Upcoming Events
ONLINE EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: Voices of the Fallen Heroes by Yukio Mishima

Date
Monday 14 July 2025
Time
7.00pm (BST)
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Booking Details
Online meeting on Zoom
Please register for the meeting in advance from the link below. After registering, you will receive a automated confirmation email with meeting access details (please check your spam folder if you don't receive any emails).
Free for members of The Japan Society
Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Waterstones (edited by Stephen Dodd)
Japanese version available here
Voices of the Fallen Heroes and Other Stories is a collection of short stories by Yukio Mishima, first published in Japanese in the 1960s and available in English for the first time in 2025. The title story features a séance that conjures the spirits of young officers from the Imperial Army and kamikaze pilots of World War II, who express regret over Japan's modern decline. Another story recounts Mishima's real-life encounter with a deranged fan who broke into his home, demanding he "tell the truth." The collection delves into themes of obsession, identity, and the supernatural, offering insight into Mishima's literary exploration during his final decade.
Yukio Mishima (1925-1970) was a Japanese writer, playwright, and essayist born in Tokyo. Mishima graduated from the University of Tokyo, where he studied law. His literary debut came in 1944 with the novel Hanazakari no Mori. His major works include Confessions of a Mask, The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, and The Sea of Fertility tetralogy. Mishima also wrote modern Noh plays and was active in theater and film. Known for his political activism, he founded the Tatenokai militia. Mishima died by seppuku in 1970 after a failed coup attempt.
If you have any questions, please call The Japan Society office on 020 3075 1996 or email events@japansociety.org.uk.