeting on 20 October 1908. Its first annual dinner was held at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo on 27 November 1908. A…
…o (Departures), winner of the 2009 Oscar for “Best Foreign Language Film,” upsetting the much talked about Walzing With Bashir, opens with a mesmerising winter scene in the photogenic Shōnai area of Yamagata Prefecture and doesn’t fail to continue impressing, amusing and tugging at the heart strings. His career as a cellist in tatters, halted when the orchestra he plays with is rudely dissolved, Daigo Kobayashi, played by heart throb Masahiro Motoki – who erupted onto the scene in the 1980s…
The Japan Society - A Midsummer Night’s Dream 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
99. ISBN-13: 978-4889962345 Review by Roberta Ignirri This revised edition of Japanese for Everyone represents a solid foundation for anyone seriously interested in communicating in Japanese.Each of the 27 lessons begins with dialogues set in real life situations and is followed by detailed lists of new vocabulary, clear grammar notes and practical exercises. The variety…
Hardback £7.99. ISBN: 9780753808580 Review by William Farr This is a fascinating account of a year on the Aikido Yoshinkan Senshusei course, mostly populated by Kidotai – riot police. Each member of the riot police must be a minimum black belt in another martial art before embarking on the year of training that will take them from white belt to black belt and beyond in Aikido. For those who have…
…Farewell, Ministry of Finance!) Kodansha, March 2008 (11th printing in August 2008), 282 pages, 1700 yen Review by by Fumiko Halloran Yoichi Takahashi, a former career official at the Ministry of Finance (formerly the Okura-sho [大蔵省] before it changed its Japanese name to Zaimu-sho [財務省] – although the English translation remains the same) has written an explosive book criticizing his own ministry. His forthright critique propelled the book into a national best seller. As implied in the…
It first arrived in the U.S. via the Honolulu International Film Festival held in mid-October 2008. This is where I saw it and was struck by the constant presence of Japan in the daily life of Taiwan even today. The story features Taiwan under Japanese colonial rule, Japan’s surrender in World War II in 1945, a Japanese school teacher’s love for a Taiwanese girl, and his departure from…
Miki always spreads the humour very evenly throughout his films and barely a scene goes by without something clever to laugh at. His style has perhaps been influenced by the Japanese TV variety programmes on which he honed his writing talents, but the comedy of Miki’s films is far more subtle and irreverent than that of these shows. Some of the biggest…
Hardback, £55.00. ISBN-13: 978-1905246182. Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Of the four main Japanese islands, Kyushu has a particularly interesting history. The myths about the origins of the Japanese islands and its imperial line began at Takachiho, in what is now Miyazaki prefecture. Here was “The Floating Bridge of Heaven.” One of Andrew Cobbing’s aims in this book was to draw attention to the cultural diversity in Japan which…
The Treaty of Yedo, signed by Lord Elgin and the representatives of the Tokugawa shogunate, stands as one of the hallmarks of the long relationship between Japan and Britain. Occurring at a time of great diplomatic and economic dynamism, the treaty presented the two countries with unprecedented levels of mutual communication and trade. The…
ISBN-13: 978-0415428910. Hardback £75 Review by James Brewer For all the fuss and emotion over outsourcing, the learned literature on the subject has been scant. Vital aspects including the human resource issues and the legal and insurance implications have been barely touched on. Outsourcing goes beyond the question of simply a search for cheaper labour, and its teething problems are forecast to pile…
ISBN 13: 978-4163701400. Paperback ¥1400 Review by Mikihiro Maeda Global warming and climate change are spreading worldwide due to environmental destruction and degradation. On top of this, Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar and caused a deadly natural disaster on May 2, followed by the Sichuan earthquake in China on May 25. Although ordinary citizens in Myanmar could not access water to drink and lost…
ISBN-13: 978 – 4104737017 Review by Fumiko Halloran Shigeru Ishiba, the fourth minister of a newly upgraded Ministry of Defence (from the former National Defence Agency), argues that US-Japan defence relations now require Japan to be more active. Japan in the past was passive and complacent, earning as a nickname for the National Defence Agency a shopping agency that paid the bills for jet fighters and weaponry but did little…
The Japan Society - The Book of Sake: A Connoisseur’s Guide 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our…
…歴ワーキングプア) [Highly Educated Working Poor] Kobunsha Shinsho, 2007, 217 pages, ISBN-10: 4334034233 (700 yen) Review by Fumiko Halloran In pre-World War II Japan, anyone who graduated from college or university was considered to belong to an elite class as few then could afford the luxury of a higher education. If that person had a doctorate, or “hakushi-go,” he was admired for such a daunting achievement and was assured of a high position in government or academe. In present day Japan, this…
Seiken Kotai – Kono Kuni o Kaeru [政権交代―この国を変える] (Change of Political Power – To Change This Country)
…―この国を変える] (Change of Political Power – To Change This Country) Kodansha, June, 2008, 253 pages, 1500 yen Review by Fumiko Halloran Katsuya Okada is Japan’s new no-nonsense Foreign Minister in the first DPJ Cabinet, a onetime head of the party and the man Prime Minister Hatoyama narrowly beat to become party leader. This book was published in 2008 but still has material that can be legitimately examined to see where DPJ is heading in governing. Readers might be disappointed if they are looking…
…izou (企業結合法制の将来像), The Future of Corporate Groups Law Chuokeizaisha, Tokyo, 2008, 312 pages, ISBN978-4-502-96390-2 Review by Manabu Matsunaka The corporate group law debate has been one of the central, but as yet unsolved, issues in Japanese corporate law. Professor Takahashi has been researching the theme for over 10 years and in this new book he presents concrete and comprehensive proposals for improving Japanese corporate group law. This Japanese language work examines German law on…
… Kaibo and Minshuto No Yami Minshuto Kaibo, by Sankei Shimbun Political News Division, Sankei Shimbun-sha No Hon, July 2009, 228 pages, 1300 yenMinshuto No Yami, by Keisuke Udagawa, Seiko Shobo, July 2009, 253 pages, 1575 yen Reviews by Fumiko Halloran The Sankei Shimbun and Keisuke Udagawa books reviewed here were published before the 30th August 2009 general election, and were best sellers snatched up by voters who were eager to learn more about the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and how the…
… Yukio to Hatoyama-ke Yondai Chuko Shinsho La Clef, September, 2009, 186 pages, 720 yen Review by Fumiko Halloran Yukio Hatoyama is under intense scrutiny as Japan’s new Prime Minister and the leader of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) which finally wrestled power from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) after its monopoly in governing for over half a century. A flurry of new books have come out on Hatoyama as a person and what his party might do to solve Japan’s domestic and diplomatic…
28), Birkbeck College, University of London, 2009, 354 pages, ISBN-13: 9780521859349 Review by Peter Gysin The Russo-Japanese war, the author reminds us, was hugely symbolic – the first victory for a non-white, non-Christian, emerging nation over a white, Christian, developed counterpart, it inspired nationalist revolutionary movements in Asia and the Russian empire…
…d Governance In Japan: Sites and Issues Sheffield Centre for Japanese Studies/RoutledgeCurzon Series, Abingdon,2005, 288 pages, 978-0-415-36419-5 Review by Roger Buckley Getting rid of the nation-state never actually happens. The authors of this collection of papers prepared for a 2001 Anglo-Japanese meeting have their misgivings over state sovereignty but several admit that the beast keeps reappearing in different guises. The state may indeed be diminished by global forces, yet paradoxically…
…allenges Facing Contemporary Japanese Society – The ‘Lonely People’ Global Oriental, 2009, 175 pages including index and bibliography, ISBN 978-1-906876-00-5, £30 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi One of the main problems for Japanese today is that they take themselves too seriously. But is this not true of other peoples and does the diagnosis help? Our personalities are all conditioned not only by our genes but also by our environment including family and the traditional values we absorb. Dr…
Ultimate Crush: Waseda University Rugby, Leadership and Building the Strongest Winning Team in Japan
… Crush: Waseda University Rugby, Leadership and Building the Strongest Winning Team in Japan North Carolina: Lulu Press, 2006, 150 pages Review by Ian Nish This book was inspired by the death of Katsuhiko Oku (1958-2003) who will be known to many readers as the former Counsellor of the Japanese Embassy in London with special responsibility for the Japan Information and Cultural Section. Subsequently he was gunned down in an ambush during duty in Iraq and was given the posthumous title of…
…pan: The Post-War Golden Age and Its Troubled Legacy Tuttle, Tokyo and Singapore, 2008, 212 pages including index, glossary and plate section, ISBN-13:978-4-8053-1002-1 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi When I began to read this book it seemed to be a walk through memory lane. Brinckman’s account of post-war Japan and the Japanese economic recovery covered familiar ground. However, for those who did not experience these years, Brinckman provides a fair picture of how Japan seemed to a sympathetic…
…olours of Kyoto : A Seasonal Portfolio Kodansha International, 2009, 104 pages, ISBN: 9784770030931 Review by Helen McCarthy It is almost impossible to take an unattractive picture of Kyoto’s temples and shrines, especially in autumn, when the changing leaf colours create such spectacular effects. This book, however, takes the true gift of photography – the art of snatching moments of transient beauty out of time and freezing them for eternity – to new levels. A sensitive foreword by Jihei…
Ltd, Tokyo 2009, 152 pages including index, copiously illustrated with colour photographs and maps. ISBN 978-4-8071-5844-7, (available in the UK from JP-Books (JPT Europe Ltd.) 14-20 Regent Street, London SW1Y 4PH or bookstores in Japan) ￡29.80/￥ 1,995 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Kanasaka Kiyonori, who supervised the production of this book which was originally published in Japanese, is Professor of Geography at Kyoto University. The Preface…
…, The Zen Calligraphy and painting of Yamaoka Tesshū Published by Bunkasha International Corporation, Tokyo, 2008, ISBN4-9901694-8-4 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This book was prepared as a catalogue and guide for an exhibition, held between 3 September and 14 December 2008, in the Toshiba Gallery of Japanese Art at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. It commemorated the 120th anniversary of the death of Yamaoka Tesshū (1836-88) and was based on the collection of his calligraphy which…
…yes was launched at Asia House on 19 March 2009 with brief speeches by Elizabeth Ingrams, Timon Screech (Professor of History of Art, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London), the author Lesley Downer and travel writer Joanna Hunter. Timon Screech referred to Ingrams’ edited book as “wonderful” thanks to the richness of writers’ responses to Japan. Japan was considered “worthy”of Europe, thus attracting many visitors, remarked Screech, though visitors often found Japan…
… a Line, a Life of Foujita, The Artist Caught Between East and West Faber and Faber, 2006, 331 pages including index and endnotes , ISBN-13: 978-0-571-21179-1 (hard cover) Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Leonard Foujita was the name Fujita Tsuguharu (or Tsuguji) adopted when late in life he became a catholic. Foujita (1886-1968) is probably the most famous of the numerous Japanese artists who were attracted to Paris and settled in Europe. His father was a military man but accepted his son’s…
…s and Wreaths – A Kaleidoscope of 28 Decorative Origami Creations Kodansha International, 2007, 94 pages, ISBN: 4889962239 Review by Jayne Kerry Origami, the Japanese art of paper-folding is an ancient and intriguing art form which is now popular worldwide. This book focuses specifically upon creating rings and wreaths which would inspire many intrepid crafters. There are instructions for 28 different ways to create rings and wreaths using a number of folded paper shapes; the smallest design…
…se Touch for your Garden First published 1980, revised and expanded 2008, Kodansha International, 94 pages with copious illustrations in colour, ISBN 978-4-7700-3079-5 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi The aim of this book is stated to be how to “Give a Japanese touch to your entire garden or only to a corner of it, using a partition or fencing or shrubs. Or incorporate separate Japanese elements into your Western-style garden.” The book is well produced and provides a succinct overview of Japanese…
” The series of stunning shots of the Bavarian landscape, early on in the film, could have come straight from a German tourist board film. Rudi (Elmar Wepper), according to his wife Trudi (Hannelore Elsner), has no sense of adventure and is a man of routine. He’s done the same job for 30-some years,…
They had hidden in caves at Guadalcanal for many days without food before they were taken captive by the US forces and handed over to New Zealand. Many of them, therefore, were in poor health and only about 45 of them were made to work. The new Camp Commander, however, ordered 105 men to be put to work. The Japanese NCO refused and sought a meeting…
…: Thomasson Review by Adam House Walking back from a lunch break, Genpei Akasegawa and two friends had walked passed what has now come to be known in the world of Hyperart as, ‘The Yotsuya Staircase’, unconsciously walking up one side, walking along the small platform and then walking down the opposite side. A small flight of stairs, seven in all on each side, with a wooden banister, much the same as many other stairs, although when looking at it, something was amiss, usually the platform would…
Price: ¥ 1400. ISBN-13: 978 – 4569693064 Review by Fumiko Halloran Takeo Hiranuma believes the US government had undue influence on Koizumi’s reforms of the postal and savings system. By privatizing a system that had assets of 340 trillion yen, it was targeted as a lucrative market by the American insurance industry. Takeo Hiranuma, born in 1939, grew up in a political family. His adoptive grandfather was former Prime Minister Kiichiro…
Delgado, Osprey Publishing, Colchester, 2009, 216 pages, copious illustrations, £20, ISBN 978-1-84603-396-4 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This book provides an illustrated and factual guide to the development of nuclear weapons. It starts with an account of research into the nature of atoms. This is followed by a summary of the work which led up to the manufacture of the first atomic bombs in the Manhattan project. The…
Davies Global Oriental, 2010, 185 pages, £61, ISBN 978-1-905246-88-5 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Peter N. Davies is emeritus Professor of Economic History at Liverpool University. He is an expert on the international shipping industry and maritime history and has written many studies on these subjects. In 2008 his book The Business, Life and Letters of Frederick Cornes: Aspects of the Evolution of Commerce in Modern…
…ue: The Japanese Print in the Era of Impressionism By Karin Breuer, Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, Del Monico Books-Prestel, 2010, 156 pages including catalogue and index, copiously illustrated in colour, US $34.95 This book is much more than a catalogue (see note 1). Karin Breuer outlines firstly the origins and development of the Japanese prints. The author then describes the aesthetics of ukiyo-e. This is followed by a discussion of “European Artists and Japonisme.” The last chapter is…
The book then has a full account of the Hie shrine near Kyoto. This is followed by a description of the myth of the Sun-Goddess and the Rock-cave and by a discussion of The Daijōsai [大嘗祭]: A “Shinto” Rite of Imperial Accession. The final chapter before some concluding remarks deals with “Issues in Contemporary Shinto.” The authors start from the premise that Shinto is a construct which came into being at some time in…
Japonisme and the Rise of the Modern Art Movement: The Arts of the Meiji Period, The Khalili Collect
Khalili, Thames and Hudson, 2013, 240 pages, 22 colour illustrations, ISBN 978 0 500 239131, £45. Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This handsome and finely illustrated volume is introduced by Gregory Irvine of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Irvine heads his introduction with a quotation from a letter from Vincent van Gogh to his brother in which van…
SwalePalgrave Macmillan, 2009, 206 pages including index, select bibliography and notes£50, ISBN 13: 978-0-230-59386-2 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This book by Alistair Swale who is a senior lecturer at the University of Wakato New Zealand is not for the general reader interested in learning about this important period in Japanese history. It seems to have been written for fellow historians already well versed…
…of Judo in Great Britain: Reclaiming of Its True Spirit (Volumes 1 & 2) By Richard BowenIndepenpress Publishing Ltd, 2011 428 pages (Volume 1) 506 pages (Volume 2)ISBN-13: 978-1907499319 (Volume 1) ISBN-13: 978-1780030104 (Volume 2) Review by Peter Brunning The late Richard Bowen was an accomplished student and instructor of judo. Bowen was also an indefatigable researcher into the history of judo in this country. He amassed a considerable archive of letters, photographs and other documentary…
28, International House of Japan, 184 pages including bibliography and index, 2011, ISBN 978-4-934971-30-1 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Much more has been published in English about the Russo-Japanese War of 1904/5 than about the Sino-Japanese War of 1894/5. Yet the war with China was possibly even more significant for Japan and for Asia. Professor Mitani in his…
Rosenfield, Brill, Leiden, 2010 (Volume 1 in series of books about Japanese Visual Culture edited by John Carpenter) 296 pages including appendices, notes, bibliography and index, copious illustrations in colour and black and white, ISBN 9789004168640 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi The title of this book gives only a hint of the scope of this masterly study. It focuses on the life and work of the Buddhist priest…
99 Review by Sean Curtin Tokyo’s combative stance on whaling often seems at odds with its trademark consensual approach to international affairs. This position seems even stranger when one considers that the vast majority of the public have little interest or enthusiasm for the topic, yet the government vigorously pursues a highly controversial…
…se Consumer, An Alternative Economic History of Modern Japan by Penelope FrancksCambridge University Press, 2009, 249 pages including index and references, ISBN 978-0521-69932-7 (soft back) Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Penelope Francks is an honorary lecturer in Japanese studies in the department of East Asian Studies at the University of Leeds. She has specialized in the study of Japanese economic history. Most books about the Japanese economy concentrate on the supply side and tend to overlook…
…nese House, Material Culture in the Modern Home by Inge Daniels, Photography by Susan Andrews, Berg, Oxford and New York, 2010, 243 pages including notes, bibliography and index, copious illustrations in colour, ISBN 978-184520-517-1 (Paper) Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Until the Second World War individual Japanese houses retained some elements of the aesthetic which so pleased and inspired Edward Morse [author of “Japanese Homes and their Surroundings” – 1885], Bruno Taut [author of “Houses…
On a final aside, while dispelling the fiction of orderly Japanese students, the film, in introducing the subject of AIDS, seemingly cannot conceive of the virus having been contracted in Japan and refers to Dr Sakuramiya, Ms Moriguchi’s former lover, as having become HIV-positive from dalliances abroad. One step forward in referring to AIDS but a few steps back for thinking it can’t be home-grown. Back to…
…ntelligence in World War II By Ken Kotani (小谷 賢), translated by Chiharu Kotani, Osprey, 2009,224 pages including end notes, bibliography and index,ISBN 13-978-1-84603-425-1Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi “This study reveals a Japanese military that was in most respects dysfunctional in the field of intelligence. It was not so much a failure of the intelligence organizations themselves as a massive failure of the culture and bureaucratic organization of the Japanese military from top to bottom.”…
…sand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet By David Mitchell Sceptre/Hodder and Stoughton2010, 469 pagesISBN 978-0-340-92156-2 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This readable historical novel set in Japan has been well reviewed in the national press. Many Japan Society members will have read about it and some may already have read the book. Anyone interested in the life of the tiny Dutch merchant colony at Dejima in Nagasaki bay during the Edo era is likely to be fascinated by Mitchell’s depiction of the scene.…
… over the Mountain and Other Stories By Atsushi Nakajima, Translated by Paul McCarthy and Nobuko Ochner, Autumn Hill Books, 2010, 182 pagesISBN:9780982746608 Review by Adam House Atsushi Nakajima (中島 敦) was born in Tokyo in 1909, his father came from a family of scholars specializing in the classics of ancient China, this would not only influence his reading but would inform the majority of his writing. The stories included in The Moon over the Mountain (山月記) were originally published in Japan…
… – In the Pure Encounter Between Master and Disciple – is a volume of essays and commentaries on the Japanese spiritual classic, the Tannisho (歎異抄), in a new English language translation for a western audience. The Tannisho is the most famous text of the Japanese Jodo Shinshu [浄土真宗] – True Pure Land School or ‘Shin Buddhist’ tradition and as such has seen several translations into English over the last 80 years. With Rev. Professor Sato’s translation and commentary, however, we have a…
…gies of Japanese Tea: Subjectivity, Transience & National Identity By Tim Cross, Global Oriental, 2009, 312 pages including index, bibliography and notes, ISBN 978-1-905246-74-8 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Tim Cross, who teaches courses related to tea, noh and contemporary literature in Kyushu, is a practitioner of tea as well as of noh singing and dancing. Cross explains that his book “maps how the pleasures of tea were useful in the invention of a particular form of Japaneseness. Tea precepts…
The lush Japanese countryside is a wonderful contrast to cinegenic Tokyo and the close-ups of the young actors in 1960s-fashion lure in the viewer. So hushed was the audience watching the film that I hardly dared breathe let alone eat any popcorn lest it break the trance. The acting is superb and Kiko Mizuhara (水原 希子), the Korean-American model who played Megumi, a real revelation. She is beautiful to watch…
The Japan Society - Falling Blossom: A British Officer’s Enduring Love for a Japanese Woman 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External…
Under Eagle Eyes: Lithographs, Drawings & Photographs from the Prussian Expedition to Japan, 1860-61
…gle Eyes: Lithographs, Drawings & Photographs from the Prussian Expedition to Japan, 1860-61 Review by : Sir Hugh Cortazzi This copiously illustrated book has been produced to mark 150 years of friendship between Germany and Japan. Dr. Volker Stanzel, the German ambassador in Tokyo, in his message at the beginning notes that many of the materials collected in this book were long presumed to have been lost. His hope that they will give an insight into the impressions of Japan formed by the…
… Restoration by Ichiro Ozawa, Kadokawa Shoten, 2006 Review by Fumiko Halloran Strong Arm Restoration (Gowan Ishin) is a collection of newspaper columns written by Ichiro Ozawa that first appeared in the Evening Fuji [夕刊フジ] newspaper between 2003 and 2006. His weekly column touches on politics, the economy, foreign policy, education, and crime. As for the book’s title, “Strong Arm” [剛腕] is an expression with which Ozawa is closely associated as it reflects his sometimes arm-twisting political…
… Dog is a powerful, grim indictment of the Japanese police force based on Takahashi’s own experiences of the police and the work of his friend Yu Terasawa, a freelance journalist working in Japan who writes about police misconduct. Lasting three hours and 15 minutes it does seem a long film, but this is worth it given the level of detail, characterisation and display of police transgressions from blackmail to sexual harassment to claiming false expenses to staged drug arrests. It is set in…
00, ISBN-10: 0415587522 and ISBN-13: 978-0415587525 Review by Sean Curtin Love him or loathe him, but you certainly cannot ignore Ichiro Ozawa, one of Japan’s most enduring and influential politicians of the last few decades. Takashi Ota, veteran journalist and former Ozawa aid, has produced the first English language political biography…
…an [日本改造計画] By Ichiro Ozawa [小沢一郎], Kodansha[講談社], May 1993 (23rd printing as of May 2006), 258 pages, 1500 yen, ISBN-10: 4062064820 and ISBN-13: 978-4062064828 Review by Fumiko Halloran Ichiro Ozawa is a controversial figure with great political skills and strong leadership ability. He once presided over the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) as its powerful Secretary General whose ability in raising funds was legendary. He was a protégé of late Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka [田中 角栄], whose…
…History of South Manchurian Railways Company [満鉄全史] By Kiyofumi Kato [加藤 聖文,], Kodansha [講談社], November 2006, 266 pages, 1600 yen, ISBN-10: 4062583747 Review by Fumiko Halloran The year 2006 was the 100th anniversary of the establishment of “Mantetsu” [満鉄], or “Minami Manshu Tetsudo Kabushiki-kaisha,” [南満州鉄道株式会社], in English the Southern Manchurian Railways Company, a semi-public corporation that was far more than a railway corporation. Born as a by-product of Japan’s victory in the…
…shed Tragedy [シベリア抑留 ― 未完の 悲劇] By Toshio Kurihara [栗原 俊雄], Iwanami Shinsho [岩波新書], 2009, 211 pages, 735 yen, ISBN-10: 4004312078 Review by Fumiko Halloran On 9 August 1945, six days before Japan’s surrender to the Allied forces in World War II, the Soviet Army began a massive attack on Japan’s Kwantung Army [関東軍] in Manchuria [満州国] in northeast China. Some 1.6 million Soviet soldiers, 5000 tanks and 5000 planes attacked a Japanese army that had 700,000 soldiers, 200 tanks, and 200 airplanes. In…
…ian Protocols of Zion in Japan: Yudayaka/Jewish Peril Propaganda and Debates in the 1920s focuses on the appearance and acceptance of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion in Japan in the decade broadly known as Taishō Democracy. As Kovalio points out, the Protocols were a forged document, concocted by the Paris branch of the tzarist secret police (Okhrana) at the beginning of the 20th century. The aim of the forgery was to deflect popular Russian discontent from the government toward the Jewish…
Robert Lee with line compositions in colour by Yuriko Yamamoto, Renaissance Books, Folkestone, 2011, 214 pages including glossary, £16.00, ISBN 978-1-89823-06-3 Review for the Japan Society by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This is a fun book containing amusing vignettes. Readers who have lived in the Tokyo suburbs and commuted daily on one of the many private railway lines may well feel nostalgic when they look at this little book.…
…g Japan The Quest for a Future That Works Edited by McKinsey & Company (Executive editors: Clay Chandler, Heang Chhor, and Brian Salsberg), VIZ Media, LLC, San Francisco, 2011, 448 pages including a large number of photographs, US$38.99, ISBN 13:978-1-4215-4086-3 and ISBN10: 1-4215-4086-X Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This book brings together essays about Japan and its future by almost ninety different authors. The non-Japanese authors include journalists such as Bill Emmott, academics such as…
…ain] [悪人] Directed by Sang-il Lee (李相日), 2010, 139 minutes Review by Susan Meehan It is five years since the release of Sang-il Lee’s hugely enjoyable Hula Girls [read our review on issue 11], a Full Monty-style feel-good film replete with social commentary and the only one of his works I’d seen. I was, naturally, looking forward to Akunin [Villain], an altogether different type of film for a more mature audience perhaps. It is a film about loneliness, the desperate longing to be loved, the…
00, ISBN: 0415591813 This is a superbly researched work about the lives and experiences of the Japanese women and children who were abandoned in Manchuria at the end of the Second World War. The sheer force and tragedy of most of the individual case studies makes it compelling reading. For example, in 1945 a seven year old boy,…
…Descendants at the end of Tokugawa Era [青い空 幕末キリシタン類族伝] By Yasuhisa Ebisawa [海老沢 泰久], Bunshun Bunko [文藝春秋], 2009, Volume One, 431 pages, 743 yen, ISBN-10: 4167414120 & Volume Two, 478 pages, 790 yen, ISBN-10: 4167414139 Review by Fumiko Halloran The Meiji Restoration in 19th century Japan not only overthrew the Shogun’s rule but rewrote the nation’s religious map. That propelled the emperor into a deity whose absolute authority was crafted by the founders of the new regime for political…
…ings of Bernard Leach By Simon Olding, with a foreword by Emmanuel Cooper, Crafts Study Centre, University of the Creative Arts, and the Leach Pottery, St Ives, 2010, 135 pages, 76 plates of Leach’s etchings, ISBN 978-0-954374-8-9 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This book was launched at Daiwa House in London on 23 November 2010 with an explanatory talk by Professor Olding. Dr Julian Stair, a potter and writer, took the chair. Professor Olding, who wrote the introductory essay, reminded his…
quakebook.org), edited by Our Man in Abiko, Enhanced Studios Ltd, 2011, 102 pages including photography and artwork, US$11.99, I S B N: 0956883621 and also (Kindle Edition, 1435 KB, ASIN: B004VP3KHK) Review by William Farr Originally called Quakebook on Twitter, 2:46 is a collection of stories about the tsunami and earthquake, which exploded onto the book scene in March of 2011. This was a result of one individual’s…
…Militarism in Modern Japan, Issues of History and Identity edited by Guy Podoler, Global Oriental, 2009, 242 pages including index and bibliography, ISBN978-1-905246-85-4Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This collection of essays reproduces papers prepared for “The International Conference on Japan in Honour of Professor Ben-Ami Shillony,” which took place at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel between 29 April and 2 May 2007. It was intended as a tribute to Professor Shillony’s significant…
…al Dreadnoughts: Marder, Roskill and the Battles for Naval History By Barry Gough, Seaforth, Barnsley, 2010, 366 pages including index, ISBN: 978 1 84832 0772, £30 Review by Ian Nish Professor Gough’s Historical Dreadnoughts is biography rather than autobiography. It is a joint biography of two historians of the Royal Navy in the twentieth century. While much of the book is taken up with disputes between these two historical giants – historians have been known to disagree! –it contains much of…
…pan Relations in the Twenty-First Century: Creating a Future Past? Review by Sean Curtin This thought-provoking work analyzes the complex dynamics of East Asia’s most important bilateral relationship, how it may evolve and what impact it will have both regionally and globally. A central theme is the importance of historic memory on Sino-Japanese relations, how this relates to each nation’s contemporary perspective of the other and powerfully shapes their future visions. Several authors argue…
The Japan Society - Yasukuni, the War Dead and the Struggle for Japan’s Past 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a…
…Both Sides, by Meisei Goto, translated by Tom Gill Counterpoint Berkeley, 2009, 215 pages, ISBN-10: 1582434735 Review by Adam House Watching the river flowing under Ochanomizu Bridge, we read as Akaki (our narrator) muses on bridges mentioned in the stories of Kafu, and also that of Gogol, another of his favourite authors. He’s on the bridge waiting to meet a man called Yamakawa, we follow his thoughts on Gogol and that in his student days he had a khaki overcoat, where is it now? Lost,…
g. In the Miso Soup). It is unapologetic, the narrative is driven and there is no real end point in sight. There are times when the actual story would not be believable in a piece of fiction as it is simply too fantastical. The story of an African-American man trying to make a living for himself in Tokyo when he falls down on his luck is not one often told. In political terms this would be ‘Realpolitik’, and the significance of this book is that it does not…
…y in My Life – The Youth of the Showa Era [わが人生の歌がたり 昭和の青春], by Hiroyuki Itsuki [五木寛之], Kadokawa Shoten, 2008, 206 pages, ISBN: 978-4-04-883994-5 Reviewed by Mikihiro Maeda This is the second book of Hiroshi Itsuki’s “My song Story in My Life” series. The first one was about the “joys and sorrows” of the Showa era with the focus on the sorrowful side of his own life (see the review in Issue 14 – Volume 3 Number 2 pages 4/5). This one, the second one is about “youth” in the Showa era and covers…
…ce: Selected Poems by ARAI Takako Soul Dance: Selected Poems, by Takako Arai, Translated by Jeffrey Angles, with Sawako Nakayasu and You Nakai, Mi’Te Press, 2008, 64 pages, ISBN: 978-4-9904416-0-9 Review by Adam House Born in Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, Takako Arai grew up in a family closely connected to the local textile industry, a traditional craft in danger of facing extinction. The city’s skyline is famed for its sawtooth-roofed mills,in the the Nara Period. The city’s textiles were…
…irokazu Kore-eda [是枝裕和], 2008, 114 minutes Review by Susan Meehan Kore-eda’s latest film is a sympathetic, humorous and warm portrayal of a Japanese family laid bare revealing strains and tensions universal to all social groupings. The spectator is almost lulled into forgiving or excusing his/her own familial shortcomings, finding solace in the fact that they are repeated eternally. The two Yokoyama siblings and families, gather at the parental home, a wonderfully large and open space, for what…
Toby I House Press, Tokyo, 2007, 299 pages including index, ISBN 978-4-903452-08-1 Review by Ian Nish This is a volume of papers in honour of Marius Berthus Jansen, one of the great post-war pioneers of Japanese studies in the US, who died in 2001. Born in Holland, he emigrated to the US, served for three years during the Asia-Pacific war and then took up East Asian…
The Japan Society - 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover our New Events…
…y A Country Will Never Perish: Wartime Diaries of Japanese Writers by Donald KeeneColumbia University Press, 2010, 216 pages including index, ISBN 978-0-231-15146-7 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Professor Donald Keene, who is the doyen of Japanologists and who has unparalleled knowledge of Japanese literature throughout the ages, gives a fascinating insight in this book into the way in which Japanese writers saw the Pacific War and its aftermath. One of Japan’s many outstanding novelists of the…
While this dialogue between intellectual giant Mr. Matsuoka and Japan specialist Mr. Brown is valuable and precious, the combination of wonderful photos of Japan taken by Mr. Brown and the white character messages by Mr. Matsuoka on each photo are impressive. For example, Mr. Matsuoka’s messages are as follows. “Japanese became aware of the Shinto after the medieval period. Before that…
…d Japan: Biographical Portraits, Volume VIII Global Oriental in association with the Japan Society, 2010, 665 pages, ISBN: 978-1906876265 Edited by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Review by Sean Curtin This is another superb volume in the Biographical Portraits series which profiles people who have contributed to enhancing Anglo-Japanese relations. In this impressive publication, edited by Sir Hugh Cortazzi, the achievements of 44 diverse individuals are chronicled ranging from Prime Minister Neville…
It is a useful and readable introduction to the painters and print artists of this prolific period in Japanese art. It does not cover, except very cursorily, other aspects of Japanese art in the Edo era. Nor does it directly describe the political, economic or social life or the prolific literature of the age. But anyone who wants a reasonably priced survey of painters and…
…i Restoration, Monarchism, Mass Communication and Conservative Revolution Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This book by Alistair Swale who is a senior lecturer at the University of Wakato New Zealand is not for the general reader interested in learning about this important period in Japanese history. It seems to have been written for fellow historians already well versed in the history of the Meiji Restoration. The first chapter deals with ‘Japan within the World system: Urbanization, Political…
Not a fan of thrillers and having simply tripped over the DVD in a secondhand book and film shop, even I could tell that Perfect Blue is cleverly made, with a psychological and compelling storyline crossing into the grisly towards its denouement. The anime avatars are believable, well-rounded characters, not too dissimilar from their real-life…
…the Greater East Asian War Happen? Review by Ian Nish In addressing the topic “how did the Greater East Asian War come about,?” Professor Matsuura focuses on the subject of pan-Asianism, but analyses its political and economic aspects rather than its ideological ones. In particular, he asks the question as set out on the dust jacket, “why did Japan, using the ideology of a holy war for the liberation of Asia, take over various countries as colonies?” and sets out to explain the “greatest riddle…
…Both Sides Review by Adam House Watching the river flowing under Ochanomizu Bridge,we read as Akaki (our narrator) muses on bridges mentioned in the stories of Kafu, and also that of Gogol, another of his favourite authors. He’s on the bridge waiting to meet a man called Yamakawa, we follow his thoughts on Gogol and that in his student days he had a khaki overcoat, where is it now? Lost, mislaid? As his story begins, we learn that he’s forty years old and has two children, married for twelve…
M. Kanter’s CollectionLaura BordignonAntique Collectors’ Clubpages 302coplously illustrated with colour platesISBN 978-1-85149-609-9 Review by Sir Hugh CortazziLaura Bordignon is an antique dealer who has developed a close interest in the arts and crafts of the Meiji era. Dr Kanter has collected many fine pieces of ivory carvings made by Japanese artists and craftsmen in this period. His collection focuses on the elaborate ivory carvings called okimono (literally…
…panese Politics: Reform Strategies and Leadership Style, By Yu Uchiyama (内山 融) By Yu UchiyamaTranslated by Carl FreireRoutledge2010, 214 pagesISBN: 978-0-415-55688-0 (Hardback) Review by Sean Curtin In this impressive study Yu Uchiyama meticulously dissects the highly successful and by Japanese standards long lived administration of Junichiro Koizumi (26 April 2001 – 26 September 2006). Since stepping down from office, no Japanese prime minister has lasted longer than a year and none in the…
99Review by Ian Nish Ramesh Benegal (1926-2003) was born in Rangoon, Burma, to an Indian family. When Rangoon was bombed by the Japanese, he was evacuated at the age of 15 with his mother in the hope of reaching India by an overland route. This proving impossible, he returned to Rangoon. Ramesh became infused with aspirations…
…phy of Founder Morihei Ueshiba by Kisshomaru Ueshiba (植芝 吉祥丸)Kodansha International, 2008, 320 pages, ISBN-13: 978-4770026170 Review by Hugh Purser One would be forgiven for thinking that this book was designed for the connoisseur (of aikido [合気道], if not Japanese history and culture as well) rather than the casual reader. Maybe this is the intention: the official biography of Aikido’s Founder (開祖), known to all as O Sensei (大先生 – the great teacher), written by his son for the community of…
Nowak, Routledge, 2010, ISBN10:0-415-55960-X, £85 This thought-provoking book argues that a country’s development of a robust intellectual property rights (IPRs) framework is fundamental to long-term economic success in today’s globalized world. This is something not just vital for high-tech states like Japan and the USA but is also in fact absolutely crucial for newly emerging economies. Many of…
…Japan and Art Media, Edo to Now by Graham Cooper, with essays contributed by Japanese architects Fumihiko Maki, Kisho Kurokawa, Tadao Ando, Kengo Kuma and Makoto Sei Watanabe, Images Publishing, Australia, 2009, 240 pages, numerous colour illustrations, ISBN 978 1 86470 300 2 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Graham Cooper introduced his book to an audience at Daiwa House in London on 28 October 2010. He had been awarded a Japan Foundation Artist Fellowship in 1995 with a brief to study “Art in the…
The Japan Society - The Japanese in War and Peace 1942-48, Selected Documents from a Translator’s In-tray 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events…
…and Japan: Biographical Portraits VII Complied & Edited by Sir Hugh Cortazzi,Global Oriental and the Japan Society2010, 665 pages, ISBN: 978-1906876265 Review by Sean Curtin This is another superb volume in the Biographical Portraits series which profiles people who have contributed to enhancing Anglo-Japanese relations. In this impressive publication, edited by Sir Hugh Cortazzi, the achievements of 44 diverse individuals are chronicled ranging from Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain to the…
The Japan Society - Private Yokoi’s War and Life on Guam, 1944-1972 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member…
N. High Commissioner for Refugees and Construction of Peace (私の仕事 ― 国連難民高等弁務官の十年と平和の構築), by Sadako Ogata (緒方 貞子), Soshisha, 2002, 1600 yen Review By Fumiko Halloran When Sadako Ogata began her work as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) early in the winter of 1991, she was immediately challenged with 15 million refugees all over the world. Barely one month into her new job, she was confronted with three crises; (1) the sudden flow of Kurds escaping from…
Both attend the same junior high school and have solid groups of friends. We are made aware that at home Juri is suffering with her parents’ constant bickering and demands to get her into a good senior high school; despite these pressures she does her best to act the role of supporting, conciliatory…
The New Paradox for Japanese Women: Greater Choice, Greater Inequality, Toshiaki Tachibanaki (橘木 俊詔)
Foster I-House Press, Tokyo, 2010290 pages including index, references and tablesISBN 978-4-903452-18-0 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi “Japan suffers today from a high inequality in income distribution and a lack of equal opportunity. Simply put, Japan is a class society.” These are the thought-provoking first words of this sociological study by Professor Tachibanaki of Doshisha University in…
00 Review by Sean Curtin In this impressive study Yu Uchiyama meticulously dissects the highly successful and by Japanese standards long lived administration of Junichiro Koizumi (26 April 2001 – 26 September 2006). Since stepping down from office, no Japanese prime minister has lasted longer than a year and none in the last two…
00 Review by Sean Curtin In this impressive study Yu Uchiyama meticulously dissects the highly successful and by Japanese standards long lived administration of Junichiro Koizumi (26 April 2001 – 26 September 2006). Since stepping down from office, no Japanese prime minister has lasted longer than a year and none in the last…
…anges in Diplomacy (外交激変)By Shunji Yanai (柳井俊二)Interviewed by Makoto Iokibe, Motoshige Ito and Katsuyuki YakushijiAsahi Shimbun-sha2007, 278 pagesISBN-13: 978-4022502650 Review by Fumiko Halloran As a senior official in the Japanese government Mr. Shunji Yanai is a rare breed. He is candid, does not mince his words, is bold and sometimes controversial, and somehow gets away with things that would most likely cost someone else his career. Despite his traits, he rose thought the ranks of the…
…apan, Essays on Everyday Life in Contemporary Society edited by Harumi Kimura Global Oriental, 2009pages 251 including index, ISBN 978-1-905246-86-1 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi The seventy short essays in this book deal with aspects of the everyday life of ordinary Japanese people. Even those of us who have lived in Japan for a few years will find in this book some descriptions and accounts of events which will help us to understand the reactions of ordinary Japanese people. They show us that…
…exhibition at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts University of East Anglia, Norwich, 22 June to 29 August 2010 Review by Susan Meehan The ‘unearthed’ exhibition, held at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich during the summer of 2010, elicited far more questions than it answered, making for an extraordinarily thought-provoking and rewarding experience. At its heart was a collection of over 100 prehistoric miniature clay figurines hailing from Japan as well as Albania, Macedonia and…
, 220 illustrations, notes, glossary, bibliography and indexISBN 978-0-298944-0, University of Washington Press, 2010£46 Professor Oshima, the author of this book, is associate professor of architecture at the University of Washington and was a research fellow at the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures in Norwich. One of his previous studies was on the British 19th century…
The book features buildings by well known Japanese architects such as Tadao Ando but also projects by new younger architects as well as by international practices including such famous names as Rogers and Foster. It is not and does not claim to be a survey or history of modern architecture in Japan. It is essentially an introduction to new architectural ideas and themes in…
99 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi The British Museum has an outstanding collection of Japanese prints (ukiyo-e). This book draws on the Museum’s extensive holdings and is an introduction to the Japanese prints in the Museum. In choosing the prints to use as illustrations Dr Tinios has tried to select some of the less well-known prints in the…
The Japan Society - Joshi No Honkai, (A Woman’s Great Satisfaction) 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member…
Price: ¥680. ISBN-13: 978 – 4106102578 Review by Fumiko Halloran Kaoru Yosano expresses his confidence that American influence in world affairs will not decline but he warns that the rest of the world should not expect the US to solve every problem. He believes there is a lot in common between the US and Japan in values and ways of thinking. Kaoru Yosano, born in 1938 to a diplomatic family, lived in Beijing before World War…
The Japan Society - A Gaijin’s Guide to Japan 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
…on and Business Partnering in Japan, Europe and the United States (Taplin, 2007) is an edited volume that shows how innovation and economic growth are becoming less determined by silos of research funded and managed by governments or large corporations, and more influenced by multiple actors of different types, interlinking to create "breeding ground[s] for cross-fertilisation and [the] generation of new business opportunities" (Taplin, Chapter 2: p. 20). Some of this interlinking, or…
…Nature: Healing - Design for health in the UK and Japan By Graham Cooper, Edited by Dennis SharpBookART in collaboration with the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation (2006)ISBN-13: 978-0947648039 Review by Sandra Lawman Ted Hughes said: "Art is in general the psychological component of the immune system. As the body tries to heal itself from any stress or shock or infection, the corresponding harmonic in consciousness is art." This book not only propounds this philosophy, it also recommends…
…wai - And Back; War Drawings 1939-1945 By Ronald SearleSouvenir Press, April 2006ISBN 0285637452 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Ronald Searle, the creator of the girls of St Trinians and one of the ablest and most famous British cartoonists, was a prisoner of war of the Japanese from February 1942 to August 1945. With determination and courage he managed to keep a record in drawings of his years of suffering as a prisoner in Singapore and on the Burma-Siam Railway. He describes the sketches in…
… in Edo Period Travel By Herbert Plutschow Global Oriental (2006)ISBN 1-901903-23-0 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi During the Edo or Tokugawa period, from the beginning of the seventeenth century to the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Japan largely avoided internal conflicts. The road system was developed not least to meet the requirements of the sankin kotai system under which the daimyo were required to travel from their domains to spend time in residence in Edo. Trade prospered and merchants and…
…and Power in Germany and Japan: The Spirit of Renewal By Nils-Johan Jørgensen Global Oriental, November (2006)ISBN 1-905246-07-6 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi The author of this interesting and thought-provoking study was a Norwegian diplomat who served in both Germany and Japan. He acquired a good knowledge of both countries and their languages. His analysis is based on careful study and not blurred by prejudice. His theme is outlined in the introduction: "Two states, two powers, were defeated…
Cooney Routledge, (2002)ISBN: 0415935164 Review by J. Sean Curtin This book comprehensively charts the dynamics of Japanese foreign policy during the nineties as Tokyo struggled to cope with the end of the Cold War and the limitations of its war-renouncing constitution in the newly emerging global order. Exactly the same issues continue to fuel the current debate, making this work a highly relevant piece of analysis about the on-going…
B. Tauris, London and New York, (2007)ISBN: 978 1 85411 415 2 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This book consists of a collection of 13 essays by a variety of British and Japanese scholars and is based on a conference in Cambridge during the Japan 2001 celebrations. It is not and does not claim to be a survey of the many facets of Anglo-Japanese relations in the twentieth…
…ommunity and Change in a Sapporo Neighborhood, 1925-1988: Hanayama By John Mock The Edwin Mellen Press, (1999)ISBN 0-7734-7974-0 Review by Sean Curtin Less than half a century ago, a powerful sense of local identity was an integral part of Japanese life. Today, the basic composition of most communities has been significantly altered by seismic population shifts, relentless urban expansion and vastly improved transportation networks. By blending contemporary ethnography with accounts of local…
…and Japan: Biographical Portraits, Volume VI Edited by Sir Hugh CortazziJapan Society and Global Oriental (2007)ISBN 978-1-905246-33-5 Review by Janet Hunter Since the publication of the first volume in 1994, the chapters in the volumes of the Biographical Portraits series have provided us with an increasingly complex and multifaceted picture of the human interaction at the heart of Anglo-Japanese relations, at all levels of society and in different spheres of activity. This volume, like its…
…t Glorious Summer 1939: Shanghai - Japan By Rena Krasno Old China Hand Press, (2001)ISBN: 962-7872-17-2 Review by Tomohiko Taniguchi The author's unusual talent brings the readers back to Setonaikai (Seto Inland Sea) and Karatsu (in Saga Prefecture), in the short summer of 1939, letting them see what she saw, smell what she smelled, and feel the way that she felt toward a handsome young Japanese student she spent time with on the beach. Readers will find themselves seeing pre-war Japan through…
…flections: Forager life and culture in the prehistoric Japanese archipelago By Tatsuo KobayashiEdited by Simon Kaner and Oki Nakamura Oxbow Books; (2003)ISBN-13: 978-1842170885 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi The Jomon (??) period in the prehistory of Japan lasted from the thirteenth century BC to the end of the first millennium BC. Following the Palaeolithic period it preceded the Neolithic, called in Japan the Yayoi period. The Jomon peoples were basically hunter-gatherers but developed village…
A.A. Stockwin Edited by Rikki Kersten and David Williams Routledge, 2006 ISBN-13: 978-0415334341 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This festschrift was presented to Professor Arthur Stockwin at a reception at Daiwa House in London on 21 February 2006 as a tribute from former graduate students on his retirement as Professor at the Nissan Institute at Oxford. As Rikki Kersten in her tribute at the beginning of this book states Arthur Stockwin…
…ement and Innovation in Japan, Britain and the United States Edited by Ruth Taplin Routledge (2005)ISBN-13: 978-0415368063 Review by Sean Curtin This groundbreaking book offers fresh insights and analysis on the distinctive ways business in Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom responds to risk and innovation. Assessing and managing risk is becoming increasingly important to both domestic and international companies, especially in Japan where firms are struggling to keep pace with the…
…d Gardens of Kyoto's Merchant Houses Photographs and text by Katsuhiko MizunoTranslated by Lucy North Kodansha International, (2006)ISBN: 4770030231 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This is a book which will fascinate all lovers of Japanese gardens. It provides an introduction to the tiny gardens, generally referred to as tsuboniwa, incorporated into Japanese houses in Kyoto. These, unlike temple and palace gardens, are not normally open to visitors. A tsubo is a Japanese measurement of a small area…
…ve Hello By Chris Steele Perkins Editions Intervalles (2007)ISBN 2-916355-05-7 Review by Clare Barclay Emerging from the sideline images taken during his four-year study of Fuji-san, Chris Steele-Perkins has produced a photographic overview of everyday life from the instantly recognisable in western society to that only seen by someone truly immersed in the culture of Japan. Written in French and English this volume includes 100 photographs as well as an introductory essay by Donald Richie. The…
The Japan Society - Old Japanese Photographs: Collectors' Data Guide 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member…
…lants of Japan By Ran Levy-Yamamori and Gerard TaaffeTimber Press, Incorporated (2004)ISBN 0-88192-650-7 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi When the Japan Society were preparing the Garden Bequest Exhibition for Japan 2001, we were conscious of the huge number of trees, shrubs and plants which had originated in Japan and which had become so popular in Britain. We tried without success to find a book in English which covered comprehensively Japanese Garden plants. Horticulturalists and gardeners,…
…f the Emperors: Sacred Subservience in Japanese History By Ben-Ami ShillonyGlobal Oriental (2005)ISBN 1-901903-34-6 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This well-researched and scholarly study by Professor Shillony of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem will interest not only students of Japanese history but also all those concerned for the future of the imperial institution in Japan. The book, which evolved out of earlier research first published in Japanese under the title of Haha Naru Tenno, covers…
…s Project: The Articulation of Pictorial Space By David Bell Global Oriental, 2007ISBN-13: 978-1-905246-15-1 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi David Bell of the University of Otago, New Zealand, is a specialist in ukiyo-e and has written a number of books for specialists in Japanese art history including Ukiyo-e Explained published by Global Oriental in 2004. His new book is a useful addition to the many volumes written about Hokusai, his life and his art. It will be primarily of interest to students…
…ushi: Reader's Comments By Simon May Alma Books (2006)ISBN: 1-84688-002-5 Reader's Comments by Ann Dent British readers will find Simon May's "Atomic Sushi" interesting and very amusing, any Japanese reader will find it insulting. It is stated on a preliminary page, "This is a work of fiction," so what is fiction and what is fact? That an educated academic should have done so little research before taking up a prestigious appointment at Japan's top university is lamentable. Simon May's…
…kichi - Jeanie Eadie's Samurai: The Life and Times of a Meiji Entrepreneur By Andrew Cobbing and Masataro Itami Global Oriental (2006)ISBN 1-901903-02-8 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi In Britain there are now many interracial marriages and the prejudices against such unions have largely disappeared especially in the case of marriages between British and Japanese. The same is largely true of enlightened circles in Japan. Where prejudices do continue they are more likely to be based on class…
…est: China, Power, and the Future of Asia By Christopher Patten Times Books; 1 edition (1998)ISBN: 0812930002 Review by Sean Curtin Chris Patten, now the Right Honourable Lord Patten of Barnes and a recent Japan Society guest speaker, wrote this thought-provoking book shortly after standing down as the last ever British Governor of Hong Kong in 1997. Even though it is rapidly approaching a decade since Britain's most prosperous colony was returned to China, Patten's insights on his five years…
…Images and Experiences of Japan: Volume I: First Century AD-1841 Compiled, edited and in part translated by William McOmie Global Oriental, Folkestone (2005)ISBN 1-901903-46-X Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This is the first comprehensive survey covering the observations and reports of foreigner visitors about Japan. It will be a very useful reference book for students and researchers interested in the reactions of foreigners to Japan over some 1800 years. Professor McOmie has trawled widely and…
930 North Hancock AvenueLos Angeles, California 90069 Email: MyLostJapan@aol.com (English and Japanese)Price $15.00 US plus shipping Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
These two books (one being 'From Mahan to Pearl Harbor: The Imperial Japanese Navy and the United States, reviewed here) deal with armaments and the men who used them. There has been a flood of books dealing with the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5 published since the centenary. The distinctive feature of the book edited by Professor Kowner is that it deals with the…
…ushi: Notes from the Heart of Japan By Simon May Alma Books (2006)ISBN: 1-84688-002-5 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Unfortunately I missed the launch of the hard back edition of this book last year at the Daiwa Foundation in London. Many members of the Society may have seen reviews in the Financial Times and the TLS, but some may have missed these. At any rate I think that it is worth drawing the attention of members to this amusing and ironic account of a year in Japan teaching philosophy at…
Sean Curtin China's sky-rocketing energy demands are a significant factor helping push global energy prices steadily upwards. The seemingly unquenchable Chinese thirst for oil and gas is already putting tremendous strain on Tokyo's energy security strategy as resource poor Japan struggles to compete with its…
… Envoys in Britain, 1862-1964: A Century of Diplomatic Exchange Compiled and edited by Ian NishGlobal Oriental/Japan Society (2007)ISBN 978-1-905246-32-8 Review by Sean Curtin This is a highly readable and excellently researched book which skilfully charts the lives of Japan's envoys to the United Kingdom during the first century of Anglo-Japanese relations (1862-1964). Just as now, a hundred years ago London was a vibrant global capital but its political importance was far greater than today.…
…d Japan: Biographical Portraits, Volume VI Edited by Sir Hugh CortazziJapan Society and Global Oriental (2007)ISBN 978-1-905246-33-5 Review by Adrian Pinnington This book is the latest (and, sadly, probably the last) of the volumes about Anglo-Japanese relations that have been sponsored by the Japan Society of London since 1991. The series, together with two companion volumes on British and Japanese diplomats, now comprises nearly 250 essays. This volume contains an invaluable index for the…
He brings with him the Goth Queen Tamora (Rei Asami) and her three sons as captives. The bloody juggernaut of revenge is set in motion when Titus has Tamora's first born-son sacrificed in recompense for the death of his own sons. To even the score, Tamora's two surviving sons rape Titus' gentle daughter Lavinia (Hitomi Manaka) and afterwards cut off her hands and tongue. For good measure they frame Titus' sons in a murder, and the innocent lads…
…ii Kuni E (Toward a Beautiful Country) By Shinzo AbeBunshun Shinso, Bungei Shunju (2006)ISBN-13: 978-4166605248 Review by Fumiko Halloran Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, at 53 the youngest to hold that office in the post-war period, has written a revealing book about his life, political philosophy, and vision for a good society. The timing of its publication was impeccable as the book hit the stores just before he was elected to the premiership. The book, "Toward A Beautiful Country," swiftly rose…
…i and the Making of Modern Japan: A Vision of Empire By Brij Tankha University of Hawaii Press/University of Delhi Press (2006)ISBN 1901903990 Review by Ben-Ami Shillony Kita Ikki (1883-1937) is difficult to pin down ideologically. He blended socialist and nationalist ideas, advocated a coup d'état at home and expansion abroad, and inspired the Young Officers to carry out their bloody rebellion of 26 February 1936. Yet, he also preached democracy, was attached to China, and had warm feelings…
…omeland: Japanese Brazilian Migrants in Japan By Joshua Hotaka RothCornell University Press (2002)ISBN: 0-8014-8808-7 Review by Takahiro Miyao This book might appear to be a short and casual essay on foreign workers in Japan. However, just reading the first few pages would make the reader realize that this is a product of the author's serious field work in Japan for a number of years. Actually, this reader was left with tremendous satisfaction, on the one hand, in gaining insight into what may…
As someone whose fond memories in his boyhood were attached to model warplanes hung from his ceiling, I found myself picking up a copy at a bookstore in Singapore. The book is more than about the war in the Pacific; it tells the story of how airpower gained supremacy against battleships, and why and how the US and…
…ral Japan: Palaeolithic to Postmodern Edited by Donald Denoon, Mark Hudson, Gavan McCormack and Tessa Morris-SuzukiCambridge University Press (2001)ISBN: 0-521-00362-8 Review by Takahiro Miyao What is Japan? Is Japanese culture unique? How is Japan different from the West or from the rest of Asia? When we ask these questions, we implicitly assume that there is more or less a monolithic and homogeneous "Japan" in the first place. This book provides a clear view that Japan has been and is a…
…y in Japan 1853-1912 By Terry Bennett Periplus Editions Tuttle Publishing, 2007ISBN 080486337 Reviews by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Terry Bennett is a world expert in the history of photography in Japan and has done a vast amount of original research. His two new books bring together a vast amount of information never collected before and cover in detail the western and Japanese photographers who developed the art of photography in Japan. Anyone with an interest in this fascinating aspect of Japan in…
M. Cullen Cambridge University Press, 2003ISBN-13: 978-0521821551 Review by Ben-Ami Shillony (Review first appeared in Reviews of Institute of Historical Research, February 2004) There are several novel things about this book that make it worth reading. The first one relates to the author. Unlike most other historians of Japan, who come from the areas of Japanese or East Asian studies, the author of this book arrives from an unexpected…
…porary Tea House: Japan's Top Architects Redefine a Tradition By Arata Isozaki, Tadao Ando and Terunobu Fujimori Kodansha International (2007)ISBN 13: 9784770030467 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This addition to Kodansha's architectural series is likely to be of interest not only to students of architecture and the Japanese way of tea but also to a wider readership. Arata Isozaki and Tadao Ando are world famous architects. Terunobu Fujimori who is an architectural historian is a professor at the…
…Managed Globalization: Adapting to the Twenty-first Century Edited by Ulrike Schaede and William Grimes Routledge (2003)ISBN-13: 978-0765609526 Review by Mikihiro Maeda Globalization and multilateralization of the world political economy have pressed new pressures for all industrialized democracies to adapt, change, and reform their policies and economic structures. Nevertheless, no country seems more challenged by these pressures than Japan that has resisted global rules for its domestic…
…cyclopedia would ideally be used in conjunction with other referential sources so as to aid in cross checking the information presented, and this is facilitated by a fairly extensive bibliography, which is included. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
2004)ISBN-13: 978-9074822749 Review by Marie Therese Barrett To quote Ambassador Masaki Orita's foreword, "I believe that this guide will greatly benefit all those with an interest in Japan's unique art and culture by identifying the wide range of Japanese art collections to be found throughout the UK - although there are undoubtedly more treasures still to be discovered." Edited with…
Vogel September 2001 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the San Francisco Treaty, formally ending the Second World War. In signing this treaty, Japan fundamentally transformed its position on the world stage. It established itself in the vanguard of the burgeoning cold war bulwark against the Soviet Union and its communist satellites, and wed itself to the United States through economic, political, and security ties that…
2002)ISBN-13: 978-0765610737 Review by Takahiro Miyao It is nice to hear, especially from a "genuine" reformist like Richard Katz, that the Japanese economy would recover, although it might take ten more years. In this book, his message to Japan is loud and clear. Reform is the only option left for everyone, including "the vested interests" in Japan. It would bring back the kind of growth "that can smooth over conflicts of interests." So…
Hood, et. al. Direct Image Systems & Communications Ltd; First Printing edition (21 Oct. 2003)ISBN-13: 978-0953746514 Review by Tomohiko Taniguchi Sir Stephen Gomersall, British Ambassador in Japan, wrote an opening chapter that serves as an eye opener. He states that, "British exports to Japan in 2002 were worth three times as much as to China". While tales of…
al. The National Bureau of Asian Research (September 1, 2003)ISBN-13: 978-0971393837 Review by Tomohiko Taniguchi "So you follow 'Strategic Asia' keenly, don't you?" A Chinese political scientist asked me when I was staying at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies as a visiting fellow in the early part of 2003. Strategic Asia is an initiative, largely web-based, run by the US National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR)…
… Foreign Policy At The Cross Road - Challenges and Options for the Twenty-First Century By Yutaka Kawashima Brookings Institution Press (October 16, 2003)ISBN-13: 978-0815748700 Review by Mikihiro Maeda In today's Japan, most Japanese seems to be thinking about one's identity and nationality as well as Japan's security and foreign policy. This book, "Japanese Foreign Policy at the Crossroads," is quite timely and stimulating to Japanese readers. The author of this book, Yutaka Kawashima, former…
S.-Japan trade policies. This chapter, "intellectual property issues for the United States and Japan: disputes and common interests," is written by University of Colorado professor Keith E. Maskus, who once served as a consultant for World Intellectual Property Organization and other related agencies. First of all, Professor Maskus emphasizes the fact that a new set of multilateral rules for patent protection has been established by the WTO Agreement on the Trade-Related Aspects…
" Goodman takes the reader into the previously little explored territory of state child protection, producing the first and most comprehensive English language study to appear on the subject. Every aspect of the topic is meticulously covered in this outstanding work which also offers excellent footnoting and an invaluable reference list. From a Western European perspective, certain aspects of the…
This conference volume, edited by Craig Freedman at Macquaire University in Australia, explores some answer to this question by featuring internationally renowned scholars and Japan specialists with diverse opinions. Probably the most interesting part of this volume is Ronald Dore’s chapter, “Reform?…
…Allies? United States Security and Alliance Policy towards Japan, 1945-1960 By John Swenson WrightStanford University Press (2004)ASIN: B00SLTRTVK Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Dr Swenson Wright, who is Fuji bank Lecturer in Modern Japanese Studies at Cambridge University, has produced a carefully researched and scholarly study which sheds new light on one of the most important themes in modern Japanese history. His copious notes demonstrate the extent to which he has mined the archives. His…
…d His Age Edited by John Carpenter Hotei Publishing (2003)ISBN-13: 978-9074822572 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi If you were to ask someone who was neither a student of Japanese culture nor an art historian to name a Japanese artist it is likely that he or she would mention first the name of Hokusai. There can be few people who have not seen images of Hokusai’s famous print of a towering wave with Mt Fuji in the background. But many students don’t realize the wealth and breadth of Hokusai’s work.…
The Japan Society - Human Bullets: A Soldier’s Story of the Russo-Japanese War 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become…
…orm (Word/ PDF) here and return to Japan Society. If you are able to share photographs, publicity, newspaper clippings etc. from your project, please include them with your report. Note: anything 5MB or larger will be blocked by our server and instead should be sent using an online file transfer service. Details of past grant recipients are published on Small Grants Archive. Please indicate on the form whether you are happy for us to include yours. Successful Grants View All Grants Japan…
…Event Archive 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover our New Events Programme!…
…-il: North Korea's Dear Leader, who he is, what he wants, what to do about him By Michael Breen Wiley; 1st edition (January 29, 2004)ISBN-13: 978-0470821312 Review by Tomohiko Taniguchi Few of us in Japan still remember the "armed guerrilla force incident" when, in January 1968 in Seoul, a North Korean special commando squad comprising 31 highly trained soldiers suddenly emerged and made it to within literally a stone's throw from the Blue House, where the then South Korean President Park…
2004)ISBN-13: 978-0415274838 Review by Sean Curtin In this stimulating book Jeff Kingston meticulously examines many of the social, political and economic changes that have buffeted Japan for more than a decade and are drastically reshaping its fundamental nature. This insightful and excellently researched work attempts to make sense out of a host of diverse trends and predict…
…Franz von Siebold and The Opening of Japan: A Re-Evaluation By Herbert Plutschow Global Oriental, 2007ISBN 978-1-950246-20-5 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Philipp Franz von Siebold is much admired and revered in Japan as one of the three great interpreters of Japan to the West during Japan's years of "seclusion." He was a meticulous scholar and his books about Japan mainly in German were an important source of information about Japan for the Americans and other powers in their efforts to "open"…
Auer The Yomiuri Shimbun, 2006ISBN-13: 978-4643060126 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Tsuneo Watanabe, the editor-in-chief of the Yomiuri Shimbun, which has a circulation of over ten million, the largest of any Japanese newspaper, established in 2005 a committee of Japanese journalists. The committee was to produce a careful historical analysis with the aim of telling the Japanese people, a majority of whom were born after the…
Sean Curtin As the juggernaut of globalization relentlessly races forward, the importance of global innovation is becoming a crucial factor in economic competitiveness. This book assesses the different innovation strategies small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are adopting in Japan, Europe and the United States. It also explores the European Union's…
W. Norton and Company of New York and London, 2005ISBN-13: 978-0393929225 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Sadako Ogata was United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) between 1991 and 2000. Her book should be read by all politicians and officials involved with issues of international peace. It is a searing account of a series of humanitarian disasters which sadly show that man's inhumanity to man has not altered…
Ruth Taplin (Ed) Routledge; 1 edition (27 May 2004)ISBN-13: 978-0415654753 Review by Sean Curtin Ruth Taplin has compiled a stimulating, and in many respects ground-breaking, book which comprehensively covers a topic of vital importance to the rapidly evolving global economy. The book addresses the urgent need to re-evaluate risk and understand the true value of intellectual property (IP) in the light of the fact that intangible…
…tama Doodle - One Man's Affair with Japan, 1950-2004 By Hans Brinckmann Global Oriental, 2004ISBN-13: 978-1901903737 Review by Hazuki Saisho This is a memoir written by a former Dutch banker, Hans Brinckmann. At the age of eighteen, he came to Japan, which was still under US occupation. He recalls that the Japanese could not travel abroad and lacked any signing authority. Such humiliating times the Japanese people had to live through, yet they were not bothered much by their situation. Although…
…s in Japan: From Farnborough to the Far East: A Memoir Edited by Dorothy Britton (Lady Bouchier) Global Oriental, 2005ISBN 1-901903-44-3 Review by Ian Nish This interesting book can be looked at from many different perspectives. Basically it is the autobiography of a serviceman, Cecil 'Boy' Bouchier (1895-1979) who, despite setbacks and disappointments, worked his way through the ranks to positions of power and prestige in the Royal Air Force. At another level it is a history of the RAF as a…
…oirs of the Shoguns: Isaac Titsingh and Japan, 1779-1822 Annotated and introduced by Timon Screech Routledge 2005ISBN-13: 978-0700717200 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Isaac Titsingh was one of the more interesting and intelligent heads of the Dutch trading post at Dejima off Nagasaki. He first went to Japan in 1779 and spent some forty-four months there before his final departure in 1784. He wanted to compile a compendium of papers based on translations from Japanese sources, covering 'all there…
… of SAKE, a Connoisseur's Guide By Philip Harper Kodansha International, 2006ISBN 4770029985 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi I used to be asked sometimes by people who had never been to Japan "Do you like sake?" This is rather like asking you when you have been to France whether you like wine! Sake, as this guide explains, is as varied as wine. It can be quaffed simply as a good drink or savoured by the connoisseur. Sake used not to be generally available in Britain. Now sake brands can be bought…
…l markets and policies in East Asia by Gordon de Brouwer; (2 ) Recent development in Asian financial markets by Dominic Wilson; (3) Patterns of bank intermediation and structure: a Korean perspective by Sang Whan Kim, Haesik Park, Hae Wang Chung; (4) Private capital flows in East Asia: boom, bust and beyond by Ramkishen S. Rajan and Reza Siregar (5 ) Bank and corporate restructuring in crisis-affected East Asia: from systemic collapse to reconstruction by Masahiro Kawai; (6) The boom, bust and…
Bix HarperCollins; 1st Perennial Ed edition (9 Nov. 2001)ISBN-13: 978-0060931308 Review by Ben-Ami Shillony More than ten years after his death, Hirohito (or Emperor Showa as he is now called) continues to draw attention and generate controversy. To many people in the world he personifies Japan's aggression before and during World War II, its extraordinary postwar recovery, and the intricate continuities between the two periods. Most of the writings…
…lled and Decried Carl Peter Thunberg and the Shogun's Realm, 1775-1796 Annotated and Introduced by Timon Screech Routledge; 1 edition (October 12, 2005)ISBN-13: 978-0415515368 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This is a parallel volume to Secret Memoirs of the Shoguns, Isaac Titsingh and Japan, 1779-1822, also annotated and presented by Professor Screech. The writings about Japan by Thunberg and Titsingh are important for students of Japan's relations with the outside world in the Edo period and…
Taken together, the essays in this volume successfully persuade the reader to view identity as a process of "becoming" rather than of "being" and recognize that identity is a shifting consciousness conditioned by the interaction and negotiation between the Self and Other. This delightfully well-written book is a highly…
…tive Reform in Japan By Toshiyuki Masujima Institute of Administrative Management, 2006ISBN 906596037 Review by Sean Curtin To properly understand Japan's spectacular postwar economic transformation and its subsequent struggled to adjust in the post-bubble nineties, it is vital to grasp the administrative dynamics which uniquely underpinned its economic success and are determining its future. This book is an enlightening overview of the major administrative reforms spanning the early postwar…
2003)ISBN-13: 978-0300099294 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Bernard Leach (1887-1979) was and still is better known and appreciated in Japan than in Britain. His achievements as a potter and an etcher were outstanding. Through his work as a potter he enhanced the status of pottery as an art form in Britain. Through his friendship with Yanagi Soetsu and Hamada Shoji he helped to found and develop the Mingei (folkcraft) movement in…
2002)ISBN-13: 978-0312294809 Review by Takahiro Miyao This volume is an output of the conference that Professor Takashi Inoguchi organized at the University of Tokyo in 1999. The contents are about Japan in the Asian region and very well-balanced in terms of geographical representation, containing Chapters on Japan's relations with the U.S., China, Korea, Russia, Australia, India, Indonesia…
…he System That Soured By Richard Katz Routledge; 1 edition (15 July 1998)ISBN-13: 978-0765603104 Review by Takahiro Miyao "Structural reform" has now become such a popular word in Japan, but here is an excellent "textbook" for reform, which was published long before Mr. Junichiro Koizumi took office. The author is a senior editor at The Oriental Economist Report, a monthly English-language newsletter about Japan and, therefore, is quite knowledgeable about the Japanese economy. In this book, he…
…Blossom: A British Officer's Enduring Love for a Japanese Woman Falling Blossom covers a later period than the previous book reviewed (Kawada Ryokichi - Jeanie Eadie's Samurai: The Life and Times of a Meiji Entrepreneur and Agricultural Pioneer). It traces the story of Captain Arthur Hart Synnot, DSO, a tall moustachioed veteran of the Boer War and scion of a distinguished military family from County Armagh, who was posted to Tokyo as an army language student in 1904. There he fell in love with…
…our Own Japanese Garden: A Practical Guide By Motomi Oguchi and Joseph Cali Kodansha International (2007)ISBN 10:4770028040 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Oguchi is an experienced Japanese garden designer who has designed more than 400 gardens. In his introduction the author stresses that the history of Japanese gardens is linked to property size, architecture and the surroundings. He has been influenced by his attachments to the arts of tea, ikebana (flower arrangement) and bonsai. From the tea…
…m Impasse: The Decision to Open Japan I-House Press, 2006, 356 pages including notes and index, ISBN 978-4-903452-06-7, 3000 Yen Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This book is a valuable addition to the literature in English about the steps leading up to the treaties of 1858 which opened the way to the establishment of diplomatic and trade relations between Japan and the Western powers. It is also timely, as we celebrate this year the 150th anniversary of the Treaty of Yedo, concluded for Britain by…
Hardback ¥2,500, ISBN – 13: 978-4048839693 Review by Mikihiro Maeda How can we describe the author of this book, Hiroyuki Itsuki? Novelist, essayist, songwriter, producer, or radio personality? Regardless of his role, he is widely respected as a spiritual voice in Japan. He was born in 1932 and grew up in Pyongyang, now the capital city of North Korea, due to his parents’ jobs as teachers. After the end of the war his family had…
ISBN -13: 978-1-846-14009-9, price hardback £20. Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This new book by Bill Emmott, the former editor of The Economist and author of two books about modern Japan, has been widely reviewed in the press. In this review I propose to concentrate primarily on his comments about Japan, although Japan is only one of the three powers…
Hardback £25. ISBN 13: 978 – 186126 7832 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi I recently reviewed a book with a similar title published in 2007 by Kodansha International (Japan-UK Review Volume 2 No 4, August 2007). This was “Create Your Own Japanese Garden: a Practical Guide” by Motomu Oguchi and Joseph Cali. Had I known of Penny Underwood’s book I would have reviewed them together, particularly as…
Hardback ¥3,360. ISBN -13:978-47571-0223-1 Review by Takahiro Miyao This publication is based on a research report on the role of nations and cyber governance in the information age, which was prepared by the Institute for International Socio-Economic Studies (IISE) in Tokyo with the support from NEC in fiscal 2006. The subject matter is quite important and urgent in this age of information and globalization with…
The Japan Society - Japan’s Imperial Forest, Goryōrin, 1889-1945 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join…
Remarkably, it was penned by a British woman with very little experience of the setting she features. Those who’ve spent time in Japan will pull up a few inconsistencies and jump upon one or two moments that have been written in western ink, but I thought Fiona Campbell had an awful lot down pat for someone whose in-country experiences extend only to a few months of…
Hardback £14.99. ISBN – 13: 978-1-56898-731-6 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Many visitors to Kamakura know the Zeni-arai Benten shrine where they can wash their money in the hope that it will multiply. It lies up a narrowroad from the back of Kamakura station. Beyond that up the winding lane lies another shrine and Genjiyama. From here on a fine day the visitor will have an excellent…
Hardback ¥1,890. ISBN-13: 978-4560031667 Review by Fumiko Halloran Professor Takeshi Nakajima of Hokkaido University says he wrote this book because he was concerned that a recent revival of interest in Judge Radhabinod Pal of India, who alone argued to acquit all Class A defendants in the International Military Tribunal for the Far East after World War II, might be going in the wrong direction. In the movement to re-examine…
Hardback £75.00. ISBN13: 978-0415372961 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi The studies in this volume are a valuable contribution to knowledge of Japan’s post-war diplomacy and will help students of Japanese foreign policy to understand some of the complicated negotiations which affected Japanese interests. Perhaps because as a young diplomat I was involved on the margins of some of the events…
… Way – Garden Designsby Maureen BusbyJGS Publishing (2008) Review by Colin Ellis Maureen Busby was an exceptional individual who took up garden design in her fifties after a very successful first career in education. In the 12 years before her sudden and untimely death in 2006 she had become a highly respected garden designer and was elected a member of the Society of Garden Designers in 2001. This book is exceptional too. Between 1994 and 2006 Maureen Busby worked as a sole practitioner on…
…w Sandal or The Scroll of the Hundred Crabs ISBN 978-1-905246-64-9, pages 166, Global Oriental, 2008, price £35 (but Japan Society members can order direct from the publishers at a discount) Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This book was launched at Daiwa House in London on 22 January. Peter Kornicki, Professor of Japanese at Cambridge University, and Dr James McMullen, a former pupil of Carmen and a lecturer in Japanese literature at Oxford University, spoke about the book and about Carmen as a…
…Sun makes for compelling and tense reading at times, once the theatre of war moves from Europe to the South Pacific, the cliches and episodes of florid language become too many to list and Strickland seems more like a character out of James Clavell’s Shogun than a believable war hero. Like Clavell’s 17th Century Pilot-Major, John Blackthorne, whose trading ship runs aground off the Japanese coast, Strickland narrowly escapes death by his captors, who then proceed to protect and look after him…
Released in 2006 Review by Fumiko Halloran The Japanese movie “Kaomome Diner” (The Seagull Diner) sparkles with humor, friendship, cross-cultural communication, delicious food, insights into life, and enigma, all wrapped up in a Japanese diner in Helsinki, Finland. Sachie, a Japanese woman who was in Finland for reasons unknown, opens a family-style…
99 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Professor Arthur Stockwin, who was until recently Nissan Professor of Modern Japanese Studies in the University of Oxford, is the leading British expert on Japanese politics. His aim in this book has been “to make at least partly comprehensible what to the outside observer (and indeed to many Japanese themselves) often appears to be the…
She is the first to admit that there is not extensive documentation about the women’s palace. However, she has tempered the various settings with her own imaginings and understanding; Lesley is a woman who knows Japan. She lived in the country for over ten years. To research “Geisha: The Secret History of a…
Hardback. £85.00. ISBN13: 978 – 0415365000 Review by William Farr Tanji sets out a strong and quite explosive thesis right from the beginning of Myth, Protest and Struggle in Okinawa as she argues that the struggling relationship of the Okinawan population with its Japanese overlord and American military presence is one that has been fraught (and often fought) with difficulty. A nerve is…
Hard Back £65.00. ISBN-13: 978-0415373173 Review by Ben-Ami Shillony The 1940 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games are a non-event, because they never happened. Promoted by Japanese organizations since the early 1930s, decided on by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) in 1936, and given up by the Japanese in 1938, they were soon forgotten, overshadowed by the war…
Hardback ¥1,890. ISBN -13: 978-4532352714 Review by Fumiko Halloran Iijima Isao, who was Prime Minister Koizumi Junichirō’s executive secretary, has come out with a new book in which he gives a full-fledged and intriguing account of the former prime minister’s diplomacy, focusing on records of his trips and of visits to Japan by prominent leaders from around the world. It follows the author’s earlier…
…kaku No Shinjitsu: Takenaka Heizo Daijin Nisshi By Heizo Takenaka and Isao Iijima Nihon Keizai Shimbunsha, December 2006, 344 pages, 1800 yen “Koizumi Kantei Hiroku” (Confidential Records of the Office of Prime Minister Koizumi) Review by Fumiko HalloranWhen Mr. Junichiro Koizumi was elected in April 2001 to the presidency of the Liberal Democratic Party (and thus, in Japan’s parliamentary system, prime minister) few politicians, opinion leaders, journalists, and private citizens imagined that…
Uchida didn’t rule this out, but said he had no such plans and would hold auditions for his next film, as normal. Before he rushed off to his waiting car, I managed to encourage him to visit Kennington and East Street Market, Charlie Chaplin’s old haunts. My only regret – that I didn’t get to see the film twice over the weekend. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here…
…aigi, as well as in their own individual books, each emphasizes their belief that Japan could contribute much to the peace and prosperity of the international community but they differ on domestic issues such as taxes and privatizing postal service and health care. Some assert that Japan need not kowtow to the United States on every issue while others discuss pending issues with the US. The Japanese inferiority complex that dominated relations with westerners after World War II seems to be…
Hardback, £35.00. ISBN 13: 978-0-415-46597-7 Review by Sean Curtin This well-structured book examines the various ways in which intellectual property (IP) is used in Japan. It incorporates information provided by frontline decision makers in the country and is highly informative. It also looks at how Japan has attempted to develop its own new approach to intellectual property issues, especially those which stress the…
Hardback, £35.00. ISBN 13: 978-0-9554322-0-0 Review by Suzanne Perrin A specialist in Asian art and architecture, Michael Freeman is a London based photographer who has contributed several publications on Japanese and Oriental themes. The text, design and photographs are all done by him for this book. There has always been a western fascination with “Zen”, whether it be austere Buddhist practices, minimal…
Hardback, £14.99. ISBN 13: 978-1906094386 Review by Anna Davis This time two years ago, I remember feverishly wiping my brow as I attempted to teach my then class of five year olds how to make an origami heart for their Valentine’s cards, fumbling and stumbling through my own ineptitude, whilst all the time trying to appear in control of my hands. So when “Origami for Children” by Mari Ono and Roshin Ono landed…
…ta” (last of the new Japanese films screened at BAFTA, 26-28 September), knowing next to nothing about the director, but hoping that it might be a family or domestic drama in the fashion of Yasujiro Ozu. I had merely heard the name Kiyoshi Kurosawa and knew he was no relation of Akira’s, but hadn’t seen any of the J-horror films for which he is known. As the film had won the “Un Certain Regard” Jury Prize at the 2008 Cannes festival, it seemed to come well recommended. As a result of company…
It tells the story of Teruo, a dreamer with the ambition of building the best ever haunted house, rather than continue with his manual job. He lives with his dejected father in a flat above their second-hand bookshop. Teruo’s friend Hisanobu, works as a hospital manager and is altogether more mature. Aware that they are approaching 30, he starts to tire of Teruo’s prankish ways. The sensitive and sensible Hisanobu is single, much to the disbelief of his…
Price: ¥ 680. ISBN-13: 978 – 4106102172 Review by Fumiko Halloran Taro Aso believes Japanese leaders have become more effective in communicating with U.S. officials. He says Japanese should be articulate in describing their understanding of a situation, their intention to solve problems, and should negotiate in a straightforward way with Americans. He argues that the two countries share universal values (普遍的価値) and…
Hardback £16.50. ISBN 13: 978-0231144407 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Keene is the most eminent foreign scholar of Japan. He has written more than thirty books about Japan including many translations of Japanese works from medieval to modern times and an illuminating history of Japanese literature. His book “On Familiar…
00, ISBN-13: 978-1435710009 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Students of Japanese history in the nineteenth century have reason to be grateful to Ian Ruxton for the long and hard work which he has put into transcribing and publishing the diaries and letters of Sir Ernest Satow, an outstanding scholar diplomat. This is the latest in a series of…
Hollywood Bungei Shunju, 2006, 486 pages, hardback ￥2476, ISBN-13: 978-4163677903 Review by Fumiko Halloran The world-famous movie director, Akira Kurosawa, stood before 150 guests in the banquet hall of Tokyo Prince Hotel in April of 1967 and declared: “This movie on Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, in collaboration with Twentieth Century Fox, will be the most important work in my career.” On that day, both the American team headed by the veteran producer, Elmo Williams, and the…
The Japan Society - The Diary of Charles Holme’s 1889 Visit to Japan and North America 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External…
The whole book clearly shows that Murakami is an extremely hard working writer and tackles writing not only as a job, but also as a marathon that requires clarity of mind derived from a healthy body. Murakami’s mindset is focused wherever he tends to be living in the world from Massachusetts, to…
50, (Special offer price to Japan Society members, just £5.00 including p & p. E-mail paul_kabrna@msn.com), ISBN 978-0-9555289-0-3 Review by Paul Wignall The name of John Milne (1850-1913) is today remembered by only a few, and yet he was one of the pioneering giants of late 19th and early 20th century geology and geophysics, who conducted much of his research in Japan. He was dubbed the…
The Japan Society - Nihon no Ichiban Nagai Natsu (Japan’s Longest Summer) 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a…
00, ISBN: 978-3-8228-4827-2 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Hiroshige and Hokusai are probably the two Japanese artists most famous in the west. They had a significant influence on the Post-Impressionists including Van Gogh, Monet and Whistler and on the Japonisme movement in European art in the latter part of the nineteenth century. The publication of this sumptuous publication is timely. This year is the…
Hardback £23.50. ISBN 13: 978 – 02311143981 Review by Takahiro Miyao This is a fascinating book about Japan’s traditional “waka” poems, written by an Irish poet who is currently teaching at a Japanese university. The subtitle of this book is “a Translation of the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu,” where the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu is a set of one hundred “waka” poems written by various poets from the seventh century through to the early…
… The Battle for Japan, 1944-45 Harper Press, 2007, 673 pages including index, notes and bibliography Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Sir Max Hastings, who was a former editor of The Daily Telegraph and The Evening Standard, is Britain’s ablest war historian. This book which covers the death and destruction which accompanied the end of the war with Japan follows his account in Armageddon of the defeat of Nazi Germany. This is not a dry description of battle strategy and tactics but a lively account…
…ve-Hate Relationship with the West By Sukehiro Hirakawa Global Oriental, Folkestone (2005)ISBN 1-901903-81-8 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Sukehiro Hirakawa is Professor Emeritus at Tokyo University and has specialised in intercultural relations. He has taught at universities in France, North America and China. He translated Dante's Divine Comedy into Japanese. Professor Hirakawa in a postscript (page 544) emphasises the importance "for Westerners to study not only the life and thought of the…
This assumption was wrong in the case of wartime Japan, as it may be wrong in the case of other countries today. That becomes clear when we read the letters, poems, and diary entries of fallen students and graduates of Tokyo University, carrying the elegiac name In the Faraway Mountains and Rivers.…
…nese Mission to Europe, 1582-1590: The Journey of Four Samurai Boys through Portugal, Spain Global Oriental, 2005, ISBN 1-901903-38-9, 262 pages (plus xix, black and white plates, notes, bibliography and index). Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Dr Michael Cooper, the former editor of Monumenta Nipponica, has contributed significantly to our knowledge of the Jesuit mission to Japan and its members in the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. He is a Japanese, Latin and Portuguese scholar. This…
Prices vary; obtainable through the internet at a discount. Members of the Society may be interested in the following publications from Osprey by Stephen Turnbull:Japanese Fortified Temples and Monasteries AD 710-1602, 2005Japanese Warrior Monks AD 949-1603, 2003Japanese Castles 1540-1640, 2003War in Japan 1467-1515, 2002Kawanakajima 1553-64, Samurai power…
…elecommunications: Market and Policy in Transition By Ruth Taplin, and Masako Wakui (Eds)Routledge, 2006ISBN: 0415368030Review by Sean Curtin Anyone who has visited Japan in recent years just cannot fail to notice how advanced Japanese mobile phone technology and services are in comparison to their European counterparts. Not surprisingly, Japan is becoming a global leader in some sectors of this fast-moving field. The amazing nationwide penetration of Japanese broadband to the remotest regions…
The Opening of Japan 1853-1855: A Study of the American, British, Dutch and Russian Naval Expedition
…ing of Japan 1853-1855: A Study of the American, British, Dutch and Russian Naval Expedition The Opening of Japan 1853-1855: A Comprehensive Study of the American, British, Dutch and Russian Naval Expeditions to Compel the Tokugawa Shogunate to Conclude Treaties and Open Ports to Their ShipsBy William McOmieGlobal Oriental, Folkestone, 2006ISBN 1-901903-76-1Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi The assertion that Commodore Perry of the US Navy and his 'Black Ships' opened Japan in the middle of the…
We should reexamine, as some of us have already done, the image of Japan in the Second World War. The conventional picture of a fascist and aggressive state is only partially correct. The other side of the coin is the idealistic streak that accompanied Japanese conquests, according to which Japan was…
…the Well: Portraits of Japan by Watanabe Kazan 1793-1841By Donald KeeneColumbia University Press, New York, 2006ISBN 0-231-13826-1Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Watanabe Kazan is nowhere near as well known in western countries as his contemporary Hokusai, whose works had such a huge influence on western art. But Watanabe Kazan, as Keene's new biography demonstrates, deserves to be studied not only as an artist who produced works of the highest quality but also as a samurai who was both a student…
To find out how successful the wartime propaganda was, one may look at what the people of that time confided to their diaries. Samuel Hideo Yamashita, in his moving book, collected eight wartime diaries, which he translated. To present a wide view, he chose diaries of men and women of different ages and occupations, and from different localities. The diarists are: a seventy-five-year-old proprietor of a billiard…
Also, in 2006 Murakami received the Franz Kafka Prize (Czech Republic) for his novel “Kafka on the Shore (Umibe no Kafka).” Two recipients of this latter prize before him won the Nobel Prize for Literature, so it seems that Murakami will be a possible nominee for the Nobel Prize in the near future. This review was produced in collaboration with Global Communications Platform and first published on the Platform: http://www.glocom.org/ Back to Reviews…
…ght War: Japanese Imperial Propaganda, by Barak Kushner, Barak Kushner's illuminating book examines Japan's wartime propaganda, as it was formed and manipulated by the government and other agencies working with it. He finds that despite the absence of a single, central organ of information and public guidance, as it existed in Germany, the wartime propaganda of Japan was very successful. Kushner rejects the image of the Japanese people blindly obeying their leaders. As he shows, pronouncements…
…iaries: Reflections of Japanese Student Soldiers By Emiko Ohnuki-Tierney University of Chicago Press (2006)ISBN 0-226-61950-8 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Many myths have grown up about the young Japanese men who were forced to carry out suicidal attacks on allied ships in the final stages of the Pacific War. They were for the most part not volunteers in the real sense of the word. They were ordered to 'volunteer' and knew that they were in any case destined to die. Many of them, as these…
S. Gilbert & A. Sullivan Performed by the Tokyo Theatre Company as part of the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival (2006) Review by Sean Curtin For the first time ever a Japanese theater company came to the UK to perform the Mikado in Japanese to an enthusiastic British audience. The lively and brilliantly colourful production was part of the 2006 International Gilbert & Sullivan…
… - special event and screening Directed by Lee Sang-II Premiere Japan at BAFTA (2007) Review by Susan Meehan For the third year running, the Embassy of Japan organised an excellent festival of new Japanese films at BAFTA over the weekend of 14-16 September 2007. Guided by the expert hands of Tony Rayns and Alexander Jacoby, the choice of films on offer was extremely good. Hula Girls (2006) had its UK premiere on Saturday 15 September and was preceded by a talk between acclaimed East Asian film…
…ikki, 1936-7 (London Diary 1936-7) By Oka Yoshitake, edited by Shinohara Hajime and Mitani Taiichiro (Japanese) Iwanami Shoten, Tokyo (1997)ISBN 4-00-022357-7 Review by Ian Nish Readers may like to receive a brief notice (rather belatedly, I fear) of an interesting and insightful work. It is the London Diary of the Japanese academic, Oka Yoshitake (1902-1990) who became after the war one of the most eminent professors of Japanese political history at the University of Tokyo. As an assistant at…
al. Japan Center for International Exchange (2003)ISBN: 4-88907-071-0 Review by Tomohiko Taniguchi This collection of essays is well timed. It appeared before the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit that took place in Tokyo in mid-December 2003, so that as Tadashi Yamamoto, the main editor notes, the book could contribute to the ASEAN-Japan leaders meeting. It also succeeded in pulling together 17…
These two books (the second being 'The Impact of the Russo-Japanese War', Edited by Rotem Kowner and available here) deal with armaments and the men who used them. There has been a flood of books dealing with the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5 published since the centenary. The distinctive feature of the book edited…
Review by Sir Hugh CortazziThis book will help anyone who wants to understand the contemporary art scene in Japan, who is sympathetic to contemporary art in Europe and who enjoys the sort of art collected by the Saatchi brothers. It is unlikely to appeal to the older generation who remain attracted by…
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…Domei-toiu Riarizumu (Emerging Realism of the Japan-US Alliance) Chikura Shobou, 2007, 274 pages including notes and index, ISBN: 978-4-8051-0884-0 C3031 Review by Takahiro Miyao Virtually no book has been written by a Japanese scholar to offer a coherent view on the history of the Japan-U.S. Alliance for the entire post-war period, although there have been some edited books including various views of multiple authors on this subject matter. One major reason for this seems to be the lack of an…
…onica: The First Dutch Expedition to Reach the Shores of Japan Floating World Editions, 2006, 268 pages including index, notes, sources and17 illustrations, 21 maps & charts, ISBN 1-891640-23-2Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi The long subtitle to this book reads: ‘How a seafaring raid on the coast of South America met with disaster and how, against all odds, one ship was eventually brought to the shores of Japan by the English pilot Will Adams, the hero of Shogun.’ William de Lange, through his…
Junichiro Koizumi was elected in April 2001 to the presidency of the Liberal Democratic Party (and thus, in Japan’s parliamentary system, prime minister) few politicians, opinion leaders, journalists, and private citizens imagined that he would lead the nation for five years and five months, among the longest tenures in the…
…t – Adventures in the Japanese Bath Kodansha Europe Ltd (Japan), 2006, 272 pages (Hardback), ISBN: 9784770030207 Review by William Farr Hidden beneath the dustcover of the English version of ‘Getting Wet’ by Eric Talmadge is the Japanese sign for Onsen, or Sento, and for anyone who has ever lived, travelled or worked in Japan for any length of time the Japanese hot spring or public bath is instantly recognisable. The hidden symbol nicely summarises the fact that to find the best experience of…
…in Japan: Family Gender, and the State, 1600-2000 Stanford University Press, 2004, 226 pages, ISBN 0-8047-4357-6 Review by Sean Curtin For most Japanese, divorce is generally seen as something that was historically rare, mainly initiated by men, and today’s relatively high rates are considered to be an aberration that goes against “traditional Japanese values.” In reality, a hundred years ago Japan had one of the highest divorce rates on the planet and marital break-up was commonplace. Many…
…a in the 21st Century, An interpretative guide Global Oriental, 2005, ISBN 1-901903-91-5 (Cloth), 1-901903-96-6 (Paperback), 253 pages (including index, references/bibliography and black and white illustrations). Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Dr Jim Hoare opened the British Embassy in Pyongyang, capital of North Korea, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, in 2001 and was the first British diplomat and Chargé d’Affaires resident in Pyongyang. He and his wife Susan Pares, who accompanied him…
…d the Illustrated London News: Complete record of Reported Events 1853-1899 Global Oriental, 2006, 411 pages including index, fully illustrated, £125, ISBN 1-901903-26-5, Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi The Illustrated London News was among the first journals to carry illustrations of contemporary events. The journal, which started in 1842 before the advent of photography, had to rely until 1887 on engravings printed from woodblocks. The first article in the Illustrated London News relating to…
99. Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This delightful book will amuse all art and animal lovers and would be a very acceptable present in the Christmas stockings of adults as well as children. Kyosai’s life spanned the end of the Edo period and the first decades of the Meiji era. He belonged to the Kano school of Japanese painting, but was also a master of…
…opular Prints – from votive slips to playing cards A & C Black (London), and University of Hawaii Press (Honolulu), 2006, 208 pages; full colour throughout (221 images), ISBN: 07136 65173, Price: £30. Review by Marie-Thérèse Barrett Rebecca Salter’s book is not just another study of Japanese prints. Extensive research on ukiyo-e has somewhat elevated their status beyond that of street art. This book, on the other hand, focuses on truly popular images – calendars and board games, votive slips…
ISBN 0-700-71496-0 Review by Ian Nish As the author of a book on Japan’s Struggle with Internationalism, I have already encountered the perplexing problems which the scholars who have contributed essays to this book have been researching. The editor has assembled a strong team of experts who analyse how different generations of opinion leaders tried as the twentieth century developed to solve what they perceived as a…
…ri, Media no Haiboku” (Victory for Koizumi, Defeat for the Media) Soshisha, November 2006, 286 pages, 1500 yenReview by Fumiko Halloran This is a rare book written by a journalist who criticizes the faults not only of himself but the press in general in its reporting on the Koizumi government. He is courageous in listing his original articles and examining them against what actually happened, adding background around specific topics he covered. He found that most of his reporting on Prime…
xvii + 411 pages. Review by Professor Ben Ami Shillony(First appeared in Monumenta Nipponica, summer 2003) This is a fascinating book. On the one hand it is a historical treatise, an attempt to understand how and why intelligent and idealist Japanese students, after being drafted in World War II, succumbed to the militaristic ideology and sacrificed themselves as…
The Japan Society - Mrs Ferguson’s Tea-Set, Japan and The Second World War 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a…
…dCAST: Hiroyoshi Ohno, Yoshiharu Masuda, Akiko Matsuki, Yosuke Miyazaki, Makoto Saito, Masadki Takahashi, AKiyo Yokokawa, Masako Koshino, Hiromi Kasuga, Nao Kusumi, Junichi Kajioka, Yui TeradaDIRECTOR: So-un KotakebayashiProducer (London) Jamil Jivanjee Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
It is crammed full of great illustrations as well as a host of fascinating information on the yoyo-like history of the British presence in Japan and their fluctuating image. The English East India Company first set up shop in the Land of the Rising Sun in 1613, but within a decade were forced to quit,…
Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Ruth Martin’s study, which is based on a doctoral thesis, analyses the challenges and opportunities which the wives of Japanese businessmen faced when they accompanied their husbands on their postings to Britain. These differed depending on where their husbands worked. Those posted to London often…
99pPreview by J. Sean Curtin This is an impressive first novel by Justin Kerr-Smiley which grippingly depicts the suffering and pain of conflict and the humanity that lies within us all. The two protagonists, the English pilot Edward Strickland and the Japanese officer Captain Tadashi Hayama, slowly bridge the immense cultural gulf which divides them and in the process discover the meaning of true friendship.…
Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi So much has been written about the Showa Emperor that some readers may ask whether there is anything more to be said about a man who would hardly have left much lasting impression if he had been born in any other walk of life. But Professor Ikuhiko Hata’s book provides some interesting insights into the emperor’s personality, as well as into aspects…
Professor Munakata’s British Museum Adventure by Yukinobu Hoshino translated by Nicole Coolidge Rous
The Japan Society - Professor Munakata’s British Museum Adventure by Yukinobu Hoshino translated by Nicole Coolidge Rous 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan…
The Japan Society - Whisper of the Heart, Directed by Yoshifumi Kondō 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member…
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Kittredge Cherry, who describes arriving in Narita in 1982, ‘a young American woman eager to conquer Japanese language and Japanese sexism, not necessarily in that order’, spent five years speaking to Japanese women, collating and interpreting Japanese words and arranging them in categories such as female identity,…
The Japan Society - A Doctor’s Sword 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
It’s possible that the translation was part of the appeal for me, as it could equally be for Taiwanese Mandarin-speakers now: unlike the only book published so far which renders the poems into Mandarin without benefit of the originals, Huang makes a point of serving up a course of Taiwan’s linguistic history as it was spoken. This is all the more remarkable, as Huang is not a Japanese-speaker, but used collaborators. So, will the poems measure up to the ears and eyes…
Yamada deftly navigates the difficult themes of disability, bullying and suicide, fleshing out the back stories of her protagonists so as to make the film’s most troubling scenes all the more powerful. At the start of the film, we see Shoya’s relentless mocking of the well-meaning and defenceless Shoko, providing some of its most affecting moments. Later, Shoya, now…
…den: Loss, friendship and architecture By Shibasaki TomokaTranslated by Polly Barton Pushkin Press, 2017ISBN: 978-1782272700 Review by Eluned Gramich Spring Garden is the second novel by Osaka-born Shibasaki Tomoka, having had her debut, A Day on the Planet, adapted into a successful film in Japan. This new book has also garnered the young author great acclaim, earning her the national Akutagawa Prize in 2014. Beautifully and subtly translated by Polly Barton, Spring Garden centres on…
…cker – Scholar of Japanese Religion, Myth and Folklore: Writings and Reflections Edited by Sir Hugh Cortazzi with James McMullen and Mary-Grace BrowningRenaissance Books, 2017ISBN: 978-1-898823-56-8 Review by Jim E Hoare I only met Dr Carmen Blacker (1924-2009) once, towards the end of her life, when she was already very ill. Although our only previous contact had been a somewhat scratchy exchange of letters over a possible contribution to a volume of Biographical Portraits that I edited, I…
…ght Too Brief) is a surreal, complex journey through the dreams and subconscious thoughts of a young woman who follows a mysterious and ethereal being through interwoven dream worlds where animals talk and objects and people have no defined mass or state. The delicate textured prose transfers the reader from dream to dream with seemingly no relevance or connection between them other than the driving force of the protagonist’s lust and desire. The second story (Missing) explores the complex…
…ort Women: Historical, Political, Legal and Moral Perspectives By Kumagai NaokoTranslated by David NobleLTCB International Library Trust/International House of Japan, 2016ISBN: 978-4 924971-42-4 This book is an English translation of Ianfu mondai, originally published by Chikuma Shobo (2014) Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi The ‘Comfort Women’ remain a contentious issue especially between Japan and South Korea. This book, which looks soberly at the various perspectives of the problem, is a valuable…
Their worrying conclusion is that ‘The new Japan that is emerging…will be more controlled, less democratic, less oriented towards peace, more internationally assertive, more inclined to confront neighboring countries, more unequal, more stressed, more concerned to flaunt national traditions reflecting the ethos of a…
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‘Colour and fold your way to inner peace’ Speaking as an admirer of all things Japanese, I found Mari’s beautiful book a joy for the senses. It is visually exquisite and in opening it to the first pages, you know that you are in for a treat. She discusses the history behind origami and, uniquely, spells out why origami is therapeutic. It releases stress, it relaxes. It requires focus, and Mari goes so far as to suggest it can even have an anti-ageing effect! What origami certainly does is…
…nese Red Cross at Netley, 1915-1916 By Gordon DanielsHampshire Field Club & Archaeological Society, 2016Published in association with the Japan SocietyISBN-13: 978-0-907473-16-9 Review by Gill Goddard In this piece of detailed research, Dr Daniels has brought into focus the role of the Japanese Red Cross Relief Mission to Britain during the 1914-1918 war. For most of 1915, a team of highly qualified nurses and doctors brought their expertise in caring for battlefield casualties to the newly…
It tells the story of teenagers Mitsuha and Taki, who have the humdrum of their daily lives disrupted when they mysteriously start swapping bodies. First we see Tokyoite Taki go through the disorientating experience of living a day in the body of a stranger – waking up astonished to find that he has breasts (a recurring joke in the film) before shambling…
What immediately sets this group apart is the heavy influence of kawaii J-Pop in their otherwise avowedly indie London aesthetic. This comes across most clearly in lead singer Sarah Midori Perry’s half-spoken, feel-good lyrics, which slip between Japanese and English. On first listening it would be easy to assume…
…glo-Japanese Cultural Pioneers, 1945 to 2015 Edited by Suzanne Perrin and Jeremy HoareFast-Print Publishing of Peterborough, 2016ISBN-13: 9781784562663 Review by Susan Meehan This handy book comprises dialogues with ten distinguished personalities in the UK-Japan world who have made considerable contributions to the understanding of Japan in the UK. Each one is a fascinating individual with an incredible backstory. The names are all familiar; I have enjoyed, mesmerised, Hirota Joji’s drumming…
It is well-organised, well-written and, above all, not boring. I could not ask any more of a literary handbook, and can therefore see myself forming a firm friendship with this one as I persevere with my studies of Japanese literature. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
But the good news is that Yamauchi’s play also hits the big screen at Frankfurt’s Nippon Connection on the 27 and 28 of May, when Yamauchi will be present. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
The Japan Society - The Shogun’s Queen 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover…
The Japan Society - Consul in Japan, 1903-1941. Oswald White’s Memoir ‘All Ambition Spent’ 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External…
Using a pioneering story-line, it has also done something many contemporary filmmakers overlook, particularly Japanese ones – it flatters its audience. It’s a matter of principle for me not to give the plot away unless absolutely necessary. That scruple is a bit pointless for the London Film Festival, where every film is described in the…
A Zen Buddhist master supervises kendo practice for high-schoolers in his dojo. There resides, or should reside, the place of stillness of Zen. But this film might well have been called ‘rage’ or ‘anger’, if that title hadn’t been used recently elsewhere in Japanese film. The film starts with a mêlée of jump-cuts depicting a very angry man in his thirties who is seen to be…
…yond The Great Wave Edited by Timothy ClarkThames and Hudson and The British Museum, 2017ISBN-13: 978-0500094068 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi It is very rare for a book on a single artist to make the bestseller list as this did. Indeed it was the top bestseller in one list that I saw and the book had to be reprinted. Anyone who managed to visit the Hokusai exhibition at the British Museum this summer must have been impressed by Hokusai’s genius as a painter and print artist. They will find in…
…aiko Performed by Joji Hirota & The London Taiko Drummers ARC Music Release 28 April 2017 Review by Laurence Green ‘As in many other cultures, Japanese drums were used to communicate the people’s pleas to the gods, or in reverse, help people understand the will of the gods, and were considered invaluable instruments in everyday life.‘ Joji Hirota’s words set the scene for a world caught between two divides – people and gods, the sacred and the everyday, old and new. It is a world defined by…
…tford and the Birth of Japan as a Modern State: Letters Home By Robert MortonRenaissance Books (2017)ISBN-13: 978-1898823476 Review by Sir David Warren Algernon Bertram (“Bertie”) Mitford was one of the earliest British diplomats in Japan: he served in the Legation there from 1866 to 1870. He was born into an aristocratic family of letters. His great-grandfather William wrote a five-volume History of Greece, and one of his mother, Lady Georgina Ashburnham’s, ancestors had attended on Charles I…
…rner of the World – adapted from Kono Fumiyo’s manga – follows the life of Suzu, a hopelessly dreamy young woman more focused on her sketchbook than the spectre of war that looms over her home city – Hiroshima. The start of the film follows Suzu from childhood through to her marriage to port clerk Shushaku, an event which forces her to leave her tight-knit family and relocate to the neighbouring city of Kure. Katabuchi presents the film in a dream-like, painterly haze, forcing the audience to…
We simply close with a few more fishing tips. But between each scene are punctuation shots. Some depict local scenery but many depict an equally patient toad, who finally catches his meal. The film to me seemed eminently a calling-card for Yamagata, the biennial documentary film festival that arose out of the…
Concern about the preservation of the Ainu and Ainu culture is nothing new. In 1910, The Daily News reported, “The politest people of earth came to London yesterday. They were a party of Ainu, relics of a dying race, which is said to have once occupied the same position with regard to the Japanese as did the Saxons to Britain…”.…
Book one of the author’s new ‘Hidden Trilogy’, the story pursues Catholic Father Joaquim Martinez and his two junior clergy who have defied the shogun’s banishment laws and remained in Japan at great risk to help their oppressed Christian converts and the community to which they belong. What ensues is a remarkable yet brutal story of good vs evil, tracing the persecution of Catholic communities from the provincial towns of Kyushu to the trading ports of Osaka and Nagasaki and…
I should confess I had approached it with a hard nose and tender ears. Some fifty hours in, listening to Japanese film, the overdose on pulseless tinkly piano gets to me. A morning view in the media room looked good enough for a travel diary from Naha to Cape Sōya on a bicycle. The publicity photo seemed to promise a predictably gambatte story arc. And with the filmmaker declaring herself medically deaf, I could soon put down those…
The setting of the thrift shop is a treasure trove of sub-plots for Kawakami and the histories of the pre-loved objects that populate its shelves are cleverly entwined with the central narrative. Indeed, the significance of possessions and the transient nature of our sentimental attachment to them are themes that run…
After reading and re-reading these stories, I can only hope that Keshiki will continue its journey into new and unexplored territories. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
The three subjects which form the mainstay of this analysis are concerns worldwide, but Hansen uses Japanese visual and narrative culture as a window into their thematisation in the specific context of contemporary Japan. Through careful evaluation of media including anime, manga, television drama and…
It’s a vast space, with nothing to close it off. No walls, no ceiling. I don’t need to think, don’t need to say anything […] everything is simply beautiful, peaceful, flowing. I can just be‘ (p. 227). Despite all other hurdles that the characters overcome in the world, despite everything else they accomplish, it is this just being that always eludes their grasp. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and…
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…Modern Japanese: The Life of Ishikawa Takuboku By Donald KeeneColumbia University Press, 2016ISBN-13 9780231179720 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Donald Keene, Professor emeritus of Japanese literature at Columbia University and doyen of Japan studies in English, continues despite advancing years to produce well-researched, well-written, informative and interesting studies of Japanese personalities and historical themes. Takuboku Ishikawa (1886-1912), the subject of this study, is little known…
He visited a dwelling near the fertility clinic housing surrogate mothers, all of whom seemed quite happy. One of the pregnant women told him that she was carrying a Japanese baby. At that point it dawned on Suzuki that a regulated form of surrogacy is probably better than a black market system. He is still unsure, however, about the merits and…
(1) James Buckler grew up in the South West of England and currently lives in London. He spent some time as an English teacher in Japan. He studied film at the University of Westminster and worked in film and TV for many years, most notably as a post-production specialist for MTV and BBC Films. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan…
Taggart MurphyOxford University Press, New York, 2014, 472 pages,ISBN 978-0-19-984598-9 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi The publisher summarises this book as ‘A penetrating overview of Japan, from a historical, social, political, economic, and cultural perspective.’ This is a book by an American author directed primarily at American readers. It makes many good points and Japan specialists will want to read and carefully consider some of his analysis of modern Japan.…
Suzuki is currently on a six-month grant from the Japanese government to study British theatre, and following the performance he took part in an audience Q&A. What to do when the dolphin you are ‘keeping’ in a fish tank at home ‘evolves’ – animatedly introducing himself as meat-eating Putin, born in Okinawa to parents from the Sea of Okhotsk? Not only that, Putin is metrosexual as well, and keen to help with the cooking. A…
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In just six days after its release, over a million Japanese people bought the Japanese original. Not knowing this before reading it, I came to the novel with just two thoughts about it. The first, ‘It’s huge’ remains true. The second, ‘This will take a while’ was, happily, wrong. It is a testament to Yokoyama’s storytelling that (accounts of Shoko’s kidnapping aside) a book which uses over 600 pages to recount seven days’ events…
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Both the Lolita and Yankee styles were massive in Japan in the early nineties and both can still be seen around certain areas of big cities. However, in these cities now their popularity has somewhat diminished; replaced by Hip-Hop, black culture-influenced fashions. These days it is in the Japanese countryside and small towns that Lolitas and Yankees can most easily be found. The film presents both of these youth tribes – whose adherents consider their clothes…
It is the human predicament, again, that proves to be at the heart of this novel. How do we define the spirit of an age and do we, simply by virtue of living in that age, belong to it? How do we come to understand and process traumas in our past? These questions resonate in the latter half of the book, and the answer to the second…
…evils, Devils to Men: Japanese war crimes and Chinese justiceBy Barak KushnerHarvard University Press, 2015403 pages including index and notesISBN 978-0-674-742891-2 Review by Richard Coxford The latest tour de force by senior Cambridge lecturer Dr Barak Kushner covers the ambiguous post-war period in East Asia where congealing Cold War divisions and power vacuums created by the absence of peace in China criss-crossed and tempered Sino-Japanese relations and the fate of Japanese war criminals.…
…k Lane Japan Film Festival: Kamikaze Girls Directed by Tetsuya NakashimaBrick Lane Film Festival Review by Annabelle Sami This film festival of independent Japanese cinema, run from a small gallery space on Brick Lane, is a great example of how a group of friends can get together and produce a vibrant, successful cultural event. The initial buzz was generated solely through Facebook, the event’s page garnering over 12,000 potential attendees. Tickets for the three day event sold out within…
…f Tokyo: A City in Short Fiction Edited by Michael Emmerich, Jim Hinks and Masashi MatsuieComma Press (26 April 2014)224 pagesISBN-10: 1905583575 Review by Annabelle Sami I had high hopes for The Book of Tokyo. I expected from the title something of a literary tour through the city, or at the very least, interesting and idiosyncratic snapshots of Tokyo city life, atmospheric vignettes. However, the stories within the collection fail to convey a sense of place, which is after all the pulling…
2015, 336 pagesISBN-10: 1846558352 Review by Chris Corker These two novellas, available for the first time in English outside of Japan*, were Haruki Murakami’s first works. They form the first two parts of the informally named Trilogy of The Rat, which concludes with the critically-acclaimed Wild Sheep Chase. Murakami affectionately refers to Wind (full title Hear the Wind Sing) and Pinball – both a little more experimental and…
…ites and Rituals: my life in Japan in two-step and waltz-time By Dorothy BrittonRenaissance Books 2015, 256 pagesISBN 978-1-898823-12-4 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi What a wonderful title! And what an interesting story Dorothy has to tell! Dorothy Britton was born in Japan on Valentine’s Day in 1922. Her father was a British engineer whose life she has described in her portrait of him in Britain and Japan: Biographical Portraits, Volume VI, [edited by Sir Hugh Cortazzi, Reviewed in Issue 10 –…
The Japan Society - 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover our New Events…
by James D. Babb Edited by James D. BabbSAGE Publications LTD, 2015ISBN 978-1-84860-663-0 Review by Richard Coxford The SAGE Handbook of Modern Japanese Studies does exactly what its title and tastefully illustrated cover would suggest, providing in almost unassuming fashion an immense examination of the history, trends and possible future of innumerable aspects to the study of Japan. It would be long-winded folly to go through the career of every one of the…
…ing Power of Japan, 1967-1972: analysis and assessments from John Pilcher and the British Embassy, TokyoCompiled and edited by Sir Hugh CortazziRenaissance Books in association with the Japan Society 2014, 433 pagesISBN 978-1-898823-06-3 Review by Sir David Warren Sir John Pilcher (1912-1990) was British Ambassador in Tokyo from 1967 to 1972. These were important years for Japan. The “iron triangle” of Liberal Democratic Party politicians, Japanese business and the bureaucracy, ruled supreme.…
…view with actor Junichi Kajioka Interview by Mike Sullivan Junichi Kajioka is a prolific actor based in London who has been in numerous movies over the last twenty years, and incredibly he graduated from Tokyo Sushi Academy, which means he is a qualified sushi chef. He has had many appearances in TV dramas in China and has had a number of supporting roles in productions across the world including 47 Ronin. His recent passion has been his own film project, IMPHAL 1944, a movie about a war…
The Japan Society - London Bubble Theatre Company’s After Hiroshima: A Post-Event Reflection 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External…
This nostalgic and evocative world is brought to life by Kerr’s expressive writing, which issues a clear and heart-felt call for the preservation of the fading jewels of Japanese culture. His stories evoke a vivid sense of a disappearing past which is likely to capture the imagination of any reader and inspire a desire to (re)visit and read further into this…
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Although Furukawa himself recognises his inability to provide any sense of closure for the victims of 3.11 (he admits in the last line that ‘at this point my essay ends, and begins’), his prose should not be viewed as anything less than a masterpiece. In fact, it would not be hyperbolic to say that, in these 140 pages, Furukawa is able to convey comprehensibly the immediate emotional…
This new volume is bursting with energy, containing sixty-nine fascinating articles encompassing a breathtaking spectrum of subject matter. It also represents the largest volume in the series to date. The key standard bearers, Sir Hugh Cortazzi, Ian Nish, Jim Hoare, Gordon Daniels and Paul Norbury, who have each devoted over twenty-five…
…lery in the Life of Japan: A Historical Overview By Higuchi KazunoriTranslated by Waku MillerLTCB International Library Trust/International House of Japan, 2015ISBN-13: 978-4-924971-40-0 Review by Hugh Cortazzi ‘Before the modern era, people in Japan and in other nations tolerated and even welcomed foolery in their heroes. Modernization, at least in Japan, ushered in a preoccupation in schools and in the workplace with seriousness and diligence. Japanese society lost its tolerance for…
The Japan Society - Japan’s Asian Diplomacy: A Legacy of Two Millennia 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a…
The overriding motif of the ‘variety show’ style evening was that our two nations draw strength from each other and that there is no better exemplar of this than in the performance of Shakespeare. As two shamisen players opened proceedings, a hush descended over the tightly packed and expectant audience in the atmospherically…
The story begins with a hardworking and dedicated government official receiving the news of his wife’s untimely death while he is away on a business trip in Kobe. This is followed by the proceeding twists and turns of the grieving husband’s own investigation and pursuit of the truth. Spurred on largely by the protagonist’s paranoid and obsessive nature,…
It won Wataya Risa the biannual Akutagawa Prize in 2003, making her the youngest ever recipient of Japan’s most prestigious literary award. Skilfully translated by Julianne Neville, this is the first time Wataya has been made available to an English-speaking readership, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. That the author was so young when she wrote this novel comes as no surprise. The story follows a young girl,…
And Tawara Machi’s poems are short but lively and personal. I do not think they need a lot of space around them. They feel more like an album of small photos telling a story, so engaging and contemporary that it becomes part of the reader’s own album, his or her own story. The first sequence ‘August Morning’ charts the arc of a relationship, centred on Kujukuri Beach, from Is there anything more?More to…
…: Life After Nuclear War By Susan SouthardSouvenir Press 2015, 416 pagesISBN: 978-0670025626 Review by Elizabeth Ingrams At a recent event I attended at the Daiwa Foundation, someone asked how it was that widespread ignorance about the dangers of nuclear warfare had managed to arise. Many of the answers are to be found in Susan Southard’s magnificent, some might say, epic, work based on the official and unofficial history of the second atomic-bombed city, Nagasaki. Here on 9 August 1945,…
Bhowmik and Steve Rabson (eds.)University of Hawaii Press (2016)ISBN-10: 0824839803 Review by Charlotte Goff The image of Okinawa presented in the Japanese media is overwhelmingly that of sun-soaked islands where things move at a leisurely pace and action takes place under the shade of the kuwadiisaa or the yuuna tree: a land of traditional festivals, of drinking Orion beer and awamori and of dancing to the notes of the three-stringed…
…cadence: 15 Stories By Murakami RyūTranslated by Ralph McCarthyKurodahan Press (2016)ISBN-10: 4902075784 Review by Chris Corker There was a time when writing about sex was a taboo, authors treading the line with innuendo-laden prose about as adept at concealment as Adam and Eve’s fig leaves. Nowadays, everyone’s aunty has read Fifty Shades of Grey and, to their younger relations’ horror, finds it a bit dull. The boundaries have been well and truly pushed, for better or worse, and what we are…
The Japanese section starts from the right and meets its English counterpart in the middle coming the other way. There is no mention of a translator, so I assume that Facey is a bilingual poet. That is fascinating in itself and I would love to know which language the poems started in; whether this was different for each poem or the same for all; even if some of the poems drifted between languages like the far…
(2015) Volume I: White Man, White Law and White Gun (1842-1900)ISBN-13: 978-988-82730-8-9Volume II: Destruction, Disorder and Defiance (1900-1927)ISBN-13: 978-988-82730-9-6Volume III: Revolution, Resistance and Resurrection (1927-943)ISBN-13: 978-988-82731-9-5 Review by Chris Roberts Douglas Clark is a practising lawyer in Hong Kong who has lived and worked there and in China, Japan and Korea for over…
…tivity in Japanese Arts: From Kishida Ryūsei to Miyazaki Hayao (2016), Michael Lucken attempts to both discern the past in contemporary Japanese art, while also focusing on its innovative characteristics, unpicking and complicating the idea of Japan as a nation of imitators. The book is a survey of Japanese ‘creative imitation’ and the author emphasises throughout the elasticity of mimetism that makes Japanese art so hard to pin down. It explores Kishida Ryūsei’s Portraits of Reiko (1917-1929),…
It is far from harrowing, however, unlike the distressing Nobody Knows (2004) and Like Father Like Son (2013). The tone is altogether lighter, more open, optimistic and with humour. The subject matter, family life, may not be to everyone’s taste, however. That the four main protagonists are women with strong, weighty roles give it a great touch, and…
…ds at IDFB 2016 By Ito ShunBirmingham Municipal Bank2 to 20 May 2016 Review by Dominika Mackiewicz When several years ago two friends, Japanese kinetic sculptor Ito Shun and Birmingham based choreographer Miyata Kei, met in the UK’s second city, they came up with an idea for an interdisciplinary project, combining art installation and dance performance. Inspired by the rich industrial heritage of the Black Country, Ito and Miyata travelled across the area and absorbed the atmosphere of…
Rogers reveals a far more detailed and complex picture of Adams as a man and of the turbulent times he lived in. As well as the crucial interface between Adams and the Japanese, the book provides many insights into both cooperation and competition, and even conflict between the British, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch. This book is for the general public in Britain and Japan, as well as for experts. It is highly readable and can be strongly recommended.…
…rims Meet: In search of Reconciliation between China and Japan is a fascinating book, and I would heartily recommend it to anyone, but especially to those interested in reflecting on the complex facets of reconciliation between countries with a history of enmity in the past. The two authors Minoru Kasai and Basil Scott who became friends out of rather unusual circumstances, share their personal stories and reflections on this very important topic and readers are invited to join in their…
Some of the stories do stand head and shoulders above the rest – I found ‘Lab Coats’ the weakest of the bunch – and the breathless nature of the narrative sometimes betrays the otherwise carefully established atmosphere. Having said that, I also have to admit that these stories are at times masterpieces of the sinister undertone. In all, this is a work that benefits from its sparseness and implies a world and narrative much wider than the one on the page. Back to Reviews…
It has mild violence and gore. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
This book is also an attempt to illustrate the background and character of the ill-fated protagonist Charles Lenox Richardson through, amongst other things, the inclusion of his family correspondence whilst in China and Japan, made available for public consumption for the first time. The book is broken down into two parts. Part One consists of four…
The Japan Society - Japan’s WWII Legacy: Interviews with Japanese Veterans 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a…
Carpenter and Melissa McCormick with Monika Bincsik and Kyoko KinoshitaPreface by Sano MidoriMetropolitan Museum of Art, 2019Distributed by Yale University PressISBN-13: 978-1588396655 Review by Timon Screech SOAS, University of London It is customary to refer to the Tale of Genji as the world’s first psychological novel. The case can be argued, for over the course of its 54 chapters, the reader follows the lives, states of mind and emotional…
The storyline is a distilled interpretation of the novel, and those desiring a translation of the plot’s intricacies into movement may be disappointed. But as an exploration of two humans, and their fleeting coming together, it more-than delivers. The two main dancers – who would be the only dancers, if it were not for the mysterious rat-figure – are danced by Teshigawa and Sato Rihoko. The two have worked and danced together…
Memoirs of a Life in Far South JapanBy Andrew ThomsonRyan Publishing, 2018ISBN-13: 978-1876498764 Review by Trevor Skingle Whilst Kyushu isn’t exactly ‘neglected’ in terms of the overall coverage of Japan, it may be that for the casual visitor with only a general knowledge of the country it is more widely known for being the place where Europeans first set foot in Japan and the location of the city of Nagasaki with all of its none too happy associations in both the…
At just 39, Kawamura already worked with several renowned filmmakers such as Hosoda Mamoru (The Boy and the Beast, 2016) or Shinkai Makoto (Your Name, 2016) as a producer and published novels such as If Cats Disappeared From The World, which is greatly acclaimed in Japan and newly available in the UK. Yet, in between photo shoots, interviews, a book festival and a meeting…
30pm, Playhouse Square, Box Office: 01279-431945 Pay what you can. www.harlowplayhouse.co.uk Stratford Circus, Friday 8, 7pm & Saturday 9, 2pm & 7pm February, Theatre Square, London E15 1BX Box office: 020 8279 1080 £15, £13 conc. www.stratford-circus.com Theatr Clwyd, Friday 15 February, 7.45pm, Sat 16 February, 2.45 & 7.45pm, Raikes Lane, Mold, CH7 1YA, Box Office: 01352 701521 From £10 www.theatrclwyd.com The Curve,…
…s of Old Tokyo: Travels in Japanese Time By Anna ShermanPicador (2019)ISBN-13: 978-1529000450 Review by Trevor Skingle Though the undercurrent of antiquity is never really far away, to the casual visitor Tokyo is probably perceived as one of the most modern cities on the planet. To those who can take, and have taken, time to investigate the city either as a resident or frequent visitor it has so much more to offer than just its modern façade. This book by Anna Sherman, her debut travelogue, is…
In the afterword, we learn that the relationship between youth and philosopher mirrors that between the authors themselves. Just as the youth visits the philosopher hoping to make sense of life, Koga visited Kishimi hoping to learn more about Adler. The book is a product of this relationship, and of Koga’s forwardness in volunteering to be the Plato to Kishimi’s Socrates. The conversations between philosopher…
70 years on, Gibeau’s translation shows that this captivating novel is still as relevant and powerful as it was on the day of its initial release. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
Daily outburst of simple happiness such as a day at the beach, the meals eaten at the family’s diner table, the bath shared together make us root for the Shibata’s and make us hopeful that it will show them the way to redemption. But it is not the case. Kore-eda shows the Shibata’s as both endearing and deceitful, something that prevent his film from falling in unnecessary pathos and…
It is evident that much effort went into the book. Candidate towns were recommended by each of Japan’s 47 prefectures and also by a selection committee. Over 150 towns were visited and researched by a team of foreign researchers mainly resident in Japan. The fruits of the research were appraised by the mostly Japanese selection committee and the 100 towns chosen. The towns are not overly obscure…
…reign Secretaries and Japan 1850-1990: Aspects of the Evolution of British Foreign PolicyEdited by Antony Best and Hugh CortazziRenaissance Books, 2018ISBN-13: 978-1898823735 Review by Peter Kornicki International travel, G8 and G7 summits, video conference calls and the internet have brought immediacy and personal chemistry into play in foreign relations in recent years, and it is very easy to take them for granted. In the middle of the nineteenth century, however, communication was by…
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Already widely popular in its native Japan, the story has been adapted into a successful anime and manga series as well as a multi-series publication. Largely unknown in the international market, this new offering from Pushkin Press brings a highly original, fantastical newcomer into the global fantasy space, which will likely satisfy the most ardent fans of the genre.…
…d charming debut – the sort of book you can happily finish on a sunny afternoon in the garden, wondering if there’s a robot hiding behind the garden shed… Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
It is an empowering and liberating concept. The dancers, headless, and mostly with their backs to the audience throughout, were stripped of identity, age, ethnicity and gender. As Jalet said in the Q+A, the dancers created an infinite number of possibilities of transformation and geometry. Some were magical and beautiful, some funny and some grotesque. After such an intense and agile performance, it is nigh on impossible…
Even more frustratingly, the protagonist evolves very little throughout the plot, and finishes the text in almost precisely the same place in which he started. Indeed, by the novel’s end the protagonist writes of his return to the suburbian abyss ‘That’s the kind of life I wanted, and that’s also what people wanted of me’. Overall, Murakami fans will probably feel frustrated with this…
There is an obvious personal plea behind why Minamimura has chosen this topic. Her frequent reminders that ‘people like me’ suffered in a specific way, a way that has been overlooked for decades. Her constant ties between these past sufferers and her present, moving body remind us that these historical actors are not merely ghosts. They once were embodied…
LaveryPrinceton University Press (2019)ISBN-13: 978-0691183626 Review by Laurence Green In any discussion of Japan, the words Quaint, Exquisite seem bound to appear at least once or twice, even now, over a hundred years since Japan first opened its doors to the world. What is it about the particular aesthetic qualities of the nation that ensure these attributes still hold such sway over our idea of what Japan is like, what it…
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…9 September 1891 The Japan Society is founded during the International Congress of Orientalists when Arthur Diosy explains a scheme ‘for the establishment in London of a society for the encouragement of Japanese studies and for the purpose of bringing together all those in the United Kingdom, and throughout the world, interested in Japanese matters.’ Its objectives are stated as the ‘encouragement of the study of the Japanese Language, Literature, History and Folk-Lore, of Japanese Art, Science…
While this tastefully presented and lovingly cloth-bound volume will no doubt make a fine gift for fans of Ozu, the writing is as likely to infuriate as it does entertain. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more…
It brings music traditions from other parts of the world – as the producer, Verity Lane, brings musical inspirations she encountered after ten years living in Japan to London. But by combining them with other art forms the audience is softly, gently, tugged into other, somewhat stuffier artforms. The show is split into two separate but cleverly connected performances. The first, Origami Soundscapes: Flower, Bird, Wind & Moon is a large-scale origami performance, surrounded by…
…Royal and Japanese Imperial Relations, 1868-2018 Edited by Peter Kornicki, Antony Best and Sir Hugh CortazziRenaissance Books and the Japan Society (2019)ISBN 978-1-898823-86-5 To receive your free copy (Japan Society members only) or to buy this book please visit our bookshop here Review by Ian Nish Sir Hugh Cortazzi stated that he wanted the papers for the final 10th volume in his long series entitled Britain and Japan Biographical Portraits to be delivered in time for his 90th birthday. This…
…s of Interest: Art and War in Modern Japan By Philip Hu, Rhiannon Paget, Sebastian Dobson, Maki Kaneko, Sonja Hotwagner and Andreas MarksUniversity of Washington Press (2016)ISBN-13: 978-0295999814 Review by Laurence Green Released to accompany the Saint Louis Art Museum’s collection of over 1,400 objects relating to the Japanese military (largely focusing on colour prints), there lies a neat play of words at work in this lushly illustrated exhibition catalogue. Is it the literal conflict of…
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The Japan Society - ‘Cherry’ Ingram: The Englishman Who Saved Japan’s Blossoms 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become…
…ition Manga マンガ The British Museum(23 May-26 August 2019) Review by Malene Wagner As I set off to explore British Museum’s Citi exhibition Manga マンガ , I am puzzled by my first encounter: the very British 19th-century heroine, Alice. Is she there to reassure me that all is not totally unknown and mad in this other kind of Wonderland that is manga? Luckily, I quickly find myself in the company of some very Japanese heroes such as Astro Boy, Monkey D. Luffy (leader of the Straw Hat Pirates) and…
As an example, much of the chapter titled ‘Wandering Soul’ is given over to the characters’ unfocused ruminations on film makers Daniel Schmid and Jean-Luc Godard and novelist Vladimir Nabokov. Translator Aoyama and McCarthy have conquered the formidable challenge of communicating Kanai’s famously skittish tone and love of the double entendre and happily, once one…
…ied Voices: How the Telephone, Phonograph, and Radio Shaped Modern Japan, 1868-1945 By Yasar KerimColumbia University Press (2018)ISBN-13: 978-0231187121 Review by Francesco Cioffo Kerim Yasar, currently assistant professor of East Asian languages and cultures at the University of Southern California, is a scholar of eclectic intellect. He began his studies as an ethnomusicologist and electronic/experimental music, but soon transitioned into literature and film studies in graduate school. This…
This results in passages of the novel that are, quite literally, delicious. Shortly after joining the Hirai family, Taki wishes to explain ‘why the end of the year used to be such a busy time.’ She goes on to list the many discrete ingredients and timings required for a successful osechiryōri, the elaborate New Year’s dish meticulously prepared days in advance of January 1. Later, after the war begins and certain…
…se Short Stories, Murakami’s long-standing translator Jay Rubin, was allowed free rein in his selection, which was only limited by the availability of copyright, and this diverse and fascinating collection of 34 stories is free from any compulsory marketable ‘quirkiness’. Unusually, the collection is ordered by theme – e.g., ‘Japan and the West’, ‘Men and Women’, ‘Dread’ – rather than chronologically, leading to some startling and stimulating juxtapositions: Akutagawa’s classic story, the…
With the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games the timing could not be better for such a powerful book to be released in order to prevent history from repeating itself. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
All images are full-size, and there has been no cropping or other digital manipulation, which adds to the thoughtful aesthetic of the book, which is truly beautiful, with each glossy page detailing fascinating intellectual material alongside exquisite artworks. Despite it’s relatively high price, the book will leave you with a warm…
The need for such a book can be found the three main areas that the book contributes to – star studies, authorship studies and of course, the much wider field of Japanese Film Studies. Working in the film industry from 1929 to the mid-1970s, Tanaka made films with all the great directors of the era including Ozu Yasujiro, Mizoguchi…
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Thus, the film fits perfectly the theme of (Un)true Colours, as this depiction of the Japanese society is scarcely shown on the big screen. With his innovative message, Matsui reveals himself as a promising young director who understands the struggle of his and subsequent generations. He conveys a message of hope…
…t Wave Directed by Indhu Rubasingham and written by Francis TurnlyA co-production with the Tricycle TheatrePlaying at the Dorfman Theatre (National Theatre) Until 14 April 2018 Review by Poppy Cosyns What at first appears to be a conventional family drama, soon develops into something of global significance in Japanese-Northern Irish playwright Francis Turnly’s latest work for the stage. The play begins with a jump-inducing thunder clap, before we find teenage sisters Reiko (Kae Alexander) and…
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Prior to its release in Japan in March 2018, this film has already won the audience awards at both the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival and Tokyo FilmEx, following its award of the ‘Best Asian documentary’ at BIFF in Busan. Sennan is an industrial area of Osaka, on the southern fringe of the city where Japan’s asbestos industries were concentrated. To anyone above a certain age in the West, ‘asbestos’ is just a historic material, sometimes discovered when…
…s hyper-realistic inspiration of murder mysteries and manga and applied them fully, all the while still dealing with topics in a derisory and exaggerate way which turn the film into an entertaining oddity that will surely leave you with between laughs and chills. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
It is a reminder of the basic importance of understanding one’s self in a world where we are constantly bombarded with virtual versions of others. Left with no one to compare himself to, Takeo Tanaka does not fade into insignificance, but rather his self becomes the only significant thing in his life. The direction of his thoughts, his relationship with nature, his search for sustenance, are all that consume him. While Takeo does learn never…
…Writers in Kyoto Anthology 2017 Edited by John Dougill, Amy Chavez and Mark RichardsonWriters in Kyoto, 2017ISBN-13: 978-1387479115 Review by Harry Martin Founded in the 8th century, Kyoto is the dignified and enigmatic Grande Dame of Japan, stoically fostering and preserving Japan’s cultural heritage over the centuries while her more effusive cousins such as Tokyo and Osaka storm ahead in their enthusiastic embrace of internationalisation and modern innovation. Echoes, the ‘Writers in…
242). At the end of the book are several useful reference sections: on plants found in Japanese gardens, giving the Japanese name in romaji and kanji as well as the western botanical name, a helpful short description of the periods in Japanese history, a comprehensive glossary, bibliography and index. This is an impressive, informative and very readable book, written with considerable passion from an artistic perspective, providing insights and imagery not usually found in books on…
The Japan Society - The Dismantling of Japan’s Empire in East Asia 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member…
The Politics of War Commemoration in East Asia By Saito HiroHonolulu: University of Hawai’i / Hawai’i Press, 2017ISBN-13: 978-0824874391 Review by Andrew Levidis University of Central Lancashire Remembrance of war is seared into the landscape of East Asia. Hiroshima, Nanjing, Tokyo fire-bombings, and the breaching of the Yellow River, these names call forth the battlefields and ruins of Japan’s multiethnic empire, and conjure up shadows of the great conflagration which in the 1930s…
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… in Transition: From the Worlds of the Samurai to the Vengeful Female Ghost By Shimazaki SatokoColumbia University Press, 2015ISBN-13: 978-0231172264 Review by Trevor Skingle Quite obviously a long time in the writing, Assistant Professor of Japanese Literature and Theatre at the University of Southern California, Shimazaki Satoko’s seminal work focuses on the developments and changes in kabuki since the 1825 premiere of Tsuruya Nanboku IV’s play Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan (The Ghost Stories at…
Japanese Joinery on Display By Takishita YoshihiroShiguchi-do (2017)Parallel Japanese and English text Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Kamakura, the capital of the Minamoto Shoguns in the late 12th, 13th and early 14th century should be on the itinerary of any serious visitor to Japan (Exploring Kamakura by Michael Cooper, first published 1979 is an excellent little guide). There is so much to see, not least the temples of Engakuji and Kenchoji, the Hachimangu and the Daibutsu. Some…
The tragedy of Okawa Primary School is at the heart of Lloyd Parry’s book. The story he tells is not just of a brutal act of nature, but of a community seeking explanations, and pressing for those in authority to be held to account. Although one child died during an evacuation in a town further north along the coast, every other school in the region got their children to safety. Why was Okawa the…
…ia Dolce and Dr Alan Cummings to discuss ghosts in theatre and in religious tradition, providing context to this contemporary take on the tradition of Japanese kaidan or tales of the strange and mysterious. (1) Coming up:24 October – Stantonbury Theatre, Milton Keynes27 October – Bath Spa University29 October – Slung Low Hub, Leeds30 October – University of Sheffield2 November – Forest Arts Centre, New Milton3 November – Pegasus Theatre, Oxford8 November – Salisbury Arts Centre, Salisbury20 –…
This is the kind of novel that, yes, is easily forgettable, but will provide enough of a stimulus to mourn the inevitable death that everyone’s youth will one day reach. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
It never falls into the melodramatic, but does have a slick sentimental edge which seeks to remind us of the importance of acceptance, letting go and moving on. A hopeful message which validates the talent of the author and makes it a good introduction to Kawakami Mieko’s universe. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for…
Born in Okinawa in 1976, Yamashiro has witnessed the last public outcry in the “Okinawan struggle” caused by the rape of a local schoolgirl by American soldiers in 1995. Leaving behind White Rainbow’s dark glass façade and entering the space, a large screen is playing a movie with an intense in- and out-of-the-water camera movement; the installation is accompanied by loud gurgling sounds. The protagonist is a barely-floating,…
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Many complex ideas are suggested during the plot, all poignant around the world, be it the type of society Japan imagines during and after the slow process of depatriarchiliastion, to native attitudes towards Asian migration into Japan. Murata’s combination of prose and plot is similar to Murakami’s, examining the mundane and relatively static life of a protagonist to celebrate all there is to human existence, from the subtly heart-warming to the suddenly devastating.…
It is certainly more than deserving of its critical acclaim and international recognition. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
Bjerrum’s recipes convey the importance of achieving umami (the fifth taste) in robatayaki through a very fast and pure form of grilling at high temperatures using natural flavour-enhancing ingredients such as soy-based sauces, miso, and shiitake mushrooms. Japanese food has become a global phenomenon, with local sushi restaurants found in almost every corner of the world. A newer variation of this trend is Japanese cuisine involving a fusion of sushi…
… to its holistic portal of Japanese society, cinema and theatre in a time where Japan was undergoing something of an identity crisis, and at a time when the identity of a truly fascinating intellectual was becoming. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
…one the past is summoned through the characters’ conversations about a famous French lexicographer and the narrator’s friend’s photographs, which conjure up images of Nazi death camps and the effects of the Second World War on his Jewish heritage and personal identity. In the ‘Sandman is Coming’ there is an overwhelming sense of nostalgia and loss as the narrator and deceased friend’s sister share a melancholy moment on the beach, reminiscing about the sand castles they used to build in their…
…s three books in one: a historical reference guide, a foreign language learning aid, and a scholarly text but most of all, it is an important source of information and reference, no matter what your interests or background. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
… Japan Catalogue for an exhibition held from 23 March to 24 June 2018 at the Van Gogh Museum in AmsterdamVan Gogh Museum, Hokkaido Shimbun Press, Mercatorfonds – distributed by Yale University Press, 2018ISBN-13: 978-0300233261 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi I was unable to get to Amsterdam to see this exhibition, but I bought this fine exhibition catalogue of works by Van Gogh and of Japanese prints that inspired him. Although a catalogue, however good, is not an adequate substitute for viewing a…
A Japanese Life in War and Peace, 1925-2015 By Oguma EijiTranslated by David NobleInternational House of Japan, 2018ISBN-13: 978-4924971455 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Most biographies are about famous people. This is the story of a Japanese man who has no particular claim to fame. He had a tough time before, during and after the war. Its interest lies primarily in the light it throws on Japanese life and how one quite ordinary Japanese coped in war and peace and adapted to a…
…e: The Last Great Whig By Simon KerryUnicorn (2017)ISBN-13: 978-1910787953 Review by Antony BestAssociate Professor in International Politics, London School of Economics The 5th Marquess of Lansdowne was one of the most important political figures of his age. Between 1883 and 1917 he was a constant figure in British imperial, foreign and domestic politics, serving in succession as Governor-General in Canada, Viceroy of India, Secretary of State for War (during the first half of the Boer War),…
…e of the Japanese State: Contested Identity, Direction and Role By Gavan McCormackRenaissance Books, 2018ISBN-13: 978-1898823711 Review by Arthur Stockwin Gavan McCormack is an Australian scholar well known for his critical analyses of Japanese politics and government, author of The Emptiness of Japanese Affluence (1996 ); Client State, Japan in the American Embrace (2007), and several major works on Okinawa, as well as extensive writings on Korea. He is quintessentially a scholar engagé, who…
… Papa: Short Stories from Japan and Elsewhere is, as the name would suggest, an eclectic anthology of works written by the Japan-based writer and English teacher Simon Rowe, covering diverse topics and exotic geographies including Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Costa Rica and Morocco to name but a few. Many of the stories have already gained international recognition, with the title story ‘Good Night Papa’ being adapted to screenplay in 2013 and winning the Asian Short Screenplay Contest in 2014.…
Taking inspiration from her time in Japan and her Irish heritage, Una has encased her story within these distant and distinct cultures, focusing on two international relationships in two very different periods of history. She explores how the cultural differences and similarities between these island nations can affect those committed to this ever-increasing scenario in our multinational society. In the present day,…
In the run-up to the disaster, we discover that their relationship has come under increasing strain, particularly following the birth of their son Tashi. The novel begins by plunging its reader into the midst of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami; the disorientating reality of the characters’ rapidly disintegrating surroundings…
…Bigot and Japan,1882-1899: Satirist, Illustrator and Artist Extraordinaire By Christian Polak with Hugh CortazziRenaissance Books, 2018ISBN-13: 978-1898823759 Review by Peter Kornicki The French artist Georges Bigot (1860-1927) is not a household name in France or in England, but he certainly is in Japan, for Japanese schoolchildren see some of his caricatures in their textbooks. No wonder, then, that I had never heard of him until I chanced upon an exhibition devoted to his works at the…
Beam appears in Mori’s documentary and it his Japanese-speaking collaborator who elicits the crucial confession of Samuragochi’s illiteracy. Mori’s own interest in the pariahs of society is driven by at least two strong tenets. One is his distaste of the unfortunate way people tend to define themselves with reference to an out-group. The second is his abhorrence about the way the media…
Robots, Gender, Family, and the Japanese Nation By Jennifer RobertsonUniversity of California Press, 2018ISBN-13: 978-0520283206 Review by Riyoko Shibe and Paul Tebble In the mid-1920s, the word “robot” (robotto) was coined as Japan began to embrace the possibilities and potential of human-robot coexistence. Robo Sapiens Japanicus by Jennifer Robertson is an ethnography and sociohistorical analysis that discusses these possibilities and their implications, exploring the…
…anslation – Japanese Gardens and the West By Christian TagsoldUniversity of Pennsylvania Press, 2017ISBN-13: 978-0812246742 Review by Ian Chrystie [1] Professor Dr Christian Tagsold is an anthropologist who is currently an associate professor at the Institute for Modern Japanese Studies at the University of Dusseldorf. His research covers: Japanese gardens and Japanese communities outwith Japan, aging society and welfare in Japan, and sports “mega-events”. Spaces of Translation: Japanese Garden…
The Japan Society - Kiku’s Prayer 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover our…
There were four production companies involved, one of which was the UK’s Third Window Films – a film distributor famous for bringing the best, and the latest, Asian cinema to our screens. The involvement of Third Window Films along with other international companies means that this film is guaranteed an international distribution once it is released on DVD. Arakawa, who also starred in Fine, Totally Fine, brings his usual comedic performance to…
The assignment is, in many ways, a kind of maze which Koji successfully navigates, ably finding the end point. It is at this juncture that Koji phones Matsushima to quit his assignment and resolves his affairs much to the viewers’ delight. All in all, this is a light and enjoyable film with plenty of zany and metaphysical moments and a good jazz sound score to boot. This film was shown at the Premiere Japan 2011 event at the Barbican and was preceded by an original short…
… in the Hometown, A History of Community Survival in Modern Japan By Martin DusinberreUniversity of Hawaii Press, 2012, 247 pages including index, notes and bibliography, ISBN 978-0-8248-3524-8 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Martin Dusinberre first went to Kaminoseki, the subject of this book, 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 history of the town and reviews its…
…he Shogun and The English Samurai By Mike Poulton with Sho KawaiSadler’s Wells Theatre31 January 2013 – 9 February 2013 (Part of the RSC Swan Season, A World Elsewhere) Review by Michael Sullivan Click here to see photos from the premiere night performance on Thursday 31 January. Born in Kent in 1564 William Adams (Muira Anjin 三浦按針) was an English navigator who was employed by the Dutch on an expedition to South America, however should their trading plan fail, they had a backup plan to try for…
… and the English Samurai covers a remarkable period of Japanese history, set at a time of an emerging new world witnessing the establishment of new networks of trade and plunder and a new understanding of the universe which challenged the old certainty of the earth being at the centre. Will Adams (1564-1620), the future ‘Anjin’ was a native of Gillingham, Kent and believed to be the first Englishman to reach Japan on the Liefde in 1600. He was also one of Britain’s most picturesque and daring…
…and Japan: Biographical Portraits – Volume VIII marks a significant milestone in the acclaimed Biographical Portraits project which now strides towards its second decade of publication with the first volume coming out in 1994. The well respected series primarily profiles people who have enhanced and contributed to various aspects of Anglo-Japanese relations from the time of the Meiji Restoration (1868) to the present day. This new volume along with the previous Biographical Portraits books and…
00pm – Registration / 6.30pm – Seminar Booking deadline – Monday 18 February If you were to assist a client involved in a serious litigation in Japan where you cannot communicate in English with the relevant authorities, how would you deal with it? Would translation resolve everything? The speaker who has recently represented the bereaved family…
…ger & Company, The Rise and Fall of a British Enterprise in Japan 1868-1940 By Brian Burke-GaffneyGlobal Oriental, 2012, 236 pages including appendices and indexISBN 978-90-04-23017-0 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Ask anyone interested in relations between Britain and Japan what British merchant was most closely associated with Nagasaki the reply is likely to be that of Thomas B. Glover, described by his biographer as a Scottish samurai. But Glover & Co went bankrupt in 1870 and Glover moved to…
…g 50 years of Japanese Studies at the University of Sheffield Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Daiwa House, London Thursday 3 October 2013 Review by Sean Curtin In 1963, the University of Sheffield was tasked with setting up the Centre for Japanese Studies to advance the study of modern Japan. Under the guidance of its distinguished founding Professor Geoffrey Bownas, it soon established itself as a centre of excellence. By pioneering the combination of practical language skills with social…
00-8.00pm) Free entry Project “Haiku Prelude – Haiku Kami” 2013 by Carolina Khouri Haiku Prelude – Haiku Kami project is dedicated to the victims of the Great Eastern Tohoku Earthquake, 11 March 2011. An exhibition of the project in POSK Gallery in 2013 will mark a second anniversary of the disaster. Last year on Sunday 11 March at 2.46pm the…
Inudo wanted to focus on people who, even in 1957, were continuing to live under the shadow of the war, and who had been the foundation of today’s Japan. He wanted to show what suffering and sacrifices they had experienced. In terms of gender politics, Inudo pointed out that the murdereress of the story only kills men. Admittedly, she does drive one woman to her death but this is the only victim she had any regrets about. It is almost as though she is…
SmithTrafford Publishing, North America & international, 2012199 pages including index, ISBN978-1-4669-6309-2 (sc)A Japanese translation of this book is also available for Kindle and can be purchased on Amazon Japan and Amazon UK. Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi 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. BCAIR was part of…
…sulæ, The mapping of Japan: Historical Introduction and Cartobibliograhy of European Maps Japoniæ insulæ, The mapping of Japan: Historical Introduction and Cartobibliograhy of European Printed Maps of Japan to 1800By Jason C. HubbardHouten: Hes & De Graaf, Publishers BV 2012, 444 pages with 374 colour illustrations, ISBN 978-90-6194-531-4 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi “The purpose of this work has been to identify and classify all known printed single-sheet maps and charts concentrating on the…
…es, the Shogun and Now: Celebrating 400 years of Japan-British Relations, 1613-2013 Japan400 Press LaunchThursday 10 January 2013Mandela Room, Commonwealth Club25 Northumberland Avenue WC2N 5AP Review by David Watts with photos by Sean Curtin Saturday 12 January 2013 marked four hundred years since a British ship sailed for Japanese waters to establish the first contact between the two nations and start a mutually-beneficial relationship which prospers to this day. In 1613 the arrival of the…
…iversary of East Asian Studies at Leeds University Review by Sean Curtin In the autumn of 1963 the fledgling Department of Chinese Studies at Leeds University opened its doors and took in its first batch of students under founding professor and great frontier explorer Owen Lattimore. September 2013 marked fifty years during which time the department has produced over 2000 graduates and morphed into the East Asian Studies (EAS) Department, expanding to include the study of Japanese and…
The Japan Society - All the Emperor’s Men 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List…
…o Shigeharu: Bearing Witness By Kaimai JunEnglish adaption by Waku MillerLTCB International Library Trust and International House of Japan2012, 219 pagesISBN 978-4=924971-33-2 Review by Hugh Cortazzi Shigeharu Matsumoto [松本重治] was a well-known internationalist with many friends outside Japan including politicians, journalists and diplomats. He is particularly remembered as the founder and developer of the International House of Japan in Roppongi in Tokyo which with its seminar rooms, library…
His research covers her family, her history, an overview of events from her disappearance up until the discovery of her body as well as an in-depth look into the most mysterious of people: Joji Obara. Born in 1978 Lucie Blackman was 21 and had only been in Japan a short time when she disappeared. She had been…
…lm Locations: Tokyo Edited by Chris MaGee Intellect Ltd, October 2012128 pages, ISBN 1841504831 Review by Michael Sullivan 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 the great capital city of Japan. The editor Chris MaGee, who is the editor of the Toronto J-Film Pow-Wow Japanese film blog in Canada, includes contributions from 17 other writers in his book. The work covers 45 scenes from…
…ia Company, Japan and the Globalising World – Derek Massarella Lecture by Professor Derek MassarellaKhalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS, Russell Square, London, WC1H 0HG15 March 2013 Review by Timon Screech Professor Derek Massarella of Chuo University spoke to a large audience on the theme of globalising trade in the seventeenth century, using a wealth of period texts and citations. He detailed the relationship between the East India Company and Japan. Despite the rain and it being late of a Friday…
The Booker Foundation and Man Group are collaborating with Birkbeck, University of London, to celebrate recent winners of the Man Booker Prize through a series of conversations with them – you can see the programme here Kazuo Ishiguro was born in Japan and came over to leafy Surrey from Nagasaki when he was five years old. His parents expected to stay in England for only a year or two. Rather than integrating…
Although Eclair is a movie based on the story of a young boy and his survival through the closing months of the Second World War, the Japan Foundation explained that this film was chosen because it “was shot in the autumn of 2010 in Ishinomaki-city and other places in the Miyagi prefecture. Many of the beautiful locations and historic buildings were swept away by the tsunami.” In Ishinomaki alone over 3,000 lives were lost and over 20,000 homes destroyed. The Japan Foundation…
30pm Review by Sean Curtin Britain & Japan – 400 Years was an absolutely brilliant evening of uplifting music, verse and spectacle to mark four centuries since the UK and Japan initiated official ties. When John Saris, commander of the Clove, sailed the very first British vessel into Japanese waters on 11 June 1613, he could not have ever dreamt that four hundred…
Readers of Volumes I and II will doubtless look forward to the publication of Volumes III and IV in November with the keenest anticipation. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
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SchodtStonebridge Press, Berkeley, California2012, 304 pages including notes, bibliography and index, numerous illustrations in black and white plus section of colour plates ISBN 978-1-61172-009-9 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Frederik L. Schodt, who has written other books about popular Japanese culture, gives a colourful account of the life and travels of Richard Risley Carlisle, who used the stage name of Professor Risley, although he…
…as Li Xianglan By Yamaguchi Yoshiko Nihon Keizai Shimbun (2004) Review by Fumiko Halloran Yamaguchi Yoshiko was a prominent movie star and singer from the late 1930’s to 1958 when she married a Japanese diplomat and retired from a successful but controversial career. She was popular not only in Japan but in China, Hong Kong, and Hollywood. The dramatic life she describes in this memoir illustrates the fate of a beautiful and talented girl who grew up in Manchuria when Japan established a puppet…
The Mental Health Policy and Services: Where We Stand by Hiroto Ito (pages 36-56) 3. Reintegrating the Mentally Ill into Society and Work by Satoru Hashimoto (pages 57-72) 4. How Mental Hospitals Treat their Patients, and Programmes for Rehabilitation into the Community by Yayoi Imamura (pages 73-82) 5. National Federation of Families for the Mentally Ill in Japan: Historical and Future Perspectives by Hajime Oketani and Hiromi Akiyama (pages 83-97) 6. An Overview of the User Movement in…
…妖しき文豪怪談] The Whistler [葉桜と魔笛], directed by Shinya TsukamotoThe Nose [鼻], directed by Sang-il LeeThe Days After [後の日], directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda Shown as part of The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme – ‘Once Upon a Time In Japan’ Reinventing the Past Through the Eyes of Japanese Contemporary FilmmakersScreening at the Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle Upon Tyne10th March 2013, 3.30pmRunning Time: 121 minutes, Language: Japanese with English Subtitles Review by Lucy Searles This year, to mark…
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…ciety Review writer Mike Sullivan wins the prestigious JFTC Essay Competition 2012 JFTC Essay Competition 2012 winner: “Strategies for a Depopulating Japan “A British Model and a Japanese Legacy by Mike Sullivan We are proud to announce that Japan Society Review writer Mike Sullivan has won the prestigious Japan Foreign Trade Council Essay Competition 2012 with his article “Strategies for a Depopulating Japan ” A British Model and a Japanese Legacy. Mike was flown to Tokyo in January for the…
It is a visual splendour complimented by technological prowess and musical talent. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
… Strategy and National Security in Japan and Britain, From the First Alliance to Post -9/11 Edited by Alessio PatalanoGlobal Oriental, Leiden and Boston, 2012 255 pages including index ISBN 978-1-906876-27-2 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This book arises from a conference held in London in 2009 organized by the Department of War Studies at King’s College, London and the Japanese Embassy. ‘This project [readers are told] represents the summation of the intellectual contributions of leading…
…rary Japan: History, Politics and Social Change Since the 1980s By Jeff Kingston Wiley-Blackwell, ChichesterSecond edition, 2013313 pages including index and glossaryISBN 978-1-118-31507-1 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi In this survey of contemporary Japan Professor Kingston looks at the risks and challenges facing Japan in the twenty-first century. He draws particular attention to Japan’s “demographic time bomb” and the malaise and risks encountered by Japanese families. His analysis of such…
…of Japanese Political Thought, 1600-1901 By Watanabe HiroshiTranslated by David NobleI-House Press, International House of Japan, 2012 543 pages including notes, bibliography and indexISBN 978-4-903452-24-1 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Professor Hiroshi Watanabe is professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo and a specialist in the history of Japanese and Asian political thought. Students of Japanese history, philosophy and politics will find this book of outstanding value. It is clear,…
4 x 2.2 cm. The cost to the consumer is a mere 13 pounds in the UK, and may be found for less at online bookshops. Considering what many original and out-of-print works by Moriyama go for these days at auction sites, it is a significant bargain. It is debatable whether or not the size of the book is the best way to show off Moriyama’s photography. Each picture is given its own page with black borders on the top and…
…c Strategies of the Floating World, Mitate, Yatsushi and Fûryû in Early Modern Japanese Popular CultureBy Alfred HaftBrill, Leiden and Boston, 2013, volume 9 in the series Japanese Visual Culture216 pages, including endnotes, list of characters, bibliography and indexISBN 978-90-04-200987-9 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Alfred Haft works at the British Museum as a project curator in the Japanese section of the department of Asia. He is also a research associate of the Sainsbury Institute for the…
Harrell A study of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University, Merwin Asia, Portland, Maine, 2012 406 pages, including notes, bibliography and index, ISBN 978-1-97385-20-0 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi In this interesting study of five Japanese personalities of the Meiji era, who were closely involved with Chinese modernization, Dr Harrell shows that the relationship between Japan and China was not always…
The book is well referenced, providing plenty of food for thought and opportunities to pursue reading on the topic, and the abundant photographs throughout the book put a face to the interviewees – offering an even clearer peek into the personal lives of this misunderstood group. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please…
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…APAN FESTIVAL 2012 22nd June 2012 – 1st July 2012 Festival HubBartholomew SquareBrighton BN1 1JS(other venues in city: Brighton Dome, Duke of York’s Cinema, Hotel Du Vin, Moshi Moshi) An eight day Japanese festival brought to you by the best venues, businesses, and communities the city of Brighton & Hove has to offer. Wide-ranging and inclusive, Brighton Japan is unique in its ambition: to offer an exciting platform for Japan-related arts, technology, design and business to inspire, excite, and…
Believing herself to be an instrument of justice, a punisher of those who would commit crimes, she is also very dangerous. By chance she happens across a crime, a kidnapping involving a couple which leads her on a journey of death destroying all those implicated in the crime, and everyone in the way. The idea of right and wrong becomes…
…f 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. This book is the fruit of many years of researching, collecting and analysing material published in Western languages on Meiji Japan. He set himself an arduous task as the material…
The Suzukis, a loving and affable family, take in seven-year-old spoiled brat Mika, a cousin whose mother has died and whose father cannot look after her while, recently out of a job, he looks for new prospects. Forthright Ippei Suzuki, close to her in age, finds his cousin hideously snooty. She criticises the sukiyaki for being made…
…t Day 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 day in Japan. Delving into the mystery of ‘niku’ day turns up a number of interesting facts about Japanese culture, and of course meat. For example, the 9th of February is also a day of meat [肉の日] due…
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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 Shogun’s government) and febrile times. These were heady times indeed as Western powers were expanding their power in Asia, the Bakufu…
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 have published scores of imprints in their “Historical Dictionary” series, many of which are on the subject of a national cinema or other art-form. In the internet era, with many…
…無常素描) Directed by Koichi Omiya (大宮浩一), 2011, 75 minutes Review by Susan Meehan This documentary is the first to have been made in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami which wrecked the Tohoku region of northeastern Japan on 11 March 2011. Tohoku is the land of Omiya’s birth and his parents’ home so the disaster particularly affected him. Omiya defines “mujo” [無常] as a Buddhist concept conveying impermanence or transience. The Japanese often resort to this idea to alleviate the sadness of…
… Directed by Yojiro Takita [滝田洋二郎], 2008, 131 minutes Review by Michael Sullivan Departures is based on an autobiographical book by Aoki Shinmon [新門青木] and features Masahiro Motoki [本木雅弘] as Daigo Kobayashi, a cellist who after losing his job moves back to his hometown and starts a new job helping ‘departures.’ In 2009 it won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film as well as numerous other awards such as the 32nd Japan Academy Prize for Best Film and the 30th Yokohama Film Festival for…
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As the title suggests, the theme is the search for a distant voice, one that only Kasama Tsuneo can hear. Following a traumatic event in his past he focuses on having a normal life, which to him means dedication to work and a lid on any emotions. He wants to be clean, so he doesn’t allow himself to become intimate with girls, and his…
99, ISBN 0340794682 Review by Michael Sullivan Using extensive research of letters and other documents of the seventeenth century, this book tells the fascinating story of the first Englishman and the first English factory in Japan. In 1620 William Adams, otherwise known as Miura Anjin [三浦按針], passed away and by 1623 the English factory was given up, bankrupt, and within a few years Japan would…
Amidst scenes of temples, shrines, mountains, paddy fields and old towns samurai, representing humanity, are fighting huge monsters with blazing red eyes otherwise known as “oni.” One is enormous, rivalling Godzilla in terms of size. A monk by the name of Gen’un strikes down the “oni” with supernatural strength as they attempt to destroy…
Both are rather ordinary middle-aged men, far removed from any association with ‘style.’ They reminded me somewhat of ‘The Odd Couple,’ a 1970s film and TV series about Felix and Oscar, two divorced men sharing a Manhattan flat. One is a neat obsessive and the other far more casual resulting in comedy situations. Another…
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… 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 stir up a controversy as reporters questioned what exactly she was doing in Japan while her family desperately wanted to find out where she was. At the same time strange phone calls and letters…
…of Influence: China and the Birth of Porcelain in Medieval and Early Modern Japan By Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere Bristol Classical Press (2012)ISBN 978-0715634639 Review Sir Hugh Cortazzi Professor Rousmaniere, research director at the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures (SISJAC) in Norwich, has specialized in the study of Japanese ceramics. She has recently completed a new and comprehensive catalogue of Japanese porcelain in the British Museum which is likely to be…
…ei Burakku (快楽亭ブラック)By Ian McArthur (イアン・マッカーサー著) 内藤誠、堀内久美子 共訳Kodansha International (講談社) (1992)317 pagesISBN: 4-06-205738-7 井上敦子 モーツァルトがまったく無名だった当時の有名な音楽家は宮廷楽長のサリエリだった。けれども今、サリエリの名前はモーツァルトと比べるとほとんど人の口にのぼることはない。 ご存じですか、快楽亭ブラックのことを・・・・。ではじまるカヴァの見返し部分の紹介文を読んで先ず思い浮かんだのがこれだった。 青い目の落語家、ヘンリーブラックのよきライバルとされていたのが三遊亭円朝だった。お互いに切磋琢磨して天下の人気を二分したとあるが、三遊亭円朝はいまだに三遊亭の一派が脈々と続いている中で確固とした地位を占めている。かたや快楽亭と言う名を私は聞いたことが一度もない。 今では相当な数にのぼる外人タレントのはしりだろうか。アジア系以外の外国人が日本語を流暢に話してくれるときの驚きと面はゆいような嬉しさを感じさせる何かが私たちのＤＮＡにはいまだに確実に…
Did Blanca realise Julio was lying about working for Gazmuri at any point and did Emilia lie when she said she’d read Proust? Jimenez hadn’t always counted on being a novelist, having toyed with the ambition of being a comedian. He certainly sounds as though he’d be convivial company. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for…
…nd the Samurai Rebels By Simon Alexander CollierAmazon, 2012, 339 pages, ISBN: 1477544593 Review by Sir Graham Fry What would have happened if in 1862 the serious British diplomat, Ernest Satow, had gone to Japan with a rather less studious colleague called Milligan, whose main interests were women and wine but whose escapades have mysteriously vanished from the history books? The answer is in this book by Simon Alexander Collier, himself a former British diplomat, and it provides a thoroughly…
After the earthquake and tsunami of March 11, Stu Levy volunteered with the Japan Emergency NPO (JEN) in Ishinomaki (a city with a population of over 160,000), Miyagi Prefecture. He shot 40 hours of footage over five weeks, interviewing over 30 people including victims and volunteers. At the time of the earthquake Levy was in Tokyo. The film is an extraordinary snapshot of life in Ishinomaki [石巻市] within days of…
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…The Art of Horiyoshi III Exhibition at Somerset House, London (21 March-1 July 2012) Review by Michael Sullivan On the first day of spring 2012 a new exhibition opened up at Somerset House, although it is easy to get side tracked by Somerset House’s terrace which is always popular on warm spring days and by the spectacular sight of 10,000 ceramic daffodils that were placed in The Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court, if you venture into the South Wing you would have seen something very special. It…
… Trends in Japan-Africa Relations Talk by Professor Jun Morikawa (Rakuno Gakuen University)Japan Discussion GroupChatham House, London (27 March 2012) Review by Jason James Professor Jun Morikawa, author of Japan and Africa: Big Business and Diplomacy (1997), spoke to the Japan Discussion Group at Chatham House on Japan-Africa relations. His basic thesis appeared to be that Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) is disingenuous in presenting Japan’s policy towards Africa as altruistic, and…
This was the third highest grossing film of 2008 and featured the continuation of the same characters (and actors) from the 2007 TV drama Galileo [ガリレオ], which was also based on another book by Keigo Higashino. Tetsuya Ishigami is a teacher, regarded as a mathematical genius in his school years he now teaches unmotivated school kids while living a very simple life. He…
…Images – Art Production and Display in Edo Japan by Timon ScreechRedaktion Books (published with the assistance of The Japan Foundation), London (May 2012) 384 pages including glossary, chronology, references, bibliography, acknowledgements and index, copious colour illustrationsISBN 978 186189 8142 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Professor Timon Screech is Professor in the History of Art at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, and is a Japanese art expert who…
In spite of this, translator Andrew Clare has done an admirable job of reworking the original Japanese. A literary translator with a background in law, Clare has the perfect credentials for dissecting a novel that focuses on criminal defence. The task of combining fidelity and transparency in Japanese-English translation is always a challenging one. Clare preserves Matsumoto’s subtleties but manages to…
If Japanese society is to recover from its trauma, ‘normality’ shouldn’t be the aspiration of the young. In any case, being normal doesn’t mean shying away from society but trying to fit in with the demands and constraints of family life and society while trying to make life better for all. The two young stars played their roles exceedingly well and it is worth mentioning that Shota Sometani and Fumi Nikaido deservedly received the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best New Young…
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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 medicalization and its effects on society. From my own work on mental health in Japan, I know that suicide rates are soaring and depression is…
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 Shogun’s government) and febrile times. These were heady times indeed as Western powers were expanding their power in Asia, the Bakufu…
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Neverthless, the descriptions of modernising Tokyo and Ginza are very atmospheric as are those of Kagoshima – the satsumas sparkling in the snow, the volcanic ash, shochu, palm trees, Sakurajima and the distinctive Kagoshima accent are all vividly evoked by Downer. It won’t disappoint those in search of Japanese historical fiction ‘light’ or a fix of the compelling Saigo Takamori. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and…
Fans of the confessional style of Dazai and Japanese literature may also want to try Mishima’s Confessions of a Mask, a brutally honest but beautifully written look into the life of another of Japan’s famous authors. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
… Pacific War and Its Legacy: A Historical Debate Victory Services ClubMonday 5 October 2015 Memories of the Second World War might be fading, but the legacy of the conflict lives on and is constantly at the centre of domestic and regional debates in East Asia. In an event commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Asia Pacific War, we partnered with the Friendship and Reconciliation Trust to welcome a panel of world experts to engage with the question of how the war connects with the present in…
…E! At Swiss Church London Swiss Church London14th August 2014 Review by Mike Sullivan VISUALISE! Is a recent performance group that has come together in order to provide a new perspective on how classical music is experienced by the current generation. They work on bringing classical musicians together with visual and performance artists, thus creating a new medium in which the audience can enjoy both music and live art. On the 14th of August they had an event at Swiss Church London, there has…
DaviesRenaissance Books15 Aug. 2013, 272 pagesISBN-10: 1898823073 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi The sufferings of allied prisoners of war forced by the Japanese military to work on what was generally referred to as the Burma-Siam Railway and often as the ‘Death Railway’ have been recounted in many books by survivors. The film entitled The Bridge…
…isadventures: Nikolai Rezanov and the Dream of a Russian America By Owen MatthewsBloomsbury Paperbacks, Reprint edition 31 July 2014, 400 pagesISBN-10: 1408833999ISBN-13: 978-1408833995 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This well researched and well written book traces the career of Nikolai Rezanov who sought to establish and develop Russian settlements in North America from Alaska to modern day California. It covers his early life in St Petersburg from his birth in 1763, his involvement with the…
Speaking with Nagisa before the premiere she emphasized how grateful she was to Third Window Films for giving her this opportunity, while also being extremely nervous about how the UK audience would react. Regarding the film itself she explained that the original inspiration for the story was based on something that happened to her…
But most importantly, it feels deeply personal, as though this were a little piece of Miyazaki’s heart on screen. It is no secret that Miyazaki has always been passionate about aircraft (Studio Ghibli is named after an Italian Ca.309 Ghibli, designed by Giovanni Caproni), and this film is clearly fuelled by the passions of its author. Jiro is quoted as saying of his aircraft “All I wanted to do was make something…
DowerThe New Press, New York2012, 324 pages including notes and indexISBN 978-1-59558-618-6 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi John Dower, who is Professor Emeritus of History at MIT, has specialized in the modern history of Japan. His book Embracing Defeat was a penetrating analysis of Japan in the immediate post-war years. In this collection of essays Professor Dower concentrates on perceptions in Japan and the United States of…
…d the Shackles of the Past, Tsukuba University Professor for the MBA program Richard Taggart Murphy brings to bear a customarily wide-ranging and charismatic argument to the conundrum of modern Japanese History. Murphy’s emotional investment is on par with any author on Japan, having first visited Japan around 1967-8, drawing on both his vast business (and more recently teaching) experience, alongside reflections from a father who served in the Pacific theatre and ultimately reconciled with…
The “DON” of the huge drum booming across the temple grounds; the high pitched shime-drum as it drums out the audience from a Sumo Tournament; the cheerful beats of the festival drums accompanying bon-odori. Few traditional Japanese events would be the same without taiko in the background. Often described…
Perhaps this is a testament to the universal appeal of the original. This transference, however, is where most of the films strengths and weaknesses lie. The kid, for example, has undergone a necessary transformation – an aspiring samurai would make a lot less sense in an age where they are becoming obsolete, than an aspiring cowboy assassin – and his Ainu roots create an interesting…
…ish-Language Press Networks of East Asia By Peter O’ConnorGlobal Oriental2010, 405 pages plus XviISBN 978-1-905246-67-0 Review by Ian Nish “This book,” the author starts boldly, “argues that the English-language press of East Asia played a significant role in the shaping of international perceptions of Japan and East Asia (page 1).” Professor O’Connor justifies this claim with a wealth of detail gleaned from years of research in the field and from countless publications on the subject of…
…Like Son is again in a similar vein of 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 different people. It was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, and it won the Jury Prize. It was also shown at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, and the 2013 Vancouver International Film Festival. This film stars Masaharu Fukuyama, a musician,…
The Japan Society - China’s War With Japan, 1937-1945: The Struggle for Survival 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events…
It is a book that begins in an unfamiliar tone but soon employs the familiar Murakami references – Jazz, classical music, food and the Japanese ideal of beauty in mundane tasks – that his faithful readers know so well. Partway into the book, Tsukuru’s friend Haida muses on the transience of talent: ‘”Talent might be ephemeral,” Haida replied, “and there aren’t many people…
There is a touching symmetry in the idea of a local book, first penned some thirty-eight years ago, now aiding the very place of its conception in a time of need. Turvill has distilled something very special in this reworking of Inoue’s original and in his acknowledgements we find an exemplary panel of readers, editors and well-wishers. Those involved with the…
…with Yuriri Naka Interview by Mike Sullivan In August the film All That Remains will be released, featuring the true story of Dr Takashi Nagai, a war hero, Christian convert and survivor of the Nagasaki nuclear bombing. One of the Japanese stars in this movie, Yuriri Naka, is based here in the UK. Naka has had roles in big budget movies 47 Ronin and Speed Racer and you might have also noticed her in a recent Sony Experia advert. Her voice is recognizable because she does a lot of voiceover…
It features a cast of relatively unknown actors and actresses, and won the Entertainment Award at the Pia Film Festival and was nominated for Best Debut Feature at the Raindance Film Festival. The movie has a narrative by the main character Misa Kumada, known as ‘Pooh’ because her surname contains the Japanese character for bear. From the beginning it is clear that…
The Japan Society - Japan’s Modern History, 1857-1937: A new political narrative 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events…
Miyamoto Usagi and Lion Sensei Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
…27: Japan Edited by Yuka IgarashiVarious authorsGranta Publications Ltd (24 April 2014)272 PagesISBN-10: 1905881770 Review by Chris Corker Granta Literary Magazine, established in 1889 by students of Cambridge University and since then a front-runner in the promotion of all forms of storytelling, has now released an edition focusing exclusively on Japan and its culture. Combining fiction and photo exhibitions, this volume offers something exciting and unfamiliar for those uninitiated in…
The Japan Society - Mr Potsunen’s Peculiar Slice of Life 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our…
…100 miniature masterpieces from Japan By Norio TsuchiyaThe British Museum2014, 224 pagesISBN 978-0-7141-9481-0 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Netsuke, as this book explains, were ‘practical fashion accessories worn by men of the Edo period (1615-1868).’ Japanese traditional dress had no pockets and men had to find a way of carrying their money and other accessories. These were attached to the sashes, which kept their clothes in place by means of netsuke, which were a form of toggle. They are often…
1 December 2000, 376 pagesISBN -10: 0805065113 Review by Chris Corker ‘On March 20, 1995, Aum Shinrikyou, a fanatical Japanese religious cult, released sarin, a deadly nerve gas, on five subway trains during Tokyo’s early-morning rush hour […] On the trains, in the stations where they stopped, and at the station exits, people coughed, choked, experienced…
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Still a relative unknown outside of Japan, many critics consider him to be woefully underappreciated. On this showing it’s hard to argue with them. A note on the edition: The Pushkin Press series is incredibly well-presented and impeccably designed. At just the right size to be held comfortably, and with high-quality paper and a pleasantly textured cover, they really are a joy to read. The translation…
…that Fell in Love with a Submarine By Akiyuki NosakaPushkin Children’s Books 12 February 2015, 112 PagesISBN-10: 178269027 Review by Annabelle Sami Don’t let the title fool you – this collection of short stories contain poignant, melancholic and tragic tales set on the day of Japanese surrender, 15 August 1945. The issue of war in Children’s stories is always difficult to negotiate and Nosaka certainly doesn’t shy away from the brutal truth of life in Japan during the Second World War. The…
The Japan Society - The art lover’s guide to Japanese museums 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join…
Their scope has recently widened to include Japanese literature, with many of Ryu Murakami’s works also being released. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
It’s rare I go in to performances as blind as I did for QMTC’s production; even with my love of Japanese culture I must admit to never having heard of Tango and I had determined, for once, to keep it that way until seeing the actual show. So I went in not really knowing what to expect. One thing I did not expect for such a small production was the great staging. At first it appeared quite bare, but a lot of thought had clearly gone in to what was on display. Upon entering we were…
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…evils, Devils to Men: Japanese war crimes and Chinese justiceBy Barak KushnerHarvard University Press, 2015403 pages including index and notesISBN978-0-674-742891-2 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi ‘War crimes’ judged at the international tribunal at Nuremberg were divided into three categories. Class A were ‘crimes against peace,’ class B were ‘conventional war crimes’ (such as rape, murder, illegal incarceration, abusing POWs etc.) and Class C were ‘crimes against humanity’ such as genocide. Class…
…es of Artisanal Japan: Wazuka tea and Ogatsu inkstones Daiwa Foundation11th February 2015 Review by Mike Sullivan Every year the Daiwa Foundation hosts a number of events on Japan, and recently this included a talk on Wazuka tea and Ogatsu inkstones with contributors Timothy d’Offay, Teruo Kurosaki and Timothy Toomey. Although the link between Wazuka tea and Ogatsu inkstones might not be obvious, in fact traditional teahouses normally display calligraphy scrolls on their walls. So normally…
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…view with Lisa Ueda Interview by Mike Sullivan Lisa Ueda is the kind of person who lights up rooms and who immediately makes you feel at ease, within a few minutes of speaking with her you feel as if she is an old friend; it is a talent which surely has been honed by the busy lifestyle of being a musician. She has benefited from an international education which included study at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music and has also performed internationally. In addition as part of the…
Below follows an interview with Annabelle Sami conducted on 12 January 2015: 1 Who chose to put on this play and why? I chose to put on the play. I suppose the main reason for choosing Tango is that I love Japan and I love theatre, but realised that I had never seen a Japanese play performed in the UK. The theatre company were holding a festival to put on contemporary plays…
It is much more than a finely produced catalogue as it introduces some of the most colourful paintings and artefacts of Edo Japan. The book begins with a history of the Rinpa school,(1) before and after Kõrin Ogata (尾形光琳 – 1658–1716).(2) John Carpenter suggests that ‘The highly stylized representation of landscape in early medieval Japanese paintings…can be seen as…
The Japan Society - 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our Mailing List Discover our New Events…
She completed her Master of Music degree at the Royal Academy of Music in 2012 and has won many prizes such as the Sir Arthur Bliss Prize and the MBF Emerging Excellence Award. She has developed a cultural exchange project in the UK and Japan which has involved working with composers from both countries…
The student’s argument over the clubhouse is reflective of an argument nationwide, when an old building is cared for, looked after, then it becomes beautiful and keeps people rooted within their cultural past, however if it is allowed to fall into disrepair then of course people will vote to tear it down.…
…view with Taro Hakase about his new album JAPONISM Interview by Mike Sullivan The violinist and composer Taro Hakase was born in 1968 in Suita City, Osaka, and he has been releasing albums and performing at concerts for over twenty years. For the last few years he has called London home, regularly performing at Cadogan Hall in Chelsea. After the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake he held seven concerts in five days across London to raise funds for the people affected by the disastrous earthquake and…
… – Interview with an Actress Interview by Mike Sullivan Haruka Abe is originally from Tokyo, after attending high school in Tokyo she was about to enter Aoyama University when she made the decision to move to London and attend a drama school. She graduated with a 1st class Bachelor of Arts degree and in a relatively short number of years she has starred in award winning short films, had recurring roles in a number of TV programmes and will soon be on the big screen in 47 Ronin, which also stars…
… kill – Beautiful traditional Japanese Armour The Chronicles of Matsuri: The Lion, the Wisteria and the Geisha Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
The Japan Society - Slurp! A Social and Culinary History of Ramen – Japan’s Favorite Noodle Soup 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education…
The Japan Society - Out of Silence: A Pianist’s Yearbook 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join our…
The core of the movie hinges around the relationship between the two main characters, the woodsman Katsuhiko Kishi, played by Koji Yakusho [役所広司], and the movie director Koichi Tanabe, played by Shun Oguri [小栗旬]. Koji Yakusho plays his character perfectly and really anchors the movie. Katsuhiko is a recently widowed logger with a son…
J.H.Corner the Relentless Botanist By John K.CornerForeword by Douglas Hurd, Rt.Hon. Lord Hurd of Westwell Landmark Books, Singapore2013, 413 pages, photographs, notes and bibliographyISBN 978-981-4189-47-7 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Professor Corner was ‘one of the most colourful and productive biologists and mycologists of the 20th century.’ In 1929 he became assistant director of the botanical gardens in Singapore where he produced Wayside Trees of Malaya,…
Sharp pointed out that at one point Kore-eda had wanted to be a novelist. Kore-eda said that indeed he had gone to university with the idea of becoming an author but soon discovered that university wouldn’t prepare him for that. He spent all his five years of university in the cinema. Sharp asked about Kore-eda’s friendship with the late critic Donald Richie. Kore-eda went on to say that Richie had…
It seems that Hamada really fits the kind of character that Nakamura is often looking for, a quiet man lacking in confidence but who often proves to be stronger than he looks. However, at the risk of typecasting Hamada is the perfect actor for this very interesting movie. It begins with a newsreel about the ‘Projects,’ a housing estate where people can…
… Three Pagodas Pass: The Story of the Thai-Burma Railway By Yoshihiko FutamatsuTranslated and Introduced by Ewart EscrittEdited and with a Foreword by Peter N DaviesRenaissance Books, 2013, lxiv 239 pagesISBN 978-1-898823-07-0 Review by Ian Nish Yoshihiko Futamatsu was a professional engineer trained at Kyoto University. In wartime he became a gunzoku, a civilian member of an army bridging unit involved in the attack on Singapore. He says that, because of the operations of British submarines in…
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2013, 192 pagesISBN-10: 0231164882 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Professor Donald Keene, who is now a Japanese national and lives in Tokyo, is the doyen of western studies of Japanese culture and history. He began to study the Japanese language more than seventy years ago and has written some thirty scholarly and very readable studies of a wide variety of aspects of Japanese culture, in particular…
…soroku: Leadership, Strategy, Conflict By Mark Stilleillustrated by Adam HookOsprey Publishing, Oxford2012, 64 pagesISBN: 9781849087315 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Mark Stille was a Commander in the US Navy and has worked in intelligence for over 30 years. He has written widely about naval history in the Pacific. 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 [山本 五十六] is supposed by many to…
…eded in masterfully celebrating the 400th anniversary of the exchange of letters and presents initiated by Kings James I and commemorating the historical figures who were vital to success of the East India Company’s efforts to trade in Japan 400 years ago. The event brought the audience together over tea, that most unifying of all beverages, under this Royal Palace, Banqueting House’s magnificent Rubens ceiling which celebrates the life and ‘wise government’ of King James I. It is difficult to…
After hearing a prophecy that he would become master of a mansion, and later lord of spider web castle, a series of events are set off, this would result in the prophecies becoming true, but through blood and death. The movie brings together forest spirits, traitors, deceit and war into a powerful conclusion. Washizu and his best friend Miki are commanders for the…
It is located near Camden and Mornington Crescent tube stations on Delancey Street, it is bit of a hidden place, but this is also part of its theme – to be a hidden gem which people can enjoy discovering. The owner, chefs, and everyone who works there are extremely friendly; during the launch party they made sure to speak…
The first deals with a man who feels worthless no matter how much he drives up the determination to succeed, and is eventually tempted away from his unpleasant life by an implausible fantasy. The second is a good example of the classic nostalgic tale, where the rose tint falls away on a return to a favourite place of childhood. Both of these act as good insights into Dazai’s personal feelings and bear some resemblance to his…
…ta Far East Asian Film Festival Press Event Film festival From Friday 23 May – Sunday 1 June Review by Mike Sullivan This is the fifth year of the Terracotta Far East Film Festival and it gets bigger and better each time. This year’s press event allowed us to get a preview of the line up of movies as well as see their trailers. It was also a great opportunity to chat to other fellow Asian movie lovers and the organisers of the event. The festival will be taking place at the Prince Charles…
Right in the middle of this troubled setting is Haruko, a student nurse caring for an elderly Mr Takazawa, who will later become our man in the machine. Takazawa yearns for the companionship of his wife, Haru, who we know has already passed away. His yearning is first misdirected towards Haruko (‘Ko’ in Japanese can mean child, placing Haruko as a younger version of the wife that Takazawa has…
2014, 226 pagesISBN-10: 4902075628 Review by Chris Corker Edogawa Rampo (1894-1965) is one of the founding fathers of Japanese detective novels. A prolific writer, he wrote over one hundred and fifty short stories and novels in his long career. Like many famous Japanese novelists, he attended Waseda University but studied economics rather than English Literature. Influenced by early translations of Arthur Conan Doyle and Edgar Allan…
The Japan Society - The Return of Japan’s Long Lost Telescope 日本語English The Japan Society About What is The Japan Society Mission & Overview A Brief History Annual Reports Opportunities News Contact Us Who We Are Trustees Corporate and Institutional Donors Corporate and Institutional Members Education Supporters Individual Donors Staff Join our Mailing List Become a Member Events All Events Business Arts & Culture Today in Japan Special Events Education External Events Become a Member Join…
238 pages including notes, bibliography and index, ISBN-10: 0415704111 ISBN-13: 978-0415704113 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This sociological study is based on painstaking research and contains much interesting material about aspects of the life of young women in modern Japan. The reader needs to bear in mind that, despite constitutional provisions about equality between…
While its promise marginally outweighs its delivery, it is still a commendable, and for the most part, intriguing and addictive work. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
…e Art of Japanese Paper By Nancy Broadbent CasserleyKew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens2013, 64 pagesISBN978 184246 486 1 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This book has been published to coincide with an exhibition of Japanese handmade paper at the gallery of the Norwich University of the Arts from 12 March to 20 April 2013. Nancy Broadbent Casserley, who is a research fellow at the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures in Norwich, is a scholar and curator in the history…
However it seems that he has only done some TV work in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as well as some small parts in recent decades. The movie begins with a bar, Akiko (Rin Takanashi) is arguing on the phone with her boyfriend while close by a female friend listens in while at the same time talking to a man who we never see. It quickly becomes apparent that her boyfriend is suspicious about…
In direct contrast to its name the movie opens to a rather colourless scene, a dreary train station where shadowy figures either sit around or queue to get on a train. They are all the recently deceased. We view the inside of the station in first person, representing the view of someone who recently died and has no voice, their thoughts are shown as…
…ew with Micha Colombo Adapted as a play and directed by Micha ColomboTheatre503London, 14 -18 January 2014 Interview by Susan Meehan Kagami Theatre hopes to tour Woman in the Dunes more widely around the UK in 2014 and is currently preparing for a second round of fundraising in order to make the proposed tour possible. The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation supported the London theatre premiere which received extremely good reviews. It was certainly packed on the last night, when I went to see it…
KhaliliThames and Hudson, 2013, 240 pages, 22 colour illustrationsISBN 978 0 500 239131 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi This handsome and finely illustrated volume is introduced by Gregory Irvine of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Irvine heads his introduction with a quotation from a letter from Vincent van Gogh to his brother in which van Gogh wrote,…
…– And Back: War Drawings 1939-1945 By Ronald SearleSouvenir Press 2006, 192 pagesISBN 0285637452 Review by Sean Curtin This disturbing book was previously reviewed back in Issue 3 (May 2006) by Sir Hugh Cortazzi but is worth examining again as it contains one of the best contemporary visual records of the terrible sufferings endured by the prisoners-of-war who built the Thai-Burma Railway(1). Written narratives are often unable to convey the full horror of the inhuman regime which Ronald…
…na’ and ‘Clash of Empires in South China’ The Battle for China: Essays on the Military History of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-45By Mark Peattie, Edward Drea & Hans van de Ven (eds)Stanford University Press, 2011, 614 pages, 11 illustrations, 14 mapsISBN: 9780804762069 Clash of Empires in South China: The Allied Nations’ Proxy War with Japan, 1935-41By Franco David MacriUniversity of Kansas Press2012,465 pagesISBN-10: 0700618775 Reviews by Ian Nish These two encyclopaedic works merit a more…
…ling on Cedars Directed by Scott Hicksreleased in 2000 and re-released on DVD 2010Based on the 1994 novel by David Guterson127 minutes Review by Michael Sullivan This is a story about the trial of a Japanese American, Kabuo Miyamoto, accused of murdering a white American, Carl Heine, over a land dispute, intertwined within this we see the touching story of the town’s newspaper editor, Ishmael Chambers, as a boy and in a relationship with Kabuo’s present day wife, Hatsue Miyamoto. Both stories,…
While the heavy description can be a little invasive and a hindrance to the narrative, the plight and growth of the characters is compelling enough for the reader to persevere. At times, even amongst the squalor, the cruelty and the suffering, there are moments of beauty that allow the reader and the characters alike to push forwards. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more…
Desperately sad, it ultimately delivers the message of forgiveness. It features fine performances. Jeremy Irvine is a fabulous young Lomax, having skilfully captured Colin Firth’s mannerisms and way of speaking. Firth beautifully captures Lomax’s torment, much in the same way as he did when playing another complex, fragile and wounded character, George in the 2009 film, A Single Man. Nagase is played well by both Tanroh Ishida and Hiroyuki Sanada.…
In the introduction Makiko explains her view that Japanese food has the ability to boost both slimming and natural beauty, furthermore she claims that it is also the perfect fast food for busy people. As can be gathered from the title of the book, there is a focus on becoming slim through eating Japanese cooking. For example, a facts and figures page shows how Japanese people tend to apparently…
…ish Courts and Extra-territoriality in Japan, 1859-1899 By Christopher RobertsGlobal Oriental 2013, Leiden-Boston 442 pages including tables, notes, bibliography and indexISBN 9789004257566 Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi Dr Christopher Roberts is a British lawyer, who formerly practised law in Japan. He has contributed various portraits of British judges and lawyers who practised in 19th century Japan to the series Britain and Japan: Biographical Portraits. In this meticulously researched book, he…
…npo's Mystery Storehouse By various authors Independently published (2025) ISBN-13: 978-8307774892 Review by Shehrazade Zafar-Arif Edogawa Ranpo (1894-1965), also romanized as Edogawa Rampo, spearheaded the golden age of Japanese detective fiction. Known as Japan’s master of the macabre, his ability to manipulate suspense and the grotesque to evoke both horror and terror has influenced countless Japanese writers and film-makers that came after him. But who influenced Ranpo himself? The authors…