Upcoming Events
IN-PERSON EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: Butter by Asako Yuzuki

Date
Monday 14 April 2025
Time
7.00pm
Venue
The Japan Society
13 / 14 Cornwall Terrace
London NW1 4QP
Booking Details
Free for members of The Japan Society
Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Waterstones (translated by Polly Barton)
Japanese version available here
Butter follows reporter Rika, who investigates the enigmatic Yuka, accused of manipulating and murdering men through her culinary charms. As Rika delves deeper into Yuka’s life, she becomes captivated by Yuka’s unapologetic defiance of societal norms and her mastery of cooking. The novel intertwines themes of identity, desire, and self-expression, using food as a metaphor for control and connection. Through Yuka’s complexities, Butter challenges perceptions of femininity, ambition, and moral judgment in modern Japanese society.
Asako Yuzuki, born in Tokyo in 1981, is a prominent Japanese author and graduate in French literature. She debuted in 2008, winning the 88th All Yomimono Prize for New Writers with a story addressing bullying in a Protestant all-girls school in Tokyo. Renowned for her compelling storytelling, Yuzuki has received the Yamamoto Shugorōo Prize and has been nominated multiple times for the prestigious Naoki Prize. Her works, exploring themes of societal norms and identity, have been adapted into television, radio, and film, solidifying her status as a significant voice in contemporary Japanese literature.
If you have any questions, please call The Japan Society office on 020 3075 1996 or email events@japansociety.org.uk.
Booking Info
- You should receive an automated email from The Japan Society to let you know that your booking request has been registered. Please note that your booking is not confirmed until we have checked your details - you will receive a further email once your booking is confirmed.
- If you don't receive any confirmation emails or links, please check your spam folder or email events@japansociety.org.uk.
- If you are not a member of The Japan Society (as an individual or through your employer), please consider becoming a member or making a donation if you can - the recommended donation is £5.
Book a place(s) (members) | Free | |
Book a place(s) (non-members) - With donation | £5.00 | |
Book a place(s) (non-members) - Without donation | Free |