The Japan Society Review

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.

Adapted by John Caird Studio Ghibli’s Oscar-winning Spirited Away is imagined for the stage by Olivier and Tony award-winning director of Les Misérables, John Caird. Review by Michael Tsang

Featuring over 75 exquisite prints, this exhibition journeys from the rich, nostalgic landscapes of the prolific artist and patriarch of the family, Hiroshi to the abstract work of the family’s later and current generations. Review by David Tonge

By Catherine Butler In this book, Catherine Butler explore the multifaceted relationship between British children’s literature and Japan considering its many manifestations in print, on the screen, in tourist locations and throughout Japanese popular culture. Review by Kimberley Reynolds

For this exhibition, prominent Japanese creators were asked the simple question – what does design mean to you? In responding they have chosen artifacts which resonate with them and their practice and have explained what makes them unique to the prefecture and worthy of inclusion in Design Museum Japan. Review by David Tonge

By Frederick Cryns This new biography of William Adams places his life in a wider geopolitical context exploring the political intrigues of the Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and English, the Western nations trading with Japan at the time. Review by Trevor Skingle

By Laura Imai Messina In The Library of Heartbeats, the heart stands out as the central theme, infusing this charismatic tale with depth and resonance. Review by Renae Lucas-Hall

By Yamada Futaro Set in 1869, two decades after the Black Ships forcibly lifted Japan’s policy of isolationism and Western ideas began to flow into the country, The Meiji Guillotine Murders takes place in a fraught but fascinating time of clashing institutions and ideologies Review by Chris Corker

Directed by Hamaguchi Ryusuke Hamaguchi Ryusuke’s new film is without doubt one of the most divisive films of the year. With awards at BFI London Film Festival and Venice Film Festival in 2023 but also with many finding the film puzzling, wanting, or even lacking. Review by Michael Tsang

By Hanako Footman Hanako Footman’s debut novel, Mongrel, follows parallel stories of three Japanese women: Mei, biracial and living in Surrey, Yuki, a musician in London and Haruka a hostess in Tokyo. Review by Shehrazade Zafar-Arif