01/07/2025
Japanese Conversation Group
02/07/2025
ONLINE EVENT - The Japan Society Film Club: Irezumi directed by Yasuzo Masumura
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… Tokyo Ghost Café is a must read that has left me with no critique and a thirst for more. 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
…Ranpo'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…
…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…
…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…
…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…
…ces 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
… [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…
… of 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…
…okyo Games: The Missing Olympics – Japan, the Asian Olympics and the Olympic Movement Routledge, London and New York, 2007, 198 pages. 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…
… 197 of the 393 people who lived in Kamaya also perished: every house in the village was destroyed. 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…
…Years and a Day: 34 Stories By Shibasaki TomokaTranslated by Polly Barton MONKEY by Stone Bridge Press (2025)ISBN: 979-8988688730 Review by Renae Lucas-Hall Shibasaki Tomoka’s latest collection is a masterful exploration of life’s quiet moments, rich with vivid imagery, deep emotional insight, and cultural nuance. As an acclaimed novelist and winner of the Akutagawa Prize for Spring Garden, Shibasaki’s skilful storytelling shines through every story, beautifully rendered in Polly Barton’s…
…o Express is the self-published debut novel of Anglo-Irish writer Una Rose. 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,…
…mpels and engages from the start with its strong ensemble cast and the terrific set of Tokyo, a protagonist in its own right and appearing very photogenically. 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…
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…
…ow Do You Live poses a question to the audience, which the film seeks to answer. 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
… 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…
… 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…
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… on character and plot development, a little stylistic tweaking and a tighter plot line that future novels in this genre by Buckler will hit much closer to the target. (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…
…immerse the reader into the hardship that is Kazu’s life and, as a result, shows a Japanese Government disconnected from the true needs of its lower classes. 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…
…d And Things Forgotten, the three works that open this collection are in many ways the clear standouts here; technical exercises, almost, in showcasing the kind of literary mechanisms outlined above. 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…
… (April 2019, Volume 14, Number 2) The Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari) is arguably Japan’s most celebrated work of literature. 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…
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…
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
…an, at the British Academy for Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) on 14 March 2012. 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…
…ational Short Story Award in September, 2006. 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…
00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Amazon, and Book Depository (*) 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…
30pm (GMT) Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Tony Takitani is available to watch on BFI iPlayer and Amazon UK. The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a…
…nese 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…
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…
…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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…(March 2024, Volume 19, Number 1) The first quarter of 2024 has brought to the UK an exciting array of books, films and events exploring different aspects of Japan. 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 the…
.. 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…
…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…
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…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…
…August 2012, Volume 7, Number 4) In this issue we focus on various aspects of the Japanese movie industry with some stimulating reviews of recent books. 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 Pearl…
…oike, Governor of Tokyo: The City of Tokyo as a Financial and Tourist Centre - Photos On 3 February, during a short visit to London, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike joined a special event with the Japan Society, kindly hosted by WTW where we were welcomed by Nobuto Ota, MD Japan Global Practice Group. She spoke about her vision for Tokyo as a centre for innovation and the potential for investment and growth, while also reminding the audience of the region's charms as a tourist destination. Governor…
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…
… the feel of a Ryu Murakami novel (e.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…
…the Showa Era [わが人生の歌がたり 昭和の青春] 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 the initial period of rapid postwar economic growth following the period…
…vice 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…
…VENT - Japan Society Film Club: Tokyo Godfathers directed by Kon Satoshi Wednesday 2 December 2020 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 2 December 2020 Time6.30pm Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Tokyo Godfathers is available to rent and/or buy online in Microsoft Store, iTunes and Amazon Prime Video, and in DVD from different retailers. The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its…
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…
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…
…VENT - Japan Society Book Club: The Last Children of Tokyo by Yoko Tawada Monday 14 November 2022 / 7:00pm DateMonday 14 November 2022Time7.00pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is…
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…
30pm Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Kwaidan is available on BFI player with subscription and free on Internet Archive Do you love Japanese film classics, anime or contemporary cinema stories? Do you miss Japan and want to see it at least on screen? Would you like to learn and…
…ki 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…
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…
…guage of our writing is a strange land where we travel’. 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 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
…oike, Governor of Tokyo: The City of Tokyo as a Financial and Tourist Centre Friday 3 February 2023 / 12:30pm DateFriday 3 February 2023Time12.30 - 1.30pmVenueWTW51 Lime StreetLondon EC3M 7DQBooking DetailsFree of charge Booking essential Booking deadline: 31 January 2023 We are delighted to welcome Ms Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo, to share with members of the Japan Society her vision for Tokyo’s continued development as a global city. She will focus particularly on Tokyo Metropolitan…
…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…
…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…
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…
…f Japan: A Continuing Story - 1950 to the Present Day -- Members Discount Discount Japan Society members price:£22.50 per copy (including postage and packaging - UK only)Standard price: £24.95 per copy (plus postage and packaging)To obtain your discount, please download the promo flyer here (word document). Please follow the instructions in the flyer and remember to quote the discount code: 13JAPAN. The Call of Japan: A Continuing Story - 1950 to the Present DayHans BrinckmannRenaissance Books…
…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…
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
…e which touches upon a number of different perspectives and meanings, besides the main story around Umi and Shun we constantly see reminders of how Japan was going through a process of renewal. 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…
30pm Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Onibaba is available on BFI player and Mubi with subscription and on Amazon Prime Video (rent & buy). Do you love Japanese film classics, anime or contemporary cinema stories? Do you miss Japan and want to see it at least on screen?…
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…
…ite Pyjamas: An Oxford Poet Trains with the Tokyo Riot Police Phoenix Publications, 1999, 320 pages. 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…
…ossom: 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…
Regular readers will know that I have been especially interested in the pioneering work on a Covid-19 vaccine being done at Oxford University’s Jenner Institute, not out of loyalty to my alma mater but out of a belief that the remarkable speed of their work, amid an unprecedented level of global scientific collaboration and research investment by universities and companies in many…
…NT - The Japan Society Book Club: Voices of the Fallen Heroes by Yukio Mishima Monday 14 July 2025 / 7:00pm DateMonday 14 July 2025Time7.00pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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).…
…th 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, mislaid?…
…ned audience feels more of an enigma: fans of the anime, certainly, those with an interest in Japan, likewise. 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…
…th 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…
…ar or not, you at least have to give him credit for expanding Murakami Haruki’s source text – a short story of a few pages – into a three-hour full feature film. 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…
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…view 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…
30pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Please remember to watch the film in advance. Hafu is available to watch on Amazon UK and Vimeo on demand. The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to…
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…
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…
…ch is also a testament to the translator who has skilfully retained the poetry and beauty of the original. 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 of Animism and Story Making in Manga: 2-Session Workshop with Fumio Obata Tuesday 4 - Tuesday 11 August 2020 / 2:00pm Date & TimeSession 1: Tuesday, 4 August 2020 - 2:00pm to 3:30pm (1.5hr)Session 2: Tuesday, 11 August 2020 - 2:00pm to 3:30pm (1.5hr) Booking DetailsOnline EventFree - Booking essentialPriority bookiing for Japan Society members and their families until 26 July. This workshop will be delivered over 2 sessions, and participants must attend both sessions. The artist will provide…
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 as…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (28) Dear Japan Society members and friendsThere is much in common between Britain and Japan, but one thing that certainly differentiates us is our relationship to Mother Nature. We British are fortunate to have weather that even at its wildest is none too extreme, a stable geology and fauna that presents few dangers to life, limb or even livestock. Where I used to live on Exmoor it is true that occasionally a driver would come off badly in a late-night collision with one…
…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…
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…
…dly 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
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…
…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…
…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…
…VENT - Tokyo Rose: the Fascinating Life of Iva Toguri Thursday 28 October 2021 / 6:30pm DateThursday 28 October 2021Time6.30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline LectureFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people.…
… a housekeeper, after all, expressly charged with feeding the Hirai household. 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…
…ue 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
… (June 2019, Volume 14, Number 3) Welcome to the June issue of The Japan Society Review. 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…
…e 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…
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…he 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…
…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 –…
… Scrooge (Sukuru-ji Ongaku-Kyogen), a combination of music (ongaku), the comic intermissions of Noh theatre (kyogen), and A Christmas Carol. 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…
…tershocks: Stories from the Japan Earthquake By The Quakebook Community (www.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…
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…
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 (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Belle is available to watch on BFI Player, YouTube, Apple TV, Rakuten TV, Google Play and other platforms. The activities of the Japan Society are made…
…VENT - The Japan Society Film Club: Godzilla Anniversary Special Wednesday 4 December 2024 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 4 December 2024Time6.30pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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).…
…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,…
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. It…
…t 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…
…m an Autumn of Emergencies: Selections from the Wartime Diaries of Ordinary Japanese. 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…
30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Dark Water is available to rent or buy on Rakuten TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Microsoft Store, and Apple iTunes, as well as on…
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…
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…
…ed Japan with complex problems, parallel realities, and anxieties similar to our own? 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
… of Japan: A Continuing Story - 1950 to the Present Day By Hans Brinckmann Renaissance Books (2020) ISBN-13: 978-1912961146 Review by Roger Buckley Confessions for starters. 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…
00pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Amazon and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and…
…n interpretation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the story is focused around Washizu who is a general for the lord of spider web castle. 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…
…ma 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…
… (February 2020, Volume 15, Number 1) Welcome to the first issue of The Japan Society Review in 2020. 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…
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…
…arkness’ – 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 would…
… language of the body”. Tarinainanika performed “Tokyo Fugue”, a bilingual physical theatre piece, set in Tokyo. The show brings to life the experience of travelling on the Tokyo trains and includes video projections of images of Tokyo. Following this, students took part in a workshop to learn about the expressive power of the body, using the theatrical art of corporeal mime. A short film about life in Japan made especially for the occasion by the students of the Montessori School in Tokyo was…
…al language of the body”. Tarinainanika performed “Tokyo Fugue”, a bilingual physical theatre piece, set in Tokyo. The show brings to life the experience of travelling on the Tokyo trains and includes video projections of images of Tokyo. Following this, students took part in a workshop to learn about the expressive power of the body, using the theatrical art of corporeal mime. A short film about life in Japan made especially for the occasion by the students of the Montessori School in Tokyo…
…al language of the body”. Tarinainanika performed “Tokyo Fugue”, a bilingual physical theatre piece, set in Tokyo. The show brings to life the experience of travelling on the Tokyo trains and includes video projections of images of Tokyo. Following this, students took part in a workshop to learn about the expressive power of the body, using the theatrical art of corporeal mime. A short film about life in Japan made especially for the occasion by the students of the Montessori School in Tokyo…
… language of the body”. Tarinainanika performed “Tokyo Fugue”, a bilingual physical theatre piece, set in Tokyo. The show brings to life the experience of travelling on the Tokyo trains and includes video projections of images of Tokyo. Following this, students took part in a workshop to learn about the expressive power of the body, using the theatrical art of corporeal mime. A short film about life in Japan made especially for the occasion by the students of the Montessori School in Tokyo was…
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 has…
…re for the Arts and their Institutions with Mami Kataoka and Rebecca Salter Tuesday 14 July 2020 / 11:00am DateTuesday 14 July 2020Time11.00am to 12.00 noon (BST) Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend and do not have a membership…
…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…
…3 (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…
The Japan Society - Professor Munakata’s Museum Adventure 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…
30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Late Spring is available to watch on BFI, Amazon UK and Apple TV. It will also be screened at Japan House London on 16 and 19 April 2023 as part of the…
…yal 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…
… True Story of Courage By James BradleyLittle, Brown and Company (2003)ISBN: 0-316-10584-8 Review by Tomohiko Taniguchi This book is about airplanes, WWII warplanes in particular. 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…
…of Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son: In Conversation with Lionel Barber - Photos On Monday 18 November, we were delighted to host Lionel Barber, former editor of the Financial Times, for an insightful discussion on his book Gambling Man: The Secret Story of the World's Greatest Disruptor, Masayoshi Son. Joined by The Japan Society Chair Bill Emmott, Lionel shared fascinating stories about Masayoshi Son’s extraordinary career and influence in the tech world. Explore photos and highlights from this…
40pm for 6.00pm start VenueBaker McKenzie280 BishopsgateLondon EC2M 4AG Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential Please note this event is now fully booked. Please help us to keep this event free and open to all! The Japan Society is a charity and its activities are made possible thanks to the support of its members. If you are…
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…
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…
Instead, it exposes the violence of oppressive social structures, and the agency of women in not simply enduring their lot, but turning their pain into wrath. Far from a fast paced thriller, Enchi eschews spectacle for silent devastation, relying on silent brutality and the moral depravity of human behaviour, haunting through what it withholds. Deliberate, elegant and deeply unsettling, Enchi’s novel continues to resonate long…
…VENT - Japan Society Book Club: Where the Wild Ladies Are by Aoko Matsuda Monday 12 July 2021 / 7:00pm DateMonday 12 July 2021 Time7.00pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Tilted Axis, AbeBooks, Amazon and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is…
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…
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…
…s a thought-provoking collection that offers a window into the complexities of human relationships and societal expectations in modern Japan. 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.…
30pm Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. An Actor's Revenge is available on BFI player with subscription. The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a…
… Thrift Shop – a similarly offbeat romance – tells the story of newly appointed shop assistant Hitomi, as she gets to know her eccentric group of customers and co-workers. 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…
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…
…– 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…
…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…
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…
…NT - Making Senbei Since 1909: The Story of Domoto Seika Saturday 9 October 2021 / 11:00am DateSaturday 9 October 2021Time11.00am (BST) For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential All are welcome to attend. Japan Society members attending from the UK will receive* a complimentary sample pack of Domoto Seika rice crackers, including unbaked ones to cook at home, together with an A4 folder…
…ead: Japan and the World in 2022 Thursday 24 February 2022 / 8:00am DateThursday 24 February 2022Time8.00 - 9.00am (GMT)5.00 - 6.00pm (JST)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsOnline Event - Registration essentialFree to membersNon-members price: £5 With 2022 now up and running, we join the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ) and International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) to cast our eyes over what the Year of the Tiger might have in store... Lingering travel bans…
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…
Using these resources you can either: • Print out and make your own kamishibai cards• Tell the stories using the presentations Many of these kamishibai are also available to loan. See here for more information. Popular traditional stories Momotaro – Peach Boy The story of a boy found in a peach, who goes on an adventure to defeat the monsters terrorising his village. Suitable for both KS1 and KS2. Kaguya Hime - The Moon Princess (aka…
…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…
…rs takes place in Japan on the day that celebrates “the Festival of the Milky Way”. 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.…
… 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
…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, upwards…
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…
…om the book are going toward projects aimed at rebuilding the parts of Iwate that were so terribly damaged by the events of March 2011. 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…
…ueten-Hanami (Cherry Blossoms: Hanami) 2008, 127 minutesReview by Susan Meehan “Cherry Blossoms: Hanami” is a beautiful life-affirming and enhancing film inspired by Yasujiro Ozu’s “Tokyo Story.” 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,…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (47) Dear Japan Society members and friends What news item struck you most over the past week or two? There has certainly been plenty going on both in Japan and the UK, what with the COP26 United Nations climate negotiations in Glasgow, a Lower House election in Japan which the opposition flunked and from which Prime Minister Kishida came out well, a dramatic U-turn by the British government over the enforcement of Parliamentary standards, and we have all watched the state…
…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…
…e an actor who we must have seen somewhere before, this is because he is quite simply amazing in this movie. 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…
… original telling of the bombing of Hiroshima that disengages from the trans-historical and makes this event more human, more tangible. 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 too,…
…ht 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…
…-provoking story, which won’t soon lose its relevance to the contemporary world. 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
…ciety 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…
…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…
…hat isn’t afraid to bend conventions and use the surreal to disorientate the reader. 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
…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…
…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…
…d 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 twentieth…
…ed in 1997 with the aim of publishing European classics. 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
…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…
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…amamugi is the most recent English language publication to attempt to explain the wider context which led to this incident and its repercussions. 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…
…nversation, we can only hope that the future will see more inclusion and support for disabled people. [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
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…
00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Book Depository Japanese version available here We are planning to have a bonenkai (‘end-of-year party’) after the meeting. If you are interested in joining the dinner please let us know in the booking form.…
… to Contribute *Please note, we are no longer accepting entries for Haiku Corner* We invite poets, writers and people of any age and expertise to share their haiku by clicking the red button below and using the form Maximum entries: One haiku per person per week. Additional entries will not be accepted. Weekly deadline: Fridays at 12.00 noon (UK Time). Every week we will select one haiku among those received the week prior and post it as the Haiku of the Week on this page and on our social…
…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…
…NT - The Japan Society Film Club: Funeral Parade of Roses directed by Toshio Matsumoto Wednesday 4 September 2024 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 4 September 2024Time6.30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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…
30pm (GMT) For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Departures is available on BFI player with subscription. Do you love Japanese film classics, anime or contemporary cinema stories? Do you…
00pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Amazon and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and…
…, Everyone, features Gaku Hamada (濱田岳) as the main character Satoru Watarai, this is the fifth time that he has starred in a Nakamura movie. 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…
…ew 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 veteran…
…VENT - The Japan Society Film Club: The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice by Yasujiro Ozu Wednesday 5 June 2024 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 5 June 2024Time6.30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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…
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…
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…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (41) Dear Japan Society members and friends The news came as quite a shock, as it may do now to those Japan Society members not yet aware of it: that Sir Roger Gifford, who spoke so warmly and cheerfully at our webinar on green finance on 19 May, passed away at his home less than a week later, on 25 May. He had apparently been suffering for some time from myeloma, a form of cancer, but although clearly under the weather at our event he made light of it and would not let it…
…arden: 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…
…h-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 Japanese…
…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…
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
30pm Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Film available at the BFI player with subscription and on DVD/Blu-Ray Please note this event is now fully booked Do you love Japanese film classics, anime or contemporary cinema stories? Do you miss Japan and want to see it at least on screen? Would you like to learn and discuss about…
…ai Set Kamishibai is a traditional storytelling technique popularised by travelling performers who visited rural communities to tell stories using picture boards slotted into a theatre-style wooden frame. These simple versions of storyboards consist of a set of pictures with the story written on the reverse, designed to be held by the storyteller. This format lends itself to various classroom activities. Our Japan in Your Classroom volunteers frequently use kamishibai in their school visits and…
…ai Set Subject: Other Topics / English Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Loan Resources / Other Kamishibai is a traditional storytelling technique popularised by travelling performers who visited rural communities to tell stories using picture boards slotted into a theatre-style wooden frame. These simple versions of storyboards consist of a set of pictures with the story written on the reverse, designed to be held by the storyteller. This…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (9) Dear Japan Society members and friends There can be no doubt that the pandemic and associated lockdown has at times been a test for our imaginations, although the idea of taking a nearly 60-mile drive to test your eyesight did rather take the imaginative biscuit this week. Moving swiftly on from that dismal tale – although I can’t resist commenting that one thing currently uniting the UK and Japan is that both our governments’ approval ratings have recently plummeted –…
…e West: An Architectural Dialogue, Jackson’s book opens with a passage on the first Japanese emissaries in Europe in the late sixteenth century. 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…
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…
… 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…
…eautiful, it also makes clear arguments for Noh’s relevance to the contemporary world. 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 - 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…
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,…
…nsitively made film depicting the horrors of war. 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…
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…
45pm VenueThe Swedenborg Society20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Hall entrance on Barter St)London WC1A 2TH[Map] Booking DetailsFree- Booking essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are…
The Japan Society - I Just Didn’t Do It 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 - 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…
… Japan, despite its nomination for the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature at the 2025 Academy Awards. 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…
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…
…NT - Japan Society Book Club: The Frolic of the Beast by Yukio Mishima Monday 14 September 2020 / 7:00pm DateMonday 14 September 2020 Time7.00pm Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Book Depository and AmazonJapanese version available here Inspired from the classic Noh play ‘Motomezuka’, The Frolic of the Beast follows the university student Koji after having been discharged from prison. The plot gradually develops into a strange love story,…
…: 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…
30pm (GMT) VenueAshmolean Museum of Art and ArchaeologyUniversity of OxfordBeaumont StreetOxford OX1 2PH Booking DetailsFree – Members of the Japan Society only.Please note that due to the museum’s restrictions, places are extremely limited and early booking is recommended. THIS EVENT IS FULLY BOOKED If you would like to be added to the waiting list, please email us at events@japansoci…
…The True Story of the Legendary African Samurai By Thomas Lockley and Geoffrey GirardSphere (2019)ISBN-13: 978-0751571615 Review by Laurence Green Yasuke loomed over them focused, undaunted. 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…
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…
…ional Financial Centres: the Future for London & Tokyo Thursday 11 June 2020 / 11:00am DateThursday 11 June 2020Time11.00am to 12.00 noon (BST) Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend and do not have a membership subscription as an individual…
…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…
of Tokyo Friday 24 January 2020 / 12:30pm DateFriday 24 January 2020Time12.30pm for 1.00pmLight refreshments will be served on arrival from 12.30 – 1.00pm VenueNomura International plcOne Angel LaneLondon EC4R 3AB Booking DetailsFree – Booking essential We are delighted to welcome Professor Gonokami, President of the University of Tokyo to speak to the Japan Society during a brief visit to London. This is an important and…
00am- 10.00am (BST)5.00pm – 6.00pm (JST)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning 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…
…Video - International Financial Centres: the Future for London & Tokyo On Thursday 11 June 2020, Japan Society members and friends were invited to participate in the tenth event in our Webinar Series: International Financial Centres: the Future for London & Tokyo. In this webinar we look to the futures of our two national and financial capitals, London and Tokyo, with Michael Mainelli, Executive Chairman Z/Yen, and Hiroshi Nakaso, Chairman FinCity Tokyo, joining Japan Society chairman, Bill…
00pm VenueYamamoto Keiko Rochaix19 Goulston StLondonE1 7TPThe basement gallery is accessible via stairs only. If you require special assistance, please contact in advance on events@japansociety.org.uk or 020 3075 1996. Booking DetailsBooking essential - FreePlease note that spaces are limited and so early booking is recommended. The Japan Society welcomes members and friends to an…
…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…
…ea 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 was thrilled to receive so many entries from both schools and individuals and would like to thank everyone for their support of this year’s contest. This year, entrants were asked to compose their own haiku on the theme of Family and submit it with accompanying artwork for a chance to win a Canon digital camera, awarded to the top 3 Grand Prize winners. This year, the 3 top entries worldwide will receive flights to Japan for an awards ceremony.…
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…
… (August 2011, Volume 6, Number 4) In this issue we explore Japan’s involvement in Manchuria with four reviews looking at books covering different aspects of this period and its bitter aftermath. 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…
… – Orientation 2023 The JYC Blog - August Orientation To celebrate the start of this new initiative, members of the Japan Youth Collective took part in a two-day orientation, packed with events and activities to foster a growing passion for Japanese culture. On the first day, the group was welcomed by the Japan Society Education Team; Sam Thorne, Director General & CEO of Japan House London; and Jenny White, Chief Executive of the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, before participating in…
00pm(reception afterwards from 4.00pm) VenueSt. Chad's ChurchSeighfordStafford, ST18 9PQ Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialThis event is organised by Japan400 who kindly offer a limited number of places to members of The Japan Society and their guests only Spaces are limited, so please book early for this unique occasion. Richard Cocks, Head of the East India Company’s English Trading House in Japan,…
…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…
…Video - After Tokyo 2020: Discussing Post-Games Japan On Thursday 9 September, Japan Society chairman Bill Emmott was joined in conversation by Robert Whiting, author of the recent book Tokyo Junkie: 60 Years of Bright Lights and Back Alleys... and Baseball, to assess what the recent Games have meant for Japan and the world, culturally, economically and politically, while looking also at how Tokyo has evolved since the 1964 Olympics. The video of the webinar is now available on the Japan…
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…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (14) Dear Japan Society members and friends As a boy I was always more interested in subjects like history and geography than in science, but for some reason I have always remembered watching Professor Eric Laithwaite of Imperial College giving a lecture about magnetic levitation, a topic which as with many of the greatest technological innovations seemed to the youthful me to be akin watching magic. I think it must have been one of the Royal Institution's Christmas…
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…
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. Back…
…and 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…
…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…
…ng BlossomsOur member Laurence Green sent us a number of photos from the spring he spent in Japan in 2018. The main photo here shows the Kyū-Furukawa Gardens in Tokyo. The Western-style mansion was designed by English architect Josiah Conder for Baron Toranosuke Furukawa and were completed in 1917. I've always thought of the mansion and its tranquil gardens as richly evocative of Japan's Taisho era, and a fascinating melding of Japanese and English aesthetics - there's even a rose garden, right…
…he Three Pagodas Pass: The Story of the Thai-Burma Railway By Yoshihiko FutamasuTranslated with a forword by Ewart EscrittEdited and introduced by Peter N. 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…
…mmute, Japanese Customs and way of Life viewed from the Odakyu Line By A. 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.…
…spired Karaoke PlaylistChristopher Hood details his music playlist that he uses for inspiration when it's time to take the stage at a karaoke event. My go-to Karaoke Song by Christopher Hood (@HoodCP) On my phone I have a playlist called ‘Like a night out in Tokyo’ (the reason for this title will become clear as you read on) in which I have a collection of songs that I like to attempt at karaoke. I cannot say more than ‘attempt’ as I am largely tone-deaf when it comes to singing and so anything…
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…
…compassion and other human emotions, can really give the quality of care needed for a human being. 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…
…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…
…ety Book Club: Tokyo Ueno Station by Miri Yu Monday 9 March 2020 / 7:00pm DateMonday 9 March 2020Time7.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Book Depository and AmazonJapanese version available here Tokyo Ueno Station follows Kazu – the main protagonist as he reflects on his tough, hardscrabble life involving numerous tragic incidents. Consequently Kazu is driven into poverty and…
…ympics in Queen's Park Applicant: Inhouse EventsAward: £1000Field: Arts, CultureSupport for: workshops Project: To coincide with the Tokyo Olympic Games, Queen’s Park Arena in Glasgow ran a series of drop in calligraphy workshops to run alongside a film festival screening Japanese films. The workshops were open to anyone of any age and ability and completely free to attend. Approximately 120 people took part over 2 days and enjoyed not only learning about a traditional Japanese artform, but…
…pics in Queen's Park Applicant: Inhouse EventsAward: £1000Field: Arts, CultureSupport for: workshops Project: To coincide with the Tokyo Olympic Games, Queen’s Park Arena in Glasgow ran a series of drop in calligraphy workshops to run alongside a film festival screening Japanese films. The workshops were open to anyone of any age and ability and completely free to attend. Approximately 120 people took part over 2 days and enjoyed not only learning about a traditional Japanese artform, but also…
…ympics in Queen's Park Applicant: Inhouse EventsAward: £1000Field: Arts, CultureSupport for: workshops Project: To coincide with the Tokyo Olympic Games, Queen’s Park Arena in Glasgow ran a series of drop in calligraphy workshops to run alongside a film festival screening Japanese films. The workshops were open to anyone of any age and ability and completely free to attend. Approximately 120 people took part over 2 days and enjoyed not only learning about a traditional Japanese artform, but…
…pics in Queen's Park Applicant: Inhouse EventsAward: £1000Field: Arts, CultureSupport for: workshops Project: To coincide with the Tokyo Olympic Games, Queen’s Park Arena in Glasgow ran a series of drop in calligraphy workshops to run alongside a film festival screening Japanese films. The workshops were open to anyone of any age and ability and completely free to attend. Approximately 120 people took part over 2 days and enjoyed not only learning about a traditional Japanese artform, but also…
…N EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: The Story of a Single Woman by Chiyo Uno Monday 9 June 2025 / 7:00pm DateMonday 9 June 2025Time7.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for members of The Japan Society Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Waterstones (translated by Rebecca Copeland)Japanese version available here Please note this event is fully booked. Please use the form below to be added to the waiting list. Please help us to keep…
…NT - Japan Society Book Club: The Old Capital by Yasunari Kawabata Monday 12 October 2020 / 7:00pm DateMonday 12 October 2020 Time7.00pm Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Book Depository and AmazonJapanese version available here The Old Capital is one of the three novels cited specifically by the Nobel Committee when they awarded Kawabata the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968. With the ethereal tone and aesthetic styling characteristic 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…
45pm (BST) Booking DetailsFree of charge - all welcome Booking deadline: Monday 18 May - 5.00pm (BST) We are taking our monthly Japan Society lecture online in May, and are delighted to welcome Dr Jamie Coates to discuss his film Tokyo Pengyou and his research into a migrant community in Tokyo. Please join us as we travel virtually to Japan! Jamie Coates’ ethnographic…
… the characters really did exist (the shogun, the princess and the three thousand women of the palace, to start) and Lesley Downer has weaved her story into a concrete time and place. 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…
…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…
…ls the story of Sachiko and her English husband Harry, a couple who have recently relocated from Tokyo to the fictional village of Taro in Fukushima Prefecture. 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…
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…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (50) Dear Japan Society members and friends Long ago, I remember being on a visit to Moscow when a kind local resident advised me that if I wanted to understand something of Russia’s history, culture and even the Russian mentality I should be sure to fit in a visit to the Tretyakov Gallery and take a look at its remarkable collection of Russian art. It is perhaps a sign of these terrible times that when I looked up the gallery on the internet in order to get that link, I…
…og – November 2023 The JYC Blog - November In November, the group returned to Japan House London. This month's theme was A Deeper Dive, a chance for The Japan Youth Collective to think more closely about their particular interests in Japan and the skills they would need to find out more. At the Catch-up session, they met Japanese Freelance journalist Misato Kimura who shared stories from his career and imparted his advice and top research tips. The group was also joined by Maddie Rose Baker,…
30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Ran is available to rent or buy on Rakuten TV, Amazon Prime Video and Google Play, as well as on BFI player with subscription. The activities of…
30pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Perfect Blue is available to watch online on Asian Movies (with membership), and to buy on DVD & Blu Ray. The activities of The Japan…
…VENT - Japan Society Film Club: Grave of the Fireflies directed by Isao Takahata Wednesday 4 August 2021 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 4 August 2021Time6.30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Grave of the Fireflies is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Microsoft Store, and Apple iTunes. The activities of the…
30pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Love Life is available to watch in UK/Ireland cinemas from 15 September and on BFI Player. The activities of The Japan Society are made possible…
30pm (GMT) For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. High and Low is available on BFI player with subscription. Do you love Japanese film classics, anime or contemporary cinema stories? Do…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (21) Dear Japan Society members and friendsEvery generation, as they get older, sees things happening among younger people that allows them to conclude that society must have gone mad. For me, in recent years one of those signs has been the growing popularity of tattoos, with the accompanying arrival in towns large and small of a proliferation of tattoo parlours. As an economist I can understand that a natural consequence of the decline of physical retailing in the face of…
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
…to be an entertaining blockbuster that, while sometimes overt in its use of pathos, for the most part earns its emotional highs and lows. 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 films…
00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AmazonJapanese version available here The activities of The Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people.…
30pm Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. No Regrets for Our Youth is available to watch on BFI Player It will also be screened at the BFI on Monday 2 January (12.45pm) and Tuesday 10 January (8.40pm) To celebrate the BFI’s major retrospective of the work of the…
…neous Experts ISHIGURO TOSEY, Alice Intercultural Learnig, Typography, Communication Design & Partipatory Design Type of activity: WorkshopAvailable to travel: London and locations within 100 miles accessible by trainAge range: 6 to 18 years oldNumber of participants: Up to 15 email: hello@alicetosey.co.ukwebsite: www.aliceishigurotosey.co.uk Alice has been working as an independent creative since 2021. Having lived and worked in bothLondon and Tokyo, she’s gained over twelve years industry…
…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…
…VENT - The Japan Society Book Club: Scattered All Over the Earth by Yoko Tawada Monday 10 March 2025 / 7:00pm DateMonday 10 March 2025Time7.00pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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…
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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…
…inger & 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…
…rd for Excellent Animation of the Year at the 34th Japan Academy Prizes, and at the 65th Mainichi Film Awards it won the Animation Film Award. 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…
…VENT - Japan Society Film Club: The Funeral directed by Juzo Itami Wednesday 4 January 2023 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 4 January 2023Time6.30pm Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. The Funeral is available to watch on Asian Movies Online. Do you love Japanese film classics, anime or contemporary cinema stories? Do you miss Japan and want to see it at least on screen? Would you like to learn and discuss about Japanese…
Film Screening, Talk and Book Signing Thursday 28 September 2023 / 6:30pm DateThursday 28 September 2023Time6.30pm VenueLodge Room No.11The Freemasons’ HallGreat Queen StreetLondon WC2 Booking DetailsBooking essential Members and their guests: £12.00Non-members: £18.00 The Last Ring Home is an award-winning book and documentary film by author and producer Minter Dial. It tells the story of his grandfather US Navy Lt. Minter Dial, and the Naval Academy ring he lost when he was a…
… and 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…
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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…
…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
…aste is a tender story chronicling the unlikely bond between an ex con and an elderly lady with a shadowy past. 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…
…ier years, and Tsukuru is a relatable protagonist who can fit into the system but struggles to truly belong in society. 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 who…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (25) Dear Japan Society members and friends“In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone…”It feels a bit early to quote a Christmas carol, with Hallowe’en only just behind us and the weather not even very cold. Mind you, to an Englishman of my generation the celebration of Hallowe’en feels rather alien, since although Japan long ago adopted this American festival of pumpkins, ghosts and ‘trick or treat’, it is a much more…
…Salon with Jesper and Bill in which our chairman Bill Emmott teams up with Jesper Koll, longtime Tokyo resident and one of the most keenly watched economists and investment strategists in that town, to discuss what's new in the Japanese economy, business, financial markets and more. In this session, their special guest will be Professor Takako Hikotani, senior fellow at the Asia Society Japan and Professor of Gakushuin University, with whom they will be discussing the latest developments in…
…w with Violinist Midori Komachi Interview by Mike Sullivan Midori Komachi is an up and coming violinist whose debut album was released in April and who regularly holds concerts around the world. 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 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…
…ess chain of Sundays, and for the first time I eagerly awaited Monday. 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
…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…
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…
…is recommended reading for the uninitiated reader and diehard Abe fan alike. 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
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…
…ety Chairman's Blog (34) Dear Japan Society members and friends The "Basic Policy" for the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games is as clear as it is uplifting. “When people look back on the Tokyo 2020 Games in 50 or 100 years’ time”, the policy says, “the Games should be seen to have been a catalyst for change in culture, society and values leading to the realisation of a more sustainable, spiritually richer, happier society”. One of the Games’s three “core concepts” is stated to be…
The Japan Society - The Devil’s Whisper 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…
…e Wild Things Are: Why You Should Leave Tokyo and Cycle the Length of Japan Wednesday 12 March 2025 / 6:45pm DateWednesday 12 March 2025 *Please note this event is taking place on a different day to our regular Lectures Series. Time6.45pm VenueThe Swedenborg Society20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Hall entrance on Barter St)London WC1A 2TH[Map] Booking DetailsFree- Booking essential Please help us to keep this event free and open to all! The activities of The Japan Society are made possible thanks to the…
30pm for 6.00pmVenueNomura International plcOne Angel LaneLondon EC4R 3AB Booking DetailsFree - Booking essential This event is open to everyone, with members given priority In March 2024, the World Bank ranked Japan last of OECD nations for gender equality, while the World Economic Forum’s 2023 ‘Global Gender Gap’ ranked Japan 125th out of 146 countries. While Japan facilitates women doing well in…
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.…
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…
00 - 7.00pm VenueBrunei Gallery Lecture Theatre (BGLT)SOAS, University of London Thornhaugh StreetRussell SquareLondon WC1B 5DQ You can also opt to attend this event online Booking DetailsFree and open to all We are delighted to invite you to join us in conversation with Rebecca Salter, artist and President of the Royal Academy of Arts. Rebecca spent six years living in Kyoto while…
…ensions – implications for China, the US, Japan and Europe Monday 12 September 2022 / 1:00pm DateMonday 12 September 2022Time1.00 - 2.00pm (BST)9.00 - 10.00pm (JST)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential As tensions increase around the island of Taiwan, Japan Society chair Bill Emmott is joined by two experts who have long watched the ebb and flow of politics and diplomatic relations in the region: Yasuhiro Matsuda, professor at the…
…ng the World to Save It: Aum Shinrikyou, Apocalyptic Violence and the New Global Terrorism By Robert Jay LiftonHenry Holt and Company Inc. 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…
30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Ugetsu is available on BFI player with subscription. The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This…
…n Search of the Japanese Mountain Witch Edited by Rebecca Copeland and Linda C. 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…
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
…VENT - Japan Society Film Club: The Happiness of the Katakuris directed by Takashi Miike Wednesday 2 March 2022 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 2 March 2022 Time6.30pm Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. The Happiness of the Katakuris is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Apple TV, as well as on Arrow Films with subscription. Do you love Japanese film classics, anime or contemporary…
…NT - The Japan Society Film Club: Sansho the Bailiff directed by Kenji Mizoguchi Wednesday 5 March 2025 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 5 March 2025Time6.30pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease register for the meeting in advance from the link below. After registering, you will receive an automated confirmation email with meeting access details (please check your spam folder if you don't receive any…
… (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…
…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,…
…– 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…
…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…
…Ie/Stormy House Applicant: Whitestone ArtsAward: £1000Field: ArtsSupport for: interpreter fees for workshops Project: Arashi No Ie (or Stormy House) is an Anglo-Japanese installation/performance project initiated by Whitestone Arts to explore the ghosts of Wuthering Heights through the prism of traditional ghost stories from Japan. Through a series of creative workshops, Whitestone Arts and partners enlisted the help of two esteemed artists from Japan (Dancer Ima Tenko and Calligrapher Misuzu…
…Ie/Stormy House Applicant: Whitestone ArtsAward: £1000Field: ArtsSupport for: interpreter fees for workshops Project: Arashi No Ie (or Stormy House) is an Anglo-Japanese installation/performance project initiated by Whitestone Arts to explore the ghosts of Wuthering Heights through the prism of traditional ghost stories from Japan. Through a series of creative workshops, Whitestone Arts and partners enlisted the help of two esteemed artists from Japan (Dancer Ima Tenko and Calligrapher Misuzu…
…o Ie/Stormy House Applicant: Whitestone ArtsAward: £1000Field: ArtsSupport for: interpreter fees for workshops Project: Arashi No Ie (or Stormy House) is an Anglo-Japanese installation/performance project initiated by Whitestone Arts to explore the ghosts of Wuthering Heights through the prism of traditional ghost stories from Japan. Through a series of creative workshops, Whitestone Arts and partners enlisted the help of two esteemed artists from Japan (Dancer Ima Tenko and Calligrapher Misuzu…
…o Ie/Stormy House Applicant: Whitestone ArtsAward: £1000Field: ArtsSupport for: interpreter fees for workshops Project: Arashi No Ie (or Stormy House) is an Anglo-Japanese installation/performance project initiated by Whitestone Arts to explore the ghosts of Wuthering Heights through the prism of traditional ghost stories from Japan. Through a series of creative workshops, Whitestone Arts and partners enlisted the help of two esteemed artists from Japan (Dancer Ima Tenko and Calligrapher Misuzu…
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…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…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (17) Dear Japan Society members and friendsHistorians will tell us that four months is far too short a time for permanent social or behavioural changes to occur, even if the pandemic already feels as if it has lasted forever. But one thing that really is clear is that those months have proven that video communications technologies such as Zoom are mature and easy enough for widespread use. Some days all of us feel “Zoomed out” and we’d love to have some face-to-face events…
…April 2011, Volume 6, Number 2) In this issue we focus on contemporary themes with books exploring whaling, Japanese houses and the 11 March 2011 earthquake, Tsunami and nuclear accident. 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…
30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. A Page of Madness is available to watch for free on Internet Archive and YouTube (here or here) and to buy on Blu Ray. *Please note…
… (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…
(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…
…ai: 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…
…: 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 Kamishibai…
…astle 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,…
In a world that often demands speed, certainty, and bold declarations, Michiko Aoyama reminds us of the value of stillness, subtlety, and small beginnings. For readers in the UK, particularly those engaged with Japanese culture and literature, this book offers a gentle window into contemporary Japan while reinforcing the universal truth that stories — and the places that house them — still matter deeply. This is…
…ho Eat Darkness we get to see a new perspective of the events surrounding the disappearance and murder of Lucie Blackman as we follow his investigation into what had occurred to her. 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…
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 clunky…
…ympics: The Countdown Wednesday 30 June 2021 Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
…ls - 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…
00am – 12.00pm (GMT)8.00pm – 9.00pm (JST)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend and do not have…
…ECTURE - Physical Disability and the Politics of Inclusion in Contemporary Japan Saturday 9 July 2022 / 11:00am DateSaturday 9 July 2022Time11.00 am (BST) / 7.00 pm (JST)Please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline LectureFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many…
…, 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…
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…
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…
…October 2012, Volume 7, Number 5) This issue focuses on the young people of Japanese society through the eyes of both foreigners and the Japanese themselves. 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…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (15) Dear Japan Society members and friendsIf nothing else, this pandemic has over the past few months taught us how vulnerable we all are and given us some inkling of the sort of steps that are necessary to reduce that vulnerability. Our friends in Japan perhaps needed less reminding of that, given the prevalence since time immemorial there of natural disasters. That special predicament of Japan was again on display this week, in the form of the terrible destruction…
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…
…to “that strange, hairy race who were the aborigines of the land before the Japanese arrived and took it from them” (p. 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…
…N EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: Butter by Asako Yuzuki Monday 14 April 2025 / 7:00pm DateMonday 14 April 2025Time7.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for members of The Japan Society Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Waterstones (translated by Polly Barton)Japanese version available here Please note this event is fully booked. Please use the form below to be added to the waiting list. Please help us to keep this event free…
…NT - The Japan Society Book Club: Tokyo Express by Seicho Matsumoto Tuesday 12 November 2024 / 7:00pm DateTuesday 12 November 2024*Time7.00pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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).…
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…ciety Chairman's Blog (8) Dear Japan Society members and friends Vladimir Lenin, the former exile in London whom your chairman has at times been accused of resembling, was a fine provider of useful quotations. One of the most often cited is his statement that “There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks where decades happen.” The difficulty during this COVID-19 pandemic, however, has been to decide which of those phrases is most applicable. I don’t know about you, but for me…
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…
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…
…ils, 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 A…
…r big silence in the movie – the family seem to just accept that she is who she is, but ignore the underlying problem. 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
…an and the Samurai” is the second book in a series of historical fiction by Lesley Downer set in 1860s Japan. 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…
…October 2014, Volume 9, Number 5) In issue 53, we again provide a wide range of reviews across many aspects of Japanese culture. 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 2018, Volume 13, Number 6) Welcome to the final issue of The Japan Society Review in 2018. 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…
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…
…VENT - Japan Society Book Club: The Woman in the Dunes by Kobo Abe Tuesday 9 May 2023 / 7:00pm DateTuesday 9 May 2023*Time7.00pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. *please note this event will take place on a Tuesday, due to the Bank Holiday for the Coronation. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the…
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…
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…xhibition Tour - Entering the Halls of the Chiyoda Palace Thursday 23 November 2023 / 6:00pm DateThursday 23 November 2023Time6.00pm Venue Japanese Gallery23 Camden PassageLondon N1 8EA Booking DetailsFree - Priority for Japan Society Members Spaces are limited and therefore early booking is recommended to avoid disappointment. Please note this event is now fully booked. Please sign up using the form below to be added to the waiting list. The activities of The Japan Society are made possible…
…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…
…hom the assumption that the lack of material means can be made up with sincere human connection and affection. 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…
…he Rain [キツツキと雨] the interaction of a film crew and the inhabitants of a small village are shown through the eyes of a widowed lumberjack and a young director. 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…
…N EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: Places by Jakucho Setouchi Monday 14 October 2024 / 7:00pm DateMonday 14 October 2024Time7.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for members of The Japan Society Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and AbeBooks (translated by Liza Crihfield Dalby)Japanese version available here Please help us to keep this event free and open to all! The Japan Society is a charity and its activities are made possible…
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 quote usually, perhaps apocryphally, attributed to Otto von Bismarck gets it about right: “laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made”. A similar sentiment may explain why I far preferred the original British version of House of Cards on BBC in 1990 to Netflix's later American version in 2013-2018 because it was shorter, sharper, funnier and, well, more…
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…
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
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…
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…
…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…
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…
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…
…rld Series: Japan: Drifting Islands Applicant: Litro MagazineAward: £1000Field: Arts, CultureSupport for: translation Project: A special Japan-themed edition of Litro Magazine, with guest editor Naoko Mabon. Featuring poetry, stort stories and essays, this edition of the magazine is intended to highlight diversity of vision, talent, and life experience - showcasing Japan as a world-space, comprised of more than 6,800 islands, each teeming with its own stories of the past & imaginings of the…
30pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region.Booking DetailsFree for Japan Society members and their guests. Non-members price: £5 (More details on how to become a member here). The lives of many people in Fukushima prefecture changed forever in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake,…
…d Series: Japan: Drifting Islands Applicant: Litro MagazineAward: £1000Field: Arts, CultureSupport for: translation Project: A special Japan-themed edition of Litro Magazine, with guest editor Naoko Mabon. Featuring poetry, stort stories and essays, this edition of the magazine is intended to highlight diversity of vision, talent, and life experience - showcasing Japan as a world-space, comprised of more than 6,800 islands, each teeming with its own stories of the past & imaginings of the…
…rld Series: Japan: Drifting Islands Applicant: Litro MagazineAward: £1000Field: Arts, CultureSupport for: translation Project: A special Japan-themed edition of Litro Magazine, with guest editor Naoko Mabon. Featuring poetry, stort stories and essays, this edition of the magazine is intended to highlight diversity of vision, talent, and life experience - showcasing Japan as a world-space, comprised of more than 6,800 islands, each teeming with its own stories of the past & imaginings of the…
…rld Series: Japan: Drifting Islands Applicant: Litro MagazineAward: £1000Field: Arts, CultureSupport for: translation Project: A special Japan-themed edition of Litro Magazine, with guest editor Naoko Mabon. Featuring poetry, stort stories and essays, this edition of the magazine is intended to highlight diversity of vision, talent, and life experience - showcasing Japan as a world-space, comprised of more than 6,800 islands, each teeming with its own stories of the past & imaginings of the…
…N EVENT - Japan Society Book Club: The Cake Tree in the Ruins by Akiyuki Nosaka Monday 14 August 2023 / 7:00pm DateMonday 14 August 2023Time7.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Blackwell's Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that…
…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…
00pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Amazon, and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of…
… Tales of Lafcadio Hearn is a great example of how literature has evolved and should continue to evolve in every sense of the word; in representation, theme and language. 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…
[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…
…shibai stories for loan! The Japan Society’s collection of kamishibai, including both traditional folk tales and stories related to Japanese festivals, has expanded to include four new original titles! The stories are perfect for teaching children about seasonal celebrations in Japan and also deal with other themes such as friendship, new beginnings, and diversity. In Onikko, an ‘oni’ boy faces prejudice from some of his human classmates as the Setsubun festival approaches; a little girl’s…
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…
…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…
…NT - The Japan Society Film Club: Plan 75 directed by Chie Hayakawa Wednesday 2 October 2024 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 2 October 2024Time6.30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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).…
…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…
…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…
… (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…
… 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…
…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,…
…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…
00pm VenueMichael Hoppen Gallery 10 Portland RoadLondonW11 4LAThe gallery is accessible via stairs only. If you require special assistance, please contact in advance on events@japansociety.org.uk or 020 3075 1996. Booking DetailsBooking essential - Free Priority Booking for Members of The Japan Society until Monday 29 April Booking will open to non-members on Tuesday 30 AprilPlease note that…
… Japan Taster - About About the Keynote Speech The keynote speech will be delivered by director Ailin Conant who has a passion for daring new works of theatre that engage audiences with untold and under-told stories. Ailin will be speaking about her latest work Amaterasu – Out of the Cave, a contemporary folktale inspired by the Shinto myth of the Japanese Sun Goddess and the God of Sea and Disease. About Ailin Ailin Conant is a Japanese-American theatre director who is currently based in…
…d 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…
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…
…NT - The Japan Society Book Club: Wildcat Dome by Yuko Tsushima Monday 8 September 2025 / 7:00pm DateMonday 8 September 2025Time7.00pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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…
…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…
… (June 2018, Volume 13, Number 3) The summer season is always a promising time to enjoy reading in a relaxed atmosphere. 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…
…Kamishibai Homepage 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…
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…
…, 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 Minster…
…t 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…
…N EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: Portraits of a Mother by Shusaku Endo Monday 13 October 2025 / 7:00pm DateMonday 13 October 2025Time7.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for members of The Japan Society Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Waterstones (translated by Van C. Gessel)Japanese version available here Please help us to keep this event free and open to all! The Japan Society is a charity and its activities are made…
…d 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 language…
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 with…
…ety Book Club: The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo Monday 13 January 2020 / 7:00pm DateMonday 13 January 2020 Time7.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for Japan Society MembersAvailable from Pushkin Press, AbeBooks and AmazonJapanese version available here In the winter of 1937, the village of Okamura is abuzz with excitement over the forthcoming wedding of a son of the grand Ichiyanagi family. But amid the gossip over the approaching…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (18) Dear Japan Society members and friendsIn the old Fleet Street August used to be known as the silly season, a slow news month when even more confected stories than usual would find their way into the papers and interest in sightings of the Loch Ness monster would strangely revive. Yet the idea that news went to sleep was always an exaggeration, perhaps geared to editors’ holidays even more than newsmakers, and it certainly is now. The country from where I am writing,…
…VENT - The Japan Society Book Club: Mina's Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa Monday 10 November 2025 / 7:00pm DateMonday 10 Noviembre 2025Time7.00pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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…
…h their eyes we see that whether a person is little or big their heart is bigger than their size. 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
… 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…
…a ManorGraham Street offers a funny story about the influence of Japanese culture on a house. Patrick's house was easy to spot from a distance. The houses in the street either had a small lawn or a driveway. In front of Patrick's house there appeared to be a zen garden. Bill parked his car and noticed that the garden was made up of a layer of small, white stones. They had been carefully racked into perfect lines that flowed around a larger stone in the middle. On top of which, a small bonsai…
00pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Amazon and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to…
…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 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…
00pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Book Depository and AmazonJapanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open…
…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…
…ety Chairman's Blog (35) Dear Japan Society members and friends It was one of those events for which I suspect all of us can remember what we were doing or where we were when we heard the news – or, for those in Japan, when you felt the tremors. I had a small reminder of it over Christmas when, while clearing out some old files, an envelope fell out containing potassium iodide pills that David Warren, then our ambassador in Tokyo, had kindly issued to me when I visited about a month after the…
…Elizabeth Anderson learn Japanese in 1943? Wartime language courses & the race against time Monday 15 March 2021 / 6:45pm DateMonday 15 March 2021Time6.45pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for…
…g Japanese Collections in the UK: Stories from Professor Yoshi Miki Tuesday 5 March 2024 Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
…ur SeasonsGraham Street tells a story about a couple discussing seasons. Viv’s wife was angry with him. He had done something that had upset her but she wouldn’t tell him what it was. Try as he might to discover the source of his indiscretion, she would not tell him or even offer any clues. Instead she become all defensive and threw back words like, “If you don’t know then I am not going to tell you”. He recalled the events of the day. It had started off pleasant enough. The breaking of sleep…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (24) Dear Japan Society members and friendsFreedom of speech is one of those aspects of our modern, thankfully democratic, life that we have come to think of in Britain and Japan as being as natural as sunshine or water, but the merest glance at history tells us that this is far from so. It is also not an easy concept to define and think through, since every society imposes limits on what people can say or write about each other but also, for example, many have laws…
…n Society Public Lecture Series: October - December 2024 The Japan Society Public Lecture Series hosts monthly lectures delivered by academics and experts on specialised subjects related to Japan and Japanese studies. Lectures are free and open to all at the Swedenborg Society in central London. In October, November and December 2024, we featured an engaging line-up exploring topics such as key female figures in Japanese history, sexuality and gender in the Japanese media during the LGBT Boom,…
… (October 2021, Volume 16, Number 5) Welcome to another exciting issue of The Japan Society Review bringing you five reviews of books, stage productions and films about Japan. 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…
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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…
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…es of My Life, An American in the Heart of Japan Columbia University Press,New York, 2008, 208 pages, including photographs and list of names of Japanese mentioned in the text. 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…
…e 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…
…d Japanese in Postwar Manchuria: The Lives of War Orphans and Wives in Two Countries by Yeeshan Chan, Routledge (Japan Anthropology Workshop Series), 2011, 208 pages, £85.00, 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…
Obviously, it was pretty good in the end for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, less so for Donald Trump and Mike Pence, though better than expected for the Republican Party as a whole. We can’t know how the next two and a half months are going to play out, with legal disputes over the results, the likely bitterness of the loser, two run-off races in Georgia in early…
…rner 2022 We would like to say a huge thank you to all of the participants who shared their poetry with us in 2022! Haiku of the Week Gallery More Selected Haiku Visit our Haiku Corner 2020 and 2021 pages to read more poems Keep sending us your haiku each week so that we can continue growing our collaborative poetry project. Send your haiku Haiku of the Week - Gallery Week 48 (12 - 16 December 2022) Week 47 (5 - 9 December 2022) Week 46 (28 Nov - 2 December 2022) Week 45 (21 - 25 November 2022)…
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…
…VENT - Japan Society Book Club: The Little House by Kyoko Nakajima Monday 13 July 2020 / 7:00pm DateMonday 13 July 2020 Time7.00pm Booking DetailsOnline EventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Book Depository and AmazonJapanese version available here The Naoki prize winning novel The Little House is introduced from the perspective of Taki, written as a memoire as the protagonist reflects on her nostalgic memories of a house she once served as a maid at. Told in a blunt…
…- COVID-19: The Political Economy of the Pandemic with Robert Feldman and Robert Ward Thursday 23 April 2020 / 11:00am DateThursday 23 April 2020Time11.00am to 12.00 noon (BST) Booking DetailsFree of charge. Japan Society members onlyBooking deadline: Thursday 23 April – 10.00am (BST) Members are invited to join the third in our webinar series, when Japan Society chairman, Bill Emmott, will be joined in discussion by Robert Alan Feldman, Chief Economist and Head of Fixed Income Research at…
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 through…
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…
…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.…
… 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…
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…surrogacy, Suzuki said that before visiting India, once he had completed the play’s first draft, he was not convinced that it was a good idea. 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 demerits…
…N EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: The Rainbow by Yasunari Kawabata Monday 12 August 2024 / 7:00pm DateMonday 12 August 2024Time7.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for members of The Japan Society Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Waterstones (translated by Haydn Trowell)Japanese version available here Please help us to keep this event free and open to all! The activities of The Japan Society are made possible thanks to the…
00pm Venue The Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon and Book Depository Japanese version available here 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…
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…
00pm - Cream Tea with Director5.45pm - Film Screening VenueCream Tea with Director:The Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall Terrace (Outer Circle)London NW1 4QP* The entrance is on the Outer Circle, facing Regent’s Park Film Screening:Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA)The Mall, St. James's, London SW1Y 5AH Booking DetailsBooking essentialMembers…
…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 –…
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…
… of appetisers, it offers just enough to whet your appetite, priming the stage for further ventures into whichever aspect of Japan’s multifaceted history best catches your fancy. 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
…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…
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… 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…
…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…
… 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…
…ai: 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.…
…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…
…ra Mascot Design Contest & 2020 Olympics Pack To get in the spirit of the Olympic Games in Japan, the Japan Society is holding the Yuru-Chara Design Contest. We want everyone to design a mascot representing an area of the UK to support GB at Tokyo 2020. Everyone is welcome to join in and create a Yuru-Chara mascot of their own!This contest closed on 5 September 2021. See the results! What is Yuru-Chara? | Contest Guidelines | Mascot Location Map | Mascot Gallery | Tokyo 2020 Activity Pack What…
…t Player is the long-awaited English translation of the famous Kemono no Soja series by renowned fantasy writer Uehashi Nahoko. 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.…
…ety Chairman's Blog (36) Dear Japan Society members and friends “You are old, Father William, the young man said, and your hair has become very white; And yet you incessantly stand on your head – Do you think, at your age, it is right?” Way back in 1865 Lewis Carroll captured admirably our societies’ blend of veneration and astonishment at the achievements of great old age in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. In Britain we saw it in last year’s national admiration for Captain Sir Tom Moore,…
…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…
Each quarter, our chairman Bill Emmott will team up with Jesper Koll, longtime Tokyo resident and one of the most keenly watched economists and investment strategists in that town, to discuss what's new in the Japanese economy, business, financial markets and more. Each quarter, Jesper and Bill will open with a conversation about the latest trends that have caught their attention, whether it be the yen, GDP growth, corporate battles, new reforms or something else…
…: 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…
In these our Chair Bill Emmott teams up with Jesper Koll, longtime Tokyo resident and one of the most keenly watched economists and investment strategists in that town, to discuss what's new in the Japanese economy, business, financial markets and more. Each quarter, Jesper and Bill open with a conversation about the latest trends that have caught their attention, and then welcome a special guest to focus on a topic of the moment. All the while, they will be…
…d twelve pages, this is easy to do, and there is enough depth to the story and expressiveness to the writing to make a second read equally as satisfying as the first. 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
…ety Chairman's Blog (44) Dear Japan Society members and friends So, now they have finally opened, should we be sad, should we be glad, should we be critical, or should we just look at the Olympic Games for what they are and can be, in these most difficult of circumstances, as if we were singing along to Doris Day’s Que sera sera? A bit of all of those is probably the right answer. It won’t be until the Paralympic Games have closed on 5 September that we’ll all be able to judge what balance…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (40) Dear Japan Society members and friends Britain and America, quipped the Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, are two nations divided by a common language. Or at least I think Shaw said this, but one modern consequence of Google is that when I used it to check the quote, it told me that there is no clear attribution, and that it might have been said by Oscar Wilde or someone else entirely. Our common set of believed quotations has been cast into doubt by an algorithm.…
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…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…
00pm (GMT)9.00pm (JST)Check the time in your locationBooking DetailsOnline EventRegistration essentialFree of charge Japan Society members and their guests are invited to join us for a conversation with the Society's chairman, Bill Emmott and Sir Paul Tucker, former deputy governor of the Bank of England and now fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School,…
… of Civil Society in Japan Edited by Simon Avenell and Akihiro Ogawa Japan Documents (2025)ISBN-13: 978-4909286604 Review by Roger Buckley The phrase is everywhere. 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…
…g the Rising Sun Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 2009, 340 pages, including notes, bibliography and index, ISBN 10: 1591142113, £18.99 (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 where…
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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…
15pm arrival for 1.30pm startApprox. 4.00pm finishVenueDe La Warr PavilionMarinaBexhill On SeaEast SussexTN40 1DP*Approx. 10 min walk from Bexhill train station Booking DetailsFree – Members of the Japan Society and their guests only.Please note that places are limited and so early booking is recommended. This summer, the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill On Sea presents…
…d the Global Energy Crisis - Development and Prospects for China's Oil and Natural Gas By Tatsu Kambara and Christopher HoweEdward Elgar Publishing (2007)ISBN-13: 9781845429669 Review by J. 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…
…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),…
Learn more about Japan The Japan Society has a range of resources all about Japan suitable for both classroom and at home learning. Visit our Education section to learn more! See more resources Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
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…
…ai: Onikko (Setsubun) Subject: Other Topics / English Level: Key Stage 2 / Key Stage 1 Age: 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Presentations / Other This kamishibai is about the Setsubun Festival. 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…
Like many foreign visitors, I learned from the start to appreciate Japan for the courtesy of the people and the cleanliness and the efficiency – not to mention the culture and the history, which need extensive exploration - and above all the variety of scenery, architecture and food. An invitation from Japanese families led to my first visit in April 1988. Initially came several days in Tokyo,…
00am - 12.00 noon (GMT)8.00pm - 9.00pm (JST)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you…
…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…
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…
She now serves on the board of Kirin Holdings Company, Rinnai Corporation and Nippo Ltd., bringing in her expertise in stakeholder communications, ESG and global organization management across three industries - automobile, technology and financial services – to her role as non-executive independent director. Until 2023, Yoko was Managing Partner at…
…ai: 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…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (10) Dear Japan Society members and friends In cricket, that English national sport which arrived in Meiji Japan a good decade before baseball but sadly was superseded, there is a saying called “the commentator’s curse”. No sooner has a cricket commentator on TV or radio observed that a player is looking well settled in, runs the curse, than they will suddenly be dismissed. The announcement this week that there will, after all, be a Test series of three matches between…
…story set in some sort of present day amongst devotees of the kendo martial art of swords, generally wooden or bamboo. 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…
…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.…
…ork: What Can Companies Do to Level the Playing Field? Tuesday 4 March 2025 / 5:30pm DateTuesday 4 March 2025Time5.30pm for 6.00pmVenueSMBC100 Liverpool StreetLondon EC2M 2AT Booking DetailsFree - Booking essential This event is open to everyone, with members given priority. Please note that this event is now fully-booked. Please sign up to be added to the waiting list. In March 2024, the World Bank ranked Japan last of OECD nations for gender equality, while the World Economic Forum’s 2023…
…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,…
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…
…r 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,…
… – 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…
…e to accept
…: 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.…
In these our Chair Bill Emmott teams up with Jesper Koll, longtime Tokyo resident and one of the most keenly watched economists and investment strategists in that town, to discuss what's new in the Japanese economy, business, financial markets and more.Each quarter, Jesper and Bill open with a conversation about the latest trends that have caught their attention, and then welcome a special guest to focus on a topic of the moment. All the while, they will be…
… 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…
…s was published in Tokyo, the result of the joint efforts of British and Japanese friends – Catherine Nagashima, Arimura Naomi and Peter MacMillan. 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…
…bum of JapanOn 23 visits to Japan from 1987 through to last November, including a long term stay in Kyoto of 3 months, I've taken around 8,000 photos so narrowing down the best photos isn't easy! Kenninji Kyoto Maiko Ueno Park Tokyo Saigo Takamori statue Gion autumn foliage Sensoji Tokyo Danjuro IX statue Fuji San from the Tokyo Govt Office viewing platform Meguro Cherry Blossom Tokyo Back to Member´s Corner Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes.…
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…
… a beautiful story that each of us should read in order to be reminded of the significance and true value of life. 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
00 noon – 1.00pm (GMT)7.00am (EST) / 9.00pm (JST)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend and…
…eki [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…
…worlds, unable to communicate with one another and to fulfil the unrealistic and outdated expectations set of the society where the gender roles are shown as hugely unbalanced. 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 through…
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…
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…
… 10 Years as the U.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…
00pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon and Blackwell's Japanese version available here The activities of The Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and…
…into a whole that feels like a stunningly straight-talking indictment on everything that makes up modern Japanese society and the position of the housewife within it. 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
…w 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…
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…
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…
…ace (Kikanakatta Basho) was the last of Matsumoto’s novels to be published and at 228 pages is by no means a lengthy or arduous undertaking. 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,…
…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…
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…
…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…
…ety Chairman's Blog (6) Dear Japan Society members and friendsWhenever I visit a city abroad, whether for work or for pleasure, I look out for smaller, less well-known museums and galleries to drop into. I think this habit began 40 years ago when I was doing some writing about Dutch politics and my boss said that when in The Hague I should be sure to leave enough time between appointments to drop in on the lovely little Mauritshuis gallery. So when in Tokyo I make sure I can call on the…
…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…
… a Strong Nation (Nihonyo Tsuyoki Kuni to Nare) By Yoshiko SakuraiDiamond Tokyo (2007)ISBN 978-4-478-00140-0 Review by Takahiro Miyao Ms. 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…
… life and the human body. 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…
00pm Venue The Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Amazon, Bookshop.org and Waterstones Japanese version available here 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…
00am (BST) Booking DetailsOnline EventFree - Booking essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend and do not have a membership subscription as an individual or through your…
…(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…
…yokichi - 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…
…he Ninja is just as interesting as the myths themselves. 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
30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Of Love and Law is available to rent online on the BFI Player and Amazon Prime. The activities of the Japan Society are made possible…
…erformance: The Art of Japanese Comic Storytelling Wednesday 30 April 2025 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 30 April 2025 Time6.30 - 8.00pm VenueJapan House London 101-111 Kensington High Street London W8 5SA Booking DetailsFreeBooking essential - Booking priority for membersBookings for non-members open on Wednesday 16 April (More details on how to become a member here) Please note this event is now fully booked. Join master storytellers Kanariya Eiraku, Kanariya Koraku and Kanariya Knight from the…
…William: The Adventurer Who Unlocked Japan By Giles Milton, Hodder and Stoughton, 2003, 399 pages, £7.99, 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…
30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Kikujiro is available on Amazon Prime Video (rent & buy) and on MUBI with subscription. The activities of the Japan Society are made possible…
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…
…ce tells the story of Ishida Shoya, a spiky haired loner who comes to deeply regret bullying his deaf class mate Nishimiya Shoko. 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…
30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Ikiru is available to watch on BFI player and FilmBox+ with subscription. The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support…
30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Twenty-Four Eyes is available to watch online (or download with subscription) on Asian Movies and to rent and buy on Chili. The…
…(October 2023, Volume 18, Number 2) The autumn season offers an excellent opportunity to spend more time reading books or watching films at home. 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 Japan´s…
…VENT - Japan Society Film Club: The Mourning Forest directed by Naomi Kawase Wednesday 3 February 2021 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 3 February 2021 Time6.30pm (GMT) For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. The Mourning Forest is available on BFI player with subscription. Do you love Japanese film classics, anime or contemporary…
…NT - The Japan Society Film Club: Under the Open Sky directed by Miwa Nishikawa Wednesday 8 January 2025 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 8 January 2025Time6.30pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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…
…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…
…Millennium 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…
…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…
…gn in the context of society, business, government and real people in a way that, for this reader, is engaging and fascinating. 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…
… (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…
…Full Moon - a choice surely made to bring it in line with the flavour and cadence of Lonely Castle In The Mirror, complete with matching, prettily illustrated cover art. 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 for…
30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Giants and Toys is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Apple TV and Microsoft Store as well as on Arrow Films…
30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Sweet Bean is available to watch on BFI Player, Amazon UK, Google Play, and Apple TV. The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks…
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…imbo, Southwark Playhouse were given permission to adapt the story to the stage, presented as a family show for everyone aged 8 and upwards and offering young people an introduction to a part of Japanese history. A number of local schools in the Southwark area were given complimentary tickets to attend the show, with attendance of around 600 local pupils. Many of the schools attending also engaged in in-school workshops lead by members of the production and cast during which they were…
30pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Spirited Away is available on Netflix with subscription and in DVD and blu-ray format. The activities of the Japan Society are made…
00 - 7.00pm VenueKhalili Lecture TheatreSOAS, University of LondonRussell SquareLondon WC1H 0XG Booking DetailsFree - Please note that this event will be held both in-person and online. In anticipation of the England versus Japan match on 12 November, please join us for an evening of Japanese Rugby with our guest of honour, director of the Japanese Rugby National Team,…
…VENT - The Japan Society Film Club: Forever a Woman directed by Kinuyo Tanaka Wednesday 3 April 2024 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 3 April 2024Time6.30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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…
30pm Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. After Life is available at the BFI player with subscription and on Amazon Prime to rent or buy Do you love Japanese film classics, anime or contemporary cinema stories? Do you miss Japan and want to see it at least on screen? Would you…
30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Your Name is available to watch on Apple TV, Amazon UK, Google Play, and Rakuten TV. The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks…
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…
…The T-Shirts I Love is something else entirely, an ode to that most humble item of clothing, as the author takes us through a selection of some of the favourites from his own personal wardrobe. 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…
…VENT - The Japan Society Film Club: Irezumi directed by Yasuzo Masumura Wednesday 2 July 2025 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 2 July 2025Time6.30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease register for the meeting in advance from the link below. After registering, you will receive an automated confirmation email with meeting access details (please check your spam folder if you don't receive any emails).…
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…
… (December 2014, Volume 9, Number 6) In this issue of The Japan Society Review we cross genres, reviewing a film, two books, a performance and conducting an interview with a violinist. 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…
…VENT - Japan Society Book Club: The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa Monday 11 May 2020 / 7:00pm DateMonday 11 May 2020 Time7.00pm Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society members and Book Club regular attendees Book available from AbeBooks, Book Depository and AmazonJapanese version available here Considered a dystopian novel, The Memory Police focuses on an unknown, surreal setting of an unnamed island. With Orwellian themes such as rule by terror and state control, Ogawa…
…VENT - The Japan Society Film Club: The Boy And The Heron directed by Hayao Miyazaki Wednesday 6 March 2024 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 6 March 2024Time6.30pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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…
…ciety New Year Celebration Lunch at Pantechnicon with Guest Chef Tim Anderson Saturday 5 February 2022 / 12:30pm DateSaturday 5 February 2022(Please note that this event has been postponed from the original date of 8 January.)Time12.30pm-3.30pm VenuePantechnicon Sachi Restaurant19 Motcomb StreetLondon SW1X 8LB Booking DetailsBooking essentialMembers (& guests): £80 per personNon-Members: £95 per personIncludes five course vegan Japanese lunch, with a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic…
…NT - Japan Society Film Club: The Human Condition trilogy by Masaki Kobayashi Wednesday 5 October 2022 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 5 October 2022Time6.30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. The Human Condition Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3 are available to watch on: Part 1: No Greater Love: Amazon UK, Apple TV, Google, Arrow…
…ECTURE - The Comic Storytelling of Western Japan, with M.W. Shores Monday 15 November 2021 / 6:45pm DateMonday 15 November 2021Time6.45pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline LectureFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many…
…: 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…
… (August 2019, Volume 14, Number 4) On 1 May 2019, Prince Naruhito ascended the throne as the 126th Emperor of Japan beginning the Reiwa era. 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…
…imbo, Southwark Playhouse were given permission to adapt the story to the stage, presented as a family show for everyone aged 8 and upwards and offering young people an introduction to a part of Japanese history. A number of local schools in the Southwark area were given complimentary tickets to attend the show, with attendance of around 600 local pupils. Many of the schools attending also engaged in in-school workshops lead by members of the production and cast during which they were…
…imbo, Southwark Playhouse were given permission to adapt the story to the stage, presented as a family show for everyone aged 8 and upwards and offering young people an introduction to a part of Japanese history. A number of local schools in the Southwark area were given complimentary tickets to attend the show, with attendance of around 600 local pupils. Many of the schools attending also engaged in in-school workshops lead by members of the production and cast during which they were…
…suri - 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…
…undation Touring Film Programme 2022 - Members Discount Discount Japan Society Members Price:£11 per ticket (includes £3 discount) at the ICA London* To obtain the discount, please use the promotion code: JAPSOC22 when booking online here, or quote the code when booking by phone (020 7930 3647) or in-person at the ICA box office (Tuesday – Sunday, 12pm – 9pm). * Please note that the promotion code will be available only for 50 uses (full price tickets), on a first-come first-served basis, up to…
…VENT - The Japan Society Film Club: Paprika directed by Satoshi Kon Wednesday 4 June 2025 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 4 June 2025Time6.30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease register for the meeting in advance from the link below. After registering, you will receive an automated confirmation email with meeting access details (please check your spam folder if you don't receive any emails). Free…
…VENT - Japan Society Film Club: Woman of the Dunes directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara Wednesday 4 October 2023 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 4 October 2023Time6.30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Woman of the Dunes is available to watch online on the BFI Player (with subscription) and Asian Movies (with membership), and…
… Bombings of Japan: External Resource List Subject: Other Topics / History Level: GCSE+ / Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 2 Age: 15+ years / 11-15 years / 7-11 years Resource Type: Videos / Other The 6 and 9 August 2020 marked 75 years since atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The following list is intended to help educators find resources to teach young people about the bombings and their impact. They may not be suitable for all, so please review the materials carefully and use your…
…bo, Southwark Playhouse were given permission to adapt the story to the stage, presented as a family show for everyone aged 8 and upwards and offering young people an introduction to a part of Japanese history. A number of local schools in the Southwark area were given complimentary tickets to attend the show, with attendance of around 600 local pupils. Many of the schools attending also engaged in in-school workshops lead by members of the production and cast during which they were introduced…
… (February 2018, Volume 13, Number 1) Welcome to the February issue of The Japan Society Review, the first in our thirteenth volume of the publication. 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…
00 noon – 1.00pm (GMT)9.00pm – 10.00pm (JST)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to…
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…
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…
…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 -…
…ow Now: Medical Science and the Response to COVID-19 with Kiyoshi Kurokawa and Peter Piot Thursday 14 May 2020 / 11:00am DateThursday 14 May 2020Time11.00am to 12.00 noon (BST) Booking DetailsJapan Society Members - Free Booking deadline: Thursday 14 May – 10.00am (BST) Continuing our series of webinars, we are delighted to welcome two eminent scientists, Professors Kiyoshi Kurokawa and Peter Piot, to join Japan Society chairman, Bill Emmott, in conversation. Both are well aware of the many…
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…
…Drawing on Japan: A Conversation with Rebecca Salter In this in-conversation event on Wednesday 14 May 2025, Rebecca Salter, artist and President of the Royal Academy of Arts, was interviewed by Dr Meri Arichi of the Japanese Women’s Association in Great Britain, and Jenny White, Honorary Editor of The Japan Society and former CEO of the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation. Salter discussed her long-standing fascination with Japan, which led her to study ceramics and printmaking there in 1979.…
00am to 12.00 noon (BST) Booking DetailsFree of charge. Japan Society members onlyBooking deadline: Thursday 16 April – 10.00am (BST) Members are invited to join the second in our webinar series, when Japan Society chairman, Bill Emmott, will be joined in discussion by Yuko Kawai, General Manager for Europe for Bank of Japan and Leo Lewis, Tokyo…
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…
…Tour: Paper Clouds – Japan Pavilion at the London Design Biennale Sunday 8 June 2025 / 10:30am DateSunday 8 June 2025Time(a) 10.30-11.30am(a) 12.15-1.15pm*Meeting time:10 mins before the start time, just outside Seamen's Hall (across the main courtyard from The Strand entrance) VenueSomerset House Strand London WC2R 1LA Booking DetailsFree – Booking essential Please note this event is fully booked. Please use the form below to be added to the waiting list. Please note: The Japan Pavilion and…
…ness with the Japanese: A One-stop Guide to Japanese Business Practice By Geoffrey Bownas, David Powers, Christopher P. 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 discrimination…
… (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,…
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…
…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 successfully…
…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…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (37) Dear Japan Society members and friends One of the most surreal aspects of this long pandemic has been the sight on television of professional sports being played in vast stadiums with no spectators. At least for rugby fans this did not make the now almost-concluded Six Nations tournament any less exciting, but I did find myself occasionally wondering how it must feel for the players. Perhaps they are so absorbed in the contest and in doing their jobs that the absence…
… (August 2021, Volume 16, Number 4) The August issue of The Japan Society Review presents five reviews that cover a diverse spread of media and topics related to Japan. 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…
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…g and lighting are magnificent and the Johny Greenhead (Radiohead) soundtrack a bonus. 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…
Webinar Video + Report - Keeping Ourselves Safe in Cyberspace with Mihoko Matsubara & Marcus Willett
…Video + Report - Keeping Ourselves Safe in Cyberspace with Mihoko Matsubara & Marcus Willett On 2 December 2021, the latest edition of our ongoing webinar series focused on the challenges faced by the UK and Japan within the domain of cyberspace, as well as highlighting areas for future cooperation in this field between both countries. Japan Society Chairman Bill Emmott welcomed two respected voices in this field: Mihoko Matsubara, Chief Cybersecurity Strategist at NTT Corporation in Tokyo, and…
…he opportunity for a new generation of Japan enthusiasts to wander through this curious and complex mixture of biography and history. 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…
…look 2025 - How to Address the Uncertainties Surrounding the Energy Transition Wednesday 13 November 2024 / 10:00am DateWednesday 13 November 2024Time10.00amVenueJETROCheapside House38 CheapsideLondon EC2V 6BJ Booking DetailsBooking essential - Free Booking deadline: Monday 11 November 2024 Please note that spaces are limited and so early booking is recommended. JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) London and The Japan Society are delighted to invite members and friends to our upcoming…
…February 2016, Volume 11, Number 1) Throughout 2015 many people took part in events marking the 70th anniversary of World War II. 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…
…undation Touring Film Programme 2023 - Members Discount Discount Japan Society Members Price:£10 per ticket (includes £3 discount) + £1 booking fee (when booking online) at the ICA London* To obtain the discount, please use the promotion code: ICAJSOC23 when booking online here, or quote the code when booking by phone (020 7930 3647) or in-person at the ICA box office (Tuesday – Sunday, 12pm – 9pm). * Please note that the promotion code will be available only for 50 uses (full price tickets),…
00pm (GMT) VenueONLINE Booking DetailsFree - – Donations WelcomeBooking essential The activities of The Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend and do not have a membership subscription as…
… 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…
…Music, Dance & Theatre Experts 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…
…ew 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 Ueda/Rinaldo…
…aver is a qualified English solicitor who has spent almost all her adult life dedicated to Japan, most recently providing legal consulting services to Japanese megabanks MUFG, SMBC and Nomura Securities. Clare is also advising start up companies on Cryptoassets and Blockchain developments, having set up Nomura’s digital set company, Laser Digital. After reading Oriental Studies (Japanese) at Oxford, which included a research year at Hiroshima University on the Japanese Government scholarship…
…Constitution: The Japanese Experience of the West and the Shaping of the Modern State I-House Press, Tokyo, 2007, 196 pages (including index), hardcover £140.00, 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…
…o Salon with Jesper and Bill in which our chairman Bill Emmott teams up with Jesper Koll, longtime Tokyo resident and one of the most keenly watched economists and investment strategists in that town, to discuss what's new in the Japanese economy, business, financial markets and more.In January's Macro Salon, Jesper and Bill's discussion will include a look ahead at the key economic event of early 2023, namely the choice of a new governor for the Bank of Japan to take office in April, and what…
… is a banking and finance professional who specialises in dealing with the Japanese market. He has spent most of the past 25 years either living in Japan, or working in Japan-related roles. Neil is Senior Director at Mizuho Bank Ltd, London Branch, where he builds and maintains relationships with Japan-parented corporate client groups. He previously ran the EMEA Japan Desk at Barclays, and has also spent time in previous roles at the Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi Ltd (London), Deutsche Bank AG…
…Salon with Jesper and Bill in which our chairman Bill Emmott teams up with Jesper Koll, longtime Tokyo resident and one of the most keenly watched economists and investment strategists in that town, to discuss what's new in the Japanese economy, business, financial markets and more. In this session, their guest is Nobukatsu Kanehara, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Security Secretariat until 2019, with whom they will consider priorities for defence spending and other issues, including…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (7) Dear Japan Society members and friends One enjoyable memory from my time when posted to Tokyo is of a weekend visit in what I think must have been 1985 to Ito-shi, out on the Izu peninsula, for the Anjin Festival. This now annual fixture in Ito’s calendar is a wonderful celebration of William Adams, the ship’s pilot who in 1600 became the first Englishman to set foot in Japan and became known as Miura Anjin, the pilot of Miura. The Tokugawa shogun allowed him and his…
…ai: 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…
…and Japan in the Twentieth Century: One Hundred Years of Trade and Prejudice Edited by Philip Towle and Nobuko Margaret Kosuge I.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…
… We Are All Equal: In Conversation with Naoko Yamazaki Monday 5 February 2024 / 12:00pm DateMonday 5 February 2024Time12.00 - 1.00pm (GMT)9.00 - 10.00pm (JST) Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree - Registration essential Please register for the meeting in Zoom 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). Please help us to keep this event free and…
…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…
…o Salon with Jesper and Bill in which our chairman Bill Emmott teams up with Jesper Koll, longtime Tokyo resident and one of the most keenly watched economists and investment strategists in that town, to discuss what's new in the Japanese economy, business, financial markets and more. Each quarter, Jesper and Bill open with a conversation about the latest trends that have caught their attention, and then welcome a special guest to focus on a topic of the moment. All the while, they will be…
…he Asians: China in the Lives of Five Meiji Japanese By Paula S. 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…
… to Make a Tanzaku Subject: Art & Design 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: Activities / Videos The Tanabata Festival in Japan celebrates an old love story about a weaver princess and a cattle herder. In the story, they are allowed to meet only once a year, on July 7th (or August 7th in some parts of Japan), so many people celebrate their reunion on this day. The two characters in the story represent two…
00pm Venue Hayward GalleryBelvedere RoadLondon SE1 8XX Booking DetailsFree – booking essentialJapan Society members and their guest onlyBooking deadline: Monday 27 November 2023Spaces are limited and therefore early booking is recommended to avoid disappointment. Please note this event is now fully booked. Please sign up using the form below to be added to the waiting list. The Japan Society…
… 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…
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…
I was in the Army some years ago and, as a part of my role as a Physical Training Instructor, I got involved in Judo, eventually becoming a Judo Coach, Official and Judo Club Manager for three different clubs depending on where I was posted; which started a tradition of Judo at those Regiments. As a consequence I became interested in Zen Buddhism and then the Japanese arts.…
The Japan Society - 18th World Children’s Haiku Contest 2023-2024 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…
…Trains Subject: Other Topics Level: GCSE+ / Key Stage 3 Age: 15+ years / 11-15 years Resource Type: Activities / Presentations / Lesson Plans Japan has an extensive train network and its fast modern shinkansen bullet trains are already renowned all over the world. Use these resources to learn how the Central Japan Railway Company (JR-Central) operates and about their development of the new SCMaglev train network in Japan! Download all KS4 science resources or see below for individual resources.…
…ety Chairman's Blog (51) Dear Japan Society members and friends Given how demanding was the application process for my visa to visit Japan last month – sponsors’ certificates, financial guarantees, itinerary – as were the rather more relevant health protocols on arrival in Tokyo, my biggest worry was of testing positive for covid just before departure from London or, even worse, on arrival, and then losing the whole trip after all that effort. Thank goodness this didn’t happen, and in the end I…
After graduating, she worked as a Co-ordinator of International Relations (CIR) on the JET Programme on a small fishing island in Oita prefecture promoting the UK in the local community and developing a repertoire of karaoke numbers. On returning to London Emma started her career in finance at Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi,…
…ding working-class women in Japan while managing to maintain a unique writing voice within an even more unique story. 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
…ciety Chairman's Blog (11) Dear Japan Society members and friends If recent events have taught us anything, it is that in these British Isles we are rather nicer to our famous past writers than we are to the historical figures whose statues have been ending up toppled or vandalised. I admit to being puzzled as to how Robert the Bruce, the 14th-century King of Scotland, can be accused of having been racist, though it is easier to understand why Churchill can attract that slur given his…
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…ety Chairman's Blog (31) Dear Japan Society members and friends For once, we can certainly say that we didn’t go to the Annual Dinner for the food. Nor did we go to the Christmas Party for the drink, even though the Japan Society members who attended were taught how to make a nifty looking cocktail involving sake and cold tea. What we did go to the virtual “dinner with a twist” for, however, was comradeship, a sense of belonging and above all a lot of fun. The remarkable entertainment organised…
00am - 12.00 noon (GMT)8.00pm - 9.00pm (JST)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are…
… Festival (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…
… Write your Wish for Tanabata Star Festival Tanabata Wishes 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’. 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…
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…
…N EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: Finger Bone by Hiroki Takahashi Monday 11 August 2025 / 7:00pm DateMonday 11 August 2025Time7.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for members of The Japan Society Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Waterstones (translated by Takami Nieda)Japanese version available here Please help us to keep this event free and open to all! The Japan Society is a charity and its activities are made possible…
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…
… (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.…
…e 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…
… (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…
…February 2011, Volume 6, Number 1) In our first issue of 2011 we focus on various aspects of Japanese militarism in the past century with some really stimulating articles. 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…
…ing at the Coronet Theatre as part of the Electric Japan 2022 season until 10th June 2022. 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
In these our Honorary Vice Chair Bill Emmott teams up with Jesper Koll, longtime Tokyo resident and one of the most keenly watched economists and investment strategists in that town, to discuss what's new in the Japanese economy, business, financial markets and more. Each quarter, Jesper and Bill open with a conversation about the latest trends that have caught their attention, and then welcome a special guest to focus on a topic of the moment. All the while, they…
…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…
…n Society Careers Networking Series - From Japan to the City Thursday 24 February 2022 / 6:30pm DateThursday 24 February 2022Time6.30pmVenueLondon Business SchoolRegent's ParkLondon NW1 4SA Booking DetailsBooking essential £5 per personIncludes light refreshments/drinks reception 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. For the first in an exciting new…
…apanese Taster Class: 2-session Language Class with Kae Harding Saturday 26 February - Saturday 5 March 2022 DatesSaturday 26 February and Saturday 5 March 2022The two-part taster takes place over 2 consecutive Saturdays; participants must be able to attend both dates.Time60min x 2 lessons • Day 1: Saturday 26 February Group Sakura at 10:00am - 11:00am (GMT)Group Fuji at 11:30am - 12:30pm (GMT) • Day 2: Saturday 5 March Group Sakura 10:00am - 11:00am (GMT)Group Fuji at 11:30am - 12:30pm (GMT)…
00 for 6.30pm (reception afterwards until 8.30pm) VenueNomura International plcOne Angel LaneLondon EC4R 3AB Booking DetailsBooking essential - FreeMembers of the Japan Society and their guests onlyPlease note we are no longer able to accept bookings for in-person attendance, however members may still make bookings to watch the lecture online. Please note this is an in-person…
…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…
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…
…lies? 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…
…s of the Orient’: An Online Discussion with Film Director Julien Faraut Wednesday 21 July 2021 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 21 July 2021 Time6.30pm (BST)Booking DetailsFree - Booking Essential We recommend watching the film in advance. Discounts are available for Japan Society members registering for this event. Details will be provided via email before the event. The screening room will also be available after the event for a limited time. The film is available for purchase and streaming within the…
…r, the lines of the seat and the fuel tank raised at the back and sloping forwards, gave the impression that the machine was on its’ haunches poised and ready to go fast! There were massive, finely cast brakes to stop it. At the same time it had elegance. A closer look revealed the artistic detail. The speedometer cluster could have been sculptured to stand like a clock on a mantle-piece, it had such delicate style. The engine was technically very advanced and visually it added to the…
…NT - Japan Society Book Club: At the End of the Matinee by Keiichiro Hirano Monday 12 September 2022 / 7:00pm DateMonday 12 September 2022Time7.00pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event…
00pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and…
…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.…
However you’re fundraising, we want you to get everyone together and warm up with Radio Taiso! With the Tokyo 2020 games coming up, the 3 minute Radio Taiso routine is the perfect way to kick off your Sport Relief activity and start getting excited for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic games. How to Take Part Watch our…
…rm Japan Day 2023 - About About 6th Form Japan Day 2023 Programme | Workshops | Schedule | Booking Information Programme The day will feature lectures and workshops by SOAS and Ritsumeikan University as well as a University exhibition attended by various universities around the UK offering Japanese studies, both as a major or as an elective. Lectures SOAS LectureDeceivers and Shapeshifters: Foxes in Japanese Myths, Legends and Folktales with Foxes (kitsune) frequently appear in Japanese myths,…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (55) Dear Japan Society members and friendsOne of the pleasures of travelling in the British Isles is the frequency with which reminders of Japan and of Japanese culture crop up, often unexpectedly. In July, for example, I had to spend a few days in Brighton and was pleasantly surprised to discover an exhibition at the small Hove Museum of Creativity of Ukiyoe woodblock prints from the museum’s own collection, displayed under the theme of Godai – the five elements of…
00pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Amazon and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all.…
…ety Chairman's Blog (45) Dear Japan Society members and friends Well, it’s not often one can write something like this: I hope you all had a better summer than Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga! We all knew that Japan’s summer of sporting contests at the Olympics and Paralympics were going to be followed by two electoral contests, one for the LDP leadership (now scheduled for 29 September) and one for the Lower House of the Diet, at a date unknown but expected to be some time between mid October…
…ing and reading haiku, I would recommend to visit The Japan Society Haiku Corner where they can contribute to “Haiku of the Week”. 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
…ki, 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…
Visits to temples and museums were as frequent as those to steel furnaces, car plants and Ginza bars. The following year he was a British winner of the Japan Foreign Ministry Essay Prize on Japan-EU relations and has never looked back.In 1987 at the height of the financial bubble he was posted to Tokyo as head of the tiny subsidiary of a foreign asset manager with a…
…emporary 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…
30pm (GMT) VenueBFI SouthbankBelvedere RdLondon SE1 8XT Booking DetailsNo booking required, but please book your own tickets for the film here and let us know you are attending via email (events@japansociety.org.uk) by Thursday 4 November, so we can send you our meeting point for the post-screening discussion. Taking the opportunity given by the return of BFI…
00am (BST)7.00pm (JST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for…
…g Texture” by Toshiki Hirano, representing Japan in London Design Biennale 2021 Applicant: Clare Farrow Studio in partnership with Royal College of Art and Toshiki HiranoAward: £1000Field: Arts Project: Clare Farrow Studio, working with London Design Biennale, invited Toshiki Hirano (Architect and Assistant Professor in Architecture at The University of Tokyo), to design a project called "Reinventing Texture" for London Design Biennale 2021. Combining Japanese traditions with new technologies,…
…N EVENT - Japan Society Book Club: The Easy Life in Kamusari by Shion Miura Monday 3 April 2023 / 7:00pm DateMonday 3 April 2023Time7.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Blackwell's, Amazon, and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this…
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
00 for 6.30pm (reception afterwards until 8.30pm) VenueNomura International plcOne Angel LaneLondon EC4R 3AB Booking DetailsBooking essential - FreeMembers of the Japan Society and their guests only 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…
…Texture” by Toshiki Hirano, representing Japan in London Design Biennale 2021 Applicant: Clare Farrow Studio in partnership with Royal College of Art and Toshiki HiranoAward: £1000Field: Arts Project: Clare Farrow Studio, working with London Design Biennale, invited Toshiki Hirano (Architect and Assistant Professor in Architecture at The University of Tokyo), to design a project called "Reinventing Texture" for London Design Biennale 2021. Combining Japanese traditions with new technologies,…
…g Texture” by Toshiki Hirano, representing Japan in London Design Biennale 2021 Applicant: Clare Farrow Studio in partnership with Royal College of Art and Toshiki HiranoAward: £1000Field: Arts Project: Clare Farrow Studio, working with London Design Biennale, invited Toshiki Hirano (Architect and Assistant Professor in Architecture at The University of Tokyo), to design a project called "Reinventing Texture" for London Design Biennale 2021. Combining Japanese traditions with new technologies,…
…g Texture” by Toshiki Hirano, representing Japan in London Design Biennale 2021 Applicant: Clare Farrow Studio in partnership with Royal College of Art and Toshiki HiranoAward: £1000Field: Arts Project: Clare Farrow Studio, working with London Design Biennale, invited Toshiki Hirano (Architect and Assistant Professor in Architecture at The University of Tokyo), to design a project called "Reinventing Texture" for London Design Biennale 2021. Combining Japanese traditions with new technologies,…
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…
… - 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 is…
…d its worlds: Marius Jansen and the Internationalization of Japanese Studies Edited by Martin Collcut, Kato Mikio and Ronald P. 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 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
…ce Videos - The First Period of Japan-British Partnership 1600-1623 The Japan Society was delighted to support The Double Twelfth Conference: The First Period of Japan-British Partnership 1600-1623 at the Embassy of Japan in the UK on Tuesday 12 December 2023. Organised by Japan400, this special event commemorated the start of diplomatic, trading, scientific and cultural relations between Britain and Japan in 1613.The video recordings of the presentations and discussions are now available on…
In these our Honorary Vice Chair Bill Emmott teams up with Jesper Koll, longtime Tokyo resident and one of the most keenly watched economists and investment strategists in that town, to discuss what's new in the Japanese economy, business, financial markets and more. Each quarter, Jesper and Bill open with a conversation about the latest trends that have caught their attention, and then welcome a special guest to focus on a topic of the moment. All the while, they…
30pm Online LectureWe will send the livestream link details closer to the date.For in-person attendance, please click here. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialMembers of The Japan Society and their guests only We are delighted to welcome the British Ambassador to Japan, Julia Longbottom CMG, to address the Japan Society after three years in post. The UK-Japan relationship…
00 for 6.30pm (reception afterwards until 8.30pm) VenueNomura International plcOne Angel LaneLondon EC4R 3AB Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialMembers of The Japan Society and their guests only The in-person event is now fully-booked. The lecture will also be live-streamed for members who wish to attend virtually. We are delighted to welcome the British Ambassador to Japan, Julia…
…ich gave them a wider understanding of Japanese culture, and even starting using Japanese words to greet their teachers when passing in the corridors. Back to Small Grants 2017 Successful Grants View All Grants Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
…which gave them a wider understanding of Japanese culture, and even starting using Japanese words to greet their teachers when passing in the corridors. Back to Small Grants 2018 Successful Grants View All Grants Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
…ich gave them a wider understanding of Japanese culture, and even starting using Japanese words to greet their teachers when passing in the corridors. Back to Small Grants 2019 Successful Grants View All Grants Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
…which gave them a wider understanding of Japanese culture, and even starting using Japanese words to greet their teachers when passing in the corridors. Successful Grants View All Grants Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
…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…
…gy Outlook in the Post-Pandemic World with Jun Arima and Nick Butler Thursday 4 June 2020 / 11:00am DateThursday 4 June 2020Time11.00am to 12.00 noon (BST) Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend and do not have a membership subscription as…
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 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…
…t 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…
00am to 12.00 noon (BST) Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend and do not have a membership subscription as an individual or…
…ety Chairman's Blog (12) Dear Japan Society members and friends The news, from this week’s webinar, that in the year when our speaker and Japan Society veteran Martin Barrow first visited Japan in 1964 the country received only 353,000 visitors was striking enough, especially given that that was the year when the Olympic Games were last held in Tokyo. Watching the Games' official film, directed by Kon Ichikawa, it is hard to comprehend how few people travelled in those days, especially to a…
00pm (GMT) / 9.00pm (JST) Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree - On ZoomPlease register for the webinar 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). Please help us to keep this event free and…
…ith 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…
…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…
…Japanese Sports Day! Stay Active this Summer: Play Japanese Games at Home The Japan Society invites children and families to celebrate Sports Day, a Japanese national holiday, by playing typical Japanese sports day games this summer. Originally created to commemorate the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, the national holiday of ‘Sports Day’ normally falls in October. This year it was moved to July 24 to coincide with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games’ opening ceremony and honour the event’s return to Japan.…
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…
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…
…ty, Self-harm and Eating Disorders in Japan that its inspiration came from a conversation overheard not in Japan, but the Copenhagen fitness club where she worked before moving to Japan. 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…
In these our Chair Bill Emmott teams up with Jesper Koll, longtime Tokyo resident and one of the most keenly watched economists and investment strategists in that town, to discuss what's new in the Japanese economy, business, financial markets and more. Each quarter, Jesper and Bill open with a conversation about the latest trends that have caught their attention, and then welcome a special guest to focus on a topic of the moment. All the while, they will be…
In these our Chair Bill Emmott teams up with Jesper Koll, longtime Tokyo resident and one of the most keenly watched economists and investment strategists in that town, to discuss what's new in the Japanese economy, business, financial markets and more.Each quarter, Jesper and Bill open with a conversation about the latest trends that have caught their attention, and then welcome a special guest to focus on a topic of the moment. All the while, they will be…
…Anglo-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…
Last November I participated in a conference about “Japan’s future and role in the world” at Ditchley Park, the very splendid country house in Oxfordshire famous, among other things, for having been used as a weekend retreat by Winston Churchill during the second world war. During a Friday afternoon pause in the conference, a party of us visited Broughton…
…Blog - January 2024 The JYC Blog - January New Year is a great time for reflection and resolution. 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,…
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
… (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…
… (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…
15amTour starts at the exhibition entrance of Edo Pop: Japanese Prints 1825–1895: 11:00amShuttle bus departure to Guildford Train Station: 5.00pm*Travel details will be emailed closer to the event VenueWatts Gallery - Artists' VillageDown LaneGuildfordGU3 1DQ Booking DetailsBooking essential - Priority booking for…
00pm - 4.30pm Venue St John’s Wood Library 20 Circus Road London NW8 6PD Booking Details Free, no advance booking Spaces are limited so a first come, first served policy will be in operation. This is a family event for children and adults attending together. Join The Japan Society at St John's Wood Library for an afternoon celebration of the Tanabata Star Festival for children and their…
… (June 2008, Volume 3, Number 3) During August it was just about impossible for anyone on planet earth (and possibly beyond) not to have known that the Beijing Olympics were being held. 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…
…escape from the island by boat, even though boats ‘disappeared’ years ago; someone had retained a memory of boats and was able to repair and sail one (p. 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…
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…
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…
…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…
…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…
… (April 2016, Volume 11, Number 2) February’s Review dealt heavily with the aftermath of the Second World War in East Asia. 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…
…o the Gods: Tales from Kyushu. 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…
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…
… (February 2019, Volume 14, Number 1) Welcome to the first issue of The Japan Society Review in 2019. 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…
…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…
’ 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…
…NT - The Japan Society Book Club: Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa Monday 13 May 2024 / 7:00pm DateMonday 13 May 2024Time7.00pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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…
…no is the Mitsubishi Corporation Curator (Japanese Collections) in the Department of Asia of the British Museum (BM). Born and educated in Japan, she completed her BA (International Relations) at Tsuda College, Tokyo, and MA and PhD (Japanese Art History) at Keio University, Tokyo, with a thesis on 16th-century Kano school screen paintings. As a PhD candidate, she received a Handa Fellowship for one year at the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, which was followed…
…– Governments, COVID-19 and the Public Response in the UK and Japan Wednesday 8 April 2020 / 11:00am DateWednesday 8 April 2020Time11.00am to 12.00 noon (BST) Booking DetailsFree of charge. Japan Society members onlyBooking deadline: Wednesday 8 April – 10.00am (BST) Japan Society members are invited to join us for a special online event in which Japan Society chairman, Bill Emmott, is joined in discussion by two former Ambassadors to the UK and Japan, Koji Tsuruoka and David Warren. All…
In these our Chair Bill Emmott teams up with Jesper Koll, longtime Tokyo resident and one of the most keenly watched economists and investment strategists in that town, to discuss what's new in the Japanese economy, business, financial markets and more. Each quarter, Jesper and Bill open with a conversation about the latest trends that have caught their attention, and then welcome a special guest to focus on a topic of the moment. All the while, they will be…
30pm Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialMembers of The Japan Society and their guests only Please book here if you would prefer to attend ONLINEWe will send the livestream link details closer to the date. For in-person attendance, please click here. We are delighted to welcome the British Ambassador to Japan, Julia Longbottom CMG, to address The Japan Society after four…
…ion, Stardom and Female Subjectivity, the editors have bought together a series of scholars who all seek to explore different aspects of Tanaka’s life and career. 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…
00 for 6.30pm (reception afterwards until 8.30pm) VenueNomuraOne Angel LaneLondon EC4R 3AB Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialMembers of The Japan Society and their guests only Please note that the in-person event is now fully-booked. Please sign up to be added to the waiting list. The lecture will also be live-streamed for members who wish to attend virtually. We are delighted…
…Society Public Lecture Series: January – March 2025 In January, February, and March 2025, we presented a captivating lecture series that explored various aspects of Japanese culture, including the significance of Japanese illustrated books, the evolution of Japanese fashion, and hidden gems of rural Japan discovered from a bicycle. We would like to thank our speakers Dr Louise Boyd, Professor Hiroshi Narumi and Oscar Boyd and everyone who attended the lectures. Special thanks to the Toshiba…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (22) Dear Japan Society members and friendsA key text from my long-ago student days was Walter Bagehot’s “The English Constitution” from 1867, in which this great Victorian writer and editor laid down, unofficially but ultimately influentially, some of the fundamental principles by which this country’s unwritten constitution functions. He did so in part because the monarchy was at the time being challenged by abolitionists who were exploiting the then Queen Victoria’s…
…How the Power Struggle Between China, India and Japan Will Shape Our Next Decade Allen Lane, London, 2008, 314 pages including notes and index. 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…
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…
00pm – 2.00pm (BST)9.00pm – 10.00pm (JST)8.00am – 9.00am (EDT)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if…
…ety 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…
…for Yoghurt - A play inspired by the wisdom of children Applicant: The Spark Children's Art FestivalAward: £1000Field: Education, Arts Project: Looking for Yoghurt is a cross-cultural collaboration between artists in the UK, Korea and Japan. Writers, directors and actors came together to create a new play for children aged 7+ and their families. In June 2009, the play came to The Spark as part of the festival's schools programme, playing to school and family audiences. It's story exploring…
…r Yoghurt - A play inspired by the wisdom of children Applicant: The Spark Children's Art FestivalAward: £1000Field: Education, Arts Project: Looking for Yoghurt is a cross-cultural collaboration between artists in the UK, Korea and Japan. Writers, directors and actors came together to create a new play for children aged 7+ and their families. In June 2009, the play came to The Spark as part of the festival's schools programme, playing to school and family audiences. It's story exploring…
…for Yoghurt - A play inspired by the wisdom of children Applicant: The Spark Children's Art FestivalAward: £1000Field: Education, Arts Project: Looking for Yoghurt is a cross-cultural collaboration between artists in the UK, Korea and Japan. Writers, directors and actors came together to create a new play for children aged 7+ and their families. In June 2009, the play came to The Spark as part of the festival's schools programme, playing to school and family audiences. It's story exploring…
…r Yoghurt - A play inspired by the wisdom of children Applicant: The Spark Children's Art FestivalAward: £1000Field: Education, Arts Project: Looking for Yoghurt is a cross-cultural collaboration between artists in the UK, Korea and Japan. Writers, directors and actors came together to create a new play for children aged 7+ and their families. In June 2009, the play came to The Spark as part of the festival's schools programme, playing to school and family audiences. It's story exploring…
…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…
…na Relations and the Implications for Japan, with Yuka Koshino and Clyde Prestowitz Thursday 1 April 2021 / 1:00pm DateThursday 1 April 2021Time1.00pm – 2.00pm (BST)9.00pm – 10.00pm (JST)8.00am – 9.00am (EDT)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people.…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (38) Dear Japan Society members and friends Longer life expectancies and changing social mores mean that neither in Britain or Japan are we very accustomed to the deaths of senior members of our royal and imperial families and to what national responses and practices should mark them. Certainly, in Britain’s case all media have had plenty of time to prepare lengthy special reports and tributes for Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, so I hope it doesn’t sound too cynical to…
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,…
…ety Chairman's Blog (39) Dear Japan Society members and friends One effect of the pandemic which I’m sure we won’t miss, whenever it turns out to be over, is the way in which holidays have become difficult to distinguish from other days, although turning off emails and social media no doubt helps. Japan’s better management of the coronavirus made that less true there last year than in Britain, but with Golden Week upon us amid newly declared states of emergency in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo…
…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…
00 noon – 1.00pm (BST)8.00pm – 9.00pm (JST)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend and do…
…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…
…amurai: Battle for Japan, a six-part Netflix historical documentary series, retells the final decades of the Sengoku Jidai, a 150-year period of near continuous civil war. 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…
In these Bill Emmott teams up with Jesper Koll, longtime Tokyo resident and one of the most keenly watched economists and investment strategists in that town, to discuss what's new in the Japanese economy, business, financial markets and more. Each quarter, Jesper and Bill open with a conversation about the latest trends that have caught their attention, and then welcome a special guest to focus on a topic of the moment. All the while, they will be interacting with…
…cts for Green Finance in the UK and Japan, with Roger Gifford and Mari Yoshitaka Wednesday 19 May 2021 / 1:00pm DateWednesday 19 May 2021Time1.00 – 2.00pm (BST)9.00 – 10.00pm (JST)8.00 – 9.00am (EDT)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However,…
…n] [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 pain…
…olving Doors’ of Government in the UK and Japan, with Koichi Nakano and Alex Thomas Thursday 10 June 2021 / 12:00pm DateThursday 10 June 2021Time12.00 noon - 1.00pm (BST)8.00pm – 9.00pm (JST)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you…
…an create fire through willpower alone; her powers are so great that she routinely has to find a safe place where she can release her power to stop it building up. 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…
…ed 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…
…irected 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…
…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…
…N EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: Inheritance from Mother by Minae Mizumura Monday 9 December 2024 / 7:00pm DateMonday 9 December 2024Time7.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for members of The Japan Society Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Waterstones (translated by Juliet Winters Carpenter)Japanese version available here Please help us to keep this event free and open to all! The Japan Society is a charity and its activities…
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…
…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…
…d its worlds: Marius Jansen and the Internationalization of Japanese Studies Edited by Martin Collcut, Kato Mikio and Ronald P. 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…
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…
…the Shackles of the Past By R. 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.…
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…
…llenges, creating a new tension and doing a great job of transferring the remainder into a foreign context. 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…
…ls, along with films by Kosuke Takaya and Hirobumi Watanabe – the two other directors on the disk – had its UK premiere at the Raindance Film Festival in London. 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…
…October 2020, Volume 15, Number 5) The aim of The Japan Society Review is to inform, entertain and encourage readers to explore the Japan-related works reviewed in its pages. 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…
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…
…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.…
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…
…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…
, 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…
…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…
…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…
…ety Chairman's Blog (33) Dear Japan Society members and friends For any foreigner taking a look at cricket, baseball or sumo wrestling, it would seem that the term “national sport” is actually a synonym for “incomprehensible to outsiders”. Now, there is plenty of room for debate as to whether cricket can be termed Britain’s (or, really, England’s) national sport and in America’s case there are those who would stand up for American football or basketball as rivals for the nomenclature. But few…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (32) Dear Japan Society members and friends It is mid-January and the temple bells have long since fallen silent, but it still feels appropriate to say Shinnen Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu to you all, for 2020 had so many downs alongside the ups that we all need congratulating for having arrived at the new year, although that too has started with some downs of its own. Even before mentioning the pandemic, all us Brits have surely noticed that Washington’s Capitol Building…
… to Net Carbon Zero in the UK and Japan, with Naoko Ishii and Adair Turner Wednesday 20 January 2021 / 11:00am DateWednesday 20 January 2021Time11.00 am – 12.00pm (GMT)8.00pm – 9.00pm (JST)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are…
… (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…
…oys said nothing other than, ‘Why?’ and ‘Oh my God!” Kore-eda used this exact language in the film. 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…
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…
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,…
…le Twelfth Conference: The First Period of Japan-British Partnership 1600-1623 Tuesday 12 December 2023 / 2:30pm DateTuesday 12 December 2023Time2.30 - 8.00pm VenueThe BallroomEmbassy of Japan104 PiccadillyLondon SW1 The Japan Society is delighted to be associated with this special event, organised by Japan400, which commemorated the start of diplomatic, trading, scientific and cultural relations between Britain and Japan in 1613. Through a host of exciting events during 2013, it celebrated the…
…VENT - Japan Society Book Club: The Sheltering Rain by Ryo Hanmura Monday 14 March 2022 / 7:00pm DateMonday 14 March 2022Time7.00pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Amazon and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and…
… (February 2010, Volume 5, Number 1) We kick off our first issue of 2010 reviewing a fascinating new book by George Olcott, “Conflict and Change: Foreign Ownership and the Japanese Firm.” 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…
…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 - 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…
… (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…
A Panel Discussion on Fiction, Poetry and Anime Thursday 13 August 2020 / 1:00pm DateThursday 13 August 2020Time1.00pm (BST) / 9.00pm (JST) Booking DetailsFree – Donations Welcome Registration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend, and are able to consider making a…
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…nnect - New Podcast Series Our friends at New Earth Theatre invite Japan Society members and friends to listen to their first-ever podcast Earth 2 Air dedicated to amplifying and championing stories of East and South East Asians in the UK. In the first series Tsunagu/Connect they will talk with Japanese women and discover the stories that brought them to the UK, the reasons they have stayed and some of the challenges they have faced as immigrants in this country. Hosted by Kumiko Mendl and…
…NT - Japan Society Film Club: When a Woman Ascends the Stairs directed by Mikio Naruse Wednesday 7 October 2020 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 7 October 2020 Time6.30pm Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. When a Woman Ascends the Stairs is available on BFI player with subscription. Do you love Japanese film classics, anime or contemporary cinema stories? Do you miss Japan and want to see it at least on screen? Would you…
… (December 2015, Volume 10, Number 6) For the last 18 months there has been a pause in production of The Japan Society Review, although reviews have continued to be published online. 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…
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…June 2015, Volume 10, Number 3) Inoue Yasushi (1907-1991) was one of the great post- war Japanese authors, whose prolific output comprises some 50 novels and 150 short stories. 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…
…k Printing Workshop with Hiroko Imada (12 April) Saturday 12 April 2025 / 1:00pm DateSaturday 12 April 2025We are running a second workshop on Friday 11 April - click here to learn more. Time1.00 - 4.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall Terrace (Outer Circle)London NW1 4QP Booking DetailsBooking essential – Priority booking for members of The Japan Society and their guestsMembers of The Japan Society: £30Guests and Non-members: £50All tools, equipment and materials will be provided on…
We are pleased to be able to get together once more and look forward to catching up with members and their guests. Nestling between Fleet Street and the Thames, The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple comprises a large number of properties dating back over several centuries, and a beautiful garden. The land and buildings are owned by the Inner Temple, an unincorporated membership association which has existed since the 14th Century. The Inner Temple is one of the…
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…
00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Waterstones, Amazon, and Blackwell's Japanese version available: Volume 1; Volume 2 The book is also available to borrow digitally for free with sign up at archive.org The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of…
00 - 4.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall Terrace (Outer Circle)London NW1 4QP Booking DetailsBooking essential – Priority booking for members of The Japan Society and their guestsMembers of The Japan Society: £30Guests and Non-members: £50All tools, equipment and materials will be provided on the day Bookings open for non-members from Monday 21 October 2024 (More details…
… Only: The Japan Society Annual Dinner 2024 Monday 11 November 2024 / 7:00pm DateMonday 11 November 2024Time7.00 for 7.30pm VenueThe Honourable Society of the Inner TempleCrown Office Row, TempleLondon EC4Y 7HL Booking DetailsBooking essential This booking page is to be used by invitees only. Please register by Friday 25 October 2024. Please make a date to join us at The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple for The Japan Society Annual Dinner 2024. We are pleased to be able to get together…
…Printing Workshop with Hiroko Imada (9 November) Saturday 9 November 2024 / 1:00pm DateSaturday 9 November 2024We are running a second workshop on Sunday 10 November - click here to learn more. Time1.00 - 4.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall Terrace (Outer Circle)London NW1 4QP Booking DetailsBooking essential – Priority booking for members of The Japan Society and their guestsMembers of The Japan Society: £30Guests and Non-members: £50All tools, equipment and materials will be…
…owed by Tattooer, a play by Kaneshima Takuya and inspired by the eponymous short story by Tanizaki Jun’ichiro which ran between 14-26 October. 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 - 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…
… of YokohamaGiulia Coccoli shares the Japanese products that remind her of Yokohama. My name is Giulia and I lived in Japan for 6 years. It is where I first lived by myself so I kind of became an adult in a Japanese environment and many things still influence my everyday life even in the UK. I have started kyudo in Japan (modern kyudo ENKF) and restarted it in London in September 2021 (Honda ryu). I practice every week with other people in a gym in South East London. In 2 weeks time we have a…
…Society Celebrates ESEA Heritage Month! Throughout September The Japan Society teamed up with London libraries to celebrate East and Southeast Asian Heritage Month 2024 which was established to honour and celebrate the culture, diversity, history and contributions of East and Southeast Asian communities across the UK. Working in partnership with Haringey and Westminster councils, The Education Team delivered three special sessions on different aspects of Japanese Culture to local children and…
…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…
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…
…VENT - The Japan Society Book Club: Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi Monday 8 January 2024 / 7:00pm DateMonday 8 January 2024Time7.00pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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…
…Festival and Seasonal Events 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…
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…
…nment with the broader reassessment taking place in public institutions. 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,…
…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…
…depiction of a Brit in modern Japan as you are likely to come across. 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
…Video - Japan Macro Salon with Jesper and Bill (October 2023 edition) In the October edition of their regular quarterly webinars, The Japan Society chair Bill Emmott teamed up with Jesper Koll, economist and investment strategist, to discuss the latest news in the Japanese economy, business, financial markets and more. In this Salon, they were joined by Founder & Chair of Monex, Oki Matsumoto. From 2008-2013, Oki was also on the board of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), and he currently is a…
…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…
…Hibari MisoraI have chosen these because, although I loved exploring the cities and seeing the sights, it was important to me to visit sites related to Hibari Misora. Ever since discovering her music, my life has changed dramatically, and I felt I owed her a debt of gratitude. I tour the world (having given a performance in Japan in October, so I can officially call myself “International”) singing Showa Kayoukyoku – most of which I have learned through watching videos of Hibari Misora on stage…
…ries from a recent trip to Japan My friend Kamihaba Kenji with adequate sake in Yurakucho, Tokyo - 23 April 2023 Rain on the moss in Kenrokuen, Kanazawa - 26 April 2023 Back to Member´s Corner Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
In the Q&A, Ravalec explained how difficult it was to get interviews with artists—especially during the COVID period. I am genuinely impressed by the volume of striking visuals and rare interviews she managed to include. It is a great way to understand the background of Japanese underground art after World War II, and how it has influenced generations of artists since then. Back to Reviews Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read…
00amEstimated arrival back in London: 8.00pm Coach pick up and drop off points: Paddington *Travel details will be emailed closer to the event VenueThis guided tour will take us to Stonehenge and Avebury. We will also stop in Salisbury and you will have an option to visit either Edward Heath's house, Arundells, or the iconic Salisbury Cathedral.…
… – October 2023 The JYC Blog - October In October, the Japan Youth Collective focused on Communications. For the first Catch-up session, the Collective visited The Embassy of Japan in the UK. They were tasked with finding out about cross-cultural communication and the UK-Japan relationship. Staff at the Embassy introduced their activities, answered questions from our curious Collective and hosted cultural workshops as a taster of the Club Taishikan activities the Embassy runs for schools;…
…nd in its riveting cover art, a soldier weeps - and it is indeed impossible not to be moved by the unrelenting bleakness of it all. 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…
…Video - Japan Macro Salon with Jesper and Bill (July 2023 edition) In the fifth of their regular quarterly webinars on business and current affairs, Japan Society chairman Bill Emmott teamed up with Jesper Koll, longtime Tokyo resident and one of the most keenly watched economists and investment strategists in that town, to discuss what's new in the Japanese economy, business, financial markets and more. In this session, they were joined by special guest Professor Takako Hikotani, senior fellow…
…VENT - Japan Society Book Club: Woman Running in the Mountains by Yuko Tsushima Monday 10 July 2023 / 7:00pm DateMonday 10 July 2023Time7.00pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Blackwell's, Amazon and Bookshop.org Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of…
Tomohiko Taniguchi: Japan in the World Today and Tomorrow Wednesday 15 November 2023 / 5:00pm DateWednesday 15 November 2023Time5.00pm (GMT) VenueLondon Business SchoolDining Room, Ratcliffe BuildingRegent's ParkLondon NW1 4SA Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential Please note this event is now fully booked. Please sign up using the form below to be added to the waiting list. The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its…
00pm-4.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall Terrace (Outer Circle)London NW1 4QP Booking DetailsBooking essential – Priority booking for Japan Society members and their guestsJapan Society Members: £30Guests and Non-members: £45All tools, equipment and materials will be provided on the day Bookings open for non-members from Monday 30 October 2023 (More details on how to become a…
…ng the Challenges for the Japanese Economy: Hiromi Yamaji in conversation with Bill Emmott Thursday 29 June 2023 / 6:30pm DateThursday 29 June 2023Time6.30pmVenueNomura International plcOne Angel LaneLondon EC4R 3AB Booking DetailsFree - Booking essential Booking deadline: 22 June 2023 The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you…
00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Waterstones Japanese version available here The activities of The Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a…
… essence of Colour in Japanese Design By Rossella MenegazzoPhaidon (2022) ISBN-13: 978-1838665333 Review by David Tonge Rossella Menegazzo, the co-author of the best seller Wa. 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…
shows us her authentic Tokyobike and other everyday Japanese products. Japan touches my life in many ways, from the food I eat to the clothes I wear to the items I choose to decorate my home. MUJI, for example, has been a staple for my storage and homeware options for years. I still swear by my MUJI rice cooker – and funnily, people often comment on it when they visit. It’s been my saviour on lazy days, when I don’t want to cook, I simply put on some rice and sit back - I sometimes…
…es, gives a hint of what is to follow between the covers. 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…
The webinar series continues with new topics and experts sharing their views from different places around the world. Watch the video recordings of our webinars in 2021 Keeping Ourselves Safe in Cyberspace with Mihoko Matsubara and Marcus Willett 2 December 2021 - More information - Watch the video & Read the report The UK-Japan…
…k Printing Workshop with Hiroko Imada (1 June) Saturday 1 June 2024 / 1:00pm DateSaturday 1 June 2024We are running a second workshop on Monday 3 June - click here to learn more. Time1.00 - 4.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall Terrace (Outer Circle)London NW1 4QP Booking DetailsBooking essential – Priority booking for members of The Japan Society and their guestsMembers of The Japan Society: £30Guests and Non-members: £50All tools, equipment and materials will be provided on the day…
…ey Anna’s links between Japan and the UK extend over 30 years. Her connections started with a degree in Japanese and Business at the University of Sheffield in the 90s, and she has since worked in a wide range of roles in government, finance and for individual companies. She has lived in Japan for eight years, in Kagoshima ken on the JET programme, then Kyoto city for Kyoto Research Park, and then in Nagoya where she managed the UK Pavilion at the Aichi Expo in 2005. In Tokyo she worked as a…
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…
…NT - The Japan Society Book Club: Solo Dance by Li Kotomi Tuesday 10 September 2024 / 7:00pm DateTuesday 10 September 2024*Time7.00pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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…
…ds – Japan Pavilion at the London Design Biennale - Photos On Sunday 8 June, The Japan Society hosted an exclusive private tour for members and guests at Somerset House, offering a rare and intimate experience of Paper Clouds: Materiality in Empty Space, the Japan Pavilion at the 2025 London Design Biennale. The installation, conceived as a poetic tribute to the Nelson Stair, captivated attendees with its ethereal use of Washi paper—celebrated for its translucency, texture, and quiet strength.…
…Printing Workshop with Hiroko Imada (3 June) Monday 3 June 2024 / 1:00pm DateMonday 3 June 2024We are running a second workshop on Saturday 1 June - click here to learn more. Time1.00 - 4.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall Terrace (Outer Circle)London NW1 4QP Booking DetailsBooking essential – Priority booking for members of The Japan Society and their guestsMembers of The Japan Society: £30Guests and Non-members: £50All tools, equipment and materials will be provided on the day…
…NT - The Japan Society Book Club: Honeybees and Distant Thunder by Riku Onda Monday 8 April 2024 / 7:00pm DateMonday 8 April 2024Time7.00pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for members of The Japan Society*Please note, due to the industrial actions, this event will take place online, not in-person. Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Waterstones (translated by Philip Gabriel)Japanese version…
…Emperor and Empress Dolls Costume Design Contest 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 EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: What You are Looking for is in the Library Monday 10 June 2024 / 7:00pm DateMonday 10 June 2024Time7.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for members of The Japan Society Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Waterstones (translated by Alison Watts)Japanese version available here Please help us to keep this event free and open to all! The activities of The Japan Society are made possible thanks to…
…TURE - Jomon Repotted: The Potential Impact of Jomon World Heritage Wednesday 12 March 2025 / 12:00pm DateWednesday 12 March 2025 Time12.00pm (GMT) / 9.00pm (JST) Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree - On ZoomPlease register for the webinar 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). The Japan Society is delighted to partner with…
… thrilling storytelling, and, above all, a final scene in classic Kitano style, so striking it makes you want to watch the film all over again. 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
00pm) Thursday 15 August 2024 / 2:00pm DateThursday 15 August 2024 Time1.45pm for 2.00pm [Fully-booked]We are running another tour at 6.30pm - click here to learn more. VenueWilliam Morris GalleryLloyd Park, Forest RoadWalthamstowLondon E17 4PP Booking DetailsBooking essential Members of The Japan Society and Circle of Japanese Art London and their guests: £15 per personNon-members: £25 per person Bookings open for non-members from Sunday 28 July…
… at St John's Wood Library - PhotosOn Tuesday 6 August 2024, the Education Team hosted a small Tanabata Festival together with St John's Wood Library for small children and their friends and family. The afternoon began with a wonderful and lively kamishibai performance of Milky Way by A Thousand Cranes. The children had the chance to learn about the story behind the Tanabata Festival as well as the traditional Japanese art of “paper theatre”. After the performance, everyone had a go at making…
30pm) Thursday 15 August 2024 / 6:30pm DateThursday 15 August 2024 Time6.15pm for 6.30pmWe are running another tour at 2.00pm - click here to learn more. VenueWilliam Morris GalleryLloyd Park, Forest RoadWalthamstowLondon E17 4PP Booking DetailsBooking essential Members of The Japan Society and Circle of Japanese Art London and their guests: £15 per personNon-members: £25 per person Bookings open for non-members from Sunday 28 July 2024 (More details…
…r Tanabata at St John's Wood Library Join us for an afternoon celebration of the Tanabata Star Festival for children and their family and friends at St John's Wood Library this August. Tanabata, also known as the Star Festival, is one of the biggests summer events in Japan. Depending on the region, it is celebrated in Japan on either 7 July or 6-8 August. This year, The Japan Society in collaboration with St John's Wood Library are hosting a mini Tanabata celebration at the library. The…
…Blog - February & March 2024 February’s Theme was Leadership; it’s time for the Japan Youth Collective to start thinking about their own final outcome and take ownership of the project. In March they put everything they had learnt over the programme into practice, with all members working hard on preparations for Discover Japan Day, their final event. In the February Catch-Up, the Collective members made tentative choices about how they wanted to mark the end of their project. All members…
…he Hindu Bhagavad Gita itself, like so many who have come before, the sparks of a deeper exploration will be kindled here. 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
00pm - Cream Tea with Director6.10pm - Film Screening VenueCream Tea with Director:The Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall Terrace (Outer Circle)London NW1 4QP* The entrance is on the Outer Circle, facing Regent’s Park Film Screening:Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA)The Mall, St. James's, London SW1Y 5AH Booking DetailsBooking essentialMembers of…
Switching Tracks from the Golden Route: Trends, Strategies & Challenges for Inbound Tourism in Japan
…Tracks from the Golden Route: Trends, Strategies & Challenges for Inbound Tourism in Japan Monday 15 January 2024 / 6:45pm DateMonday 15 January 2024 Time6.45pm VenueThe Swedenborg Society20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Hall entrance on Barter St)London WC1A 2TH[Map] Booking DetailsFree- Booking essential Please help us to keep this event free and open to all! The activities of The Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. If you are planning to attend this event and are not a…
…Printing Workshop with Hiroko Imada (11 April) Friday 11 April 2025 / 1:00pm DateFriday 11 April 2025We are running a second workshop on Saturday 12 April - click here to learn more. Time1.00 - 4.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall Terrace (Outer Circle)London NW1 4QP Booking DetailsBooking essential – Priority booking for members of The Japan Society and their guestsMembers of The Japan Society: £30Guests and Non-members: £50All tools, equipment and materials will be provided on the…
…Video - Japan Macro Salon with Jesper and Bill (April 2023 edition) In the fourth of their regular quarterly webinars on business and current affairs, Japan Society chairman Bill Emmott teamed up with Jesper Koll, longtime Tokyo resident and one of the most keenly watched economists and investment strategists in that town, to discuss what's new in the Japanese economy, business, financial markets and more. In this session, they were joined by special guest Nobukatsu Kanehara, Deputy…
45pm VenueThe Swedenborg Society20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Hall entrance on Barter St)London WC1A 2TH[Map] Booking DetailsFree- Booking essential Please note this event is fully booked. Please use the form below to be added to the waiting list. Please help us to keep this event free and open to all! The activities of The Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its…
…Youth Collective – January Japan Lab with Fumio ObataAt the first Japan Lab after the New Year, the Japan Youth Collective met with graphic novelist Fumio Obata who spoke about his work and narrative storytelling in the Japanese context and shared his insights about manga and the industry inside and outside of Japan. The Collective also received tips from Fumio about creating their own work and self-portrait, including drawing in a manga style, and made small improvements with each attempt.…
… Julia Longbottom CMG, British Ambassador to Japan 2024 - Photos On Monday 11 March 2024, we were pleased to welcome the British Ambassador to Japan, Julia Longbottom CMG, to address The Japan Society after three years in post. The event was hosted by leading Corporate Partner, Nomura International plc, for which we are extremely grateful. Many members joined us both in-person and online via Zoom to hear Julia reflect on a busy year, while sharing her views on the political, diplomatic and…
00 - 4.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall Terrace (Outer Circle)London NW1 4QP Booking DetailsBooking essential – Priority booking for members of The Japan Society and their guestsMembers of The Japan Society: £30Guests and Non-members: £45All tools, equipment and materials will be provided on the day Bookings open for non-members from Tuesday 6 February 2024 (More details on how…
…ng Japan: Exploring how Japan is Curated and Presented in the UK Monday 19 May 2025 / 6:45pm DateMonday 19 May 2025 Time6.45pm VenueThe Swedenborg Society20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Hall entrance on Barter St)London WC1A 2TH[Map] Booking DetailsFree- Booking essential Please help us to keep this event free and open to all! The activities of The Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. If you are planning to attend this event and are not a member (as an individual or…
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 appointment of our new Chief Executive!The Japan Society is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Rivera King as its new Chief Executive. Michael joins the Japan Society from Ashinaga - a Japanese charity providing educational support to under-privileged young people – where he has served as CEO of its UK operations since January 2017. Michael’s relationship with Japan began when he was 18, with his first ever flight taking him to Tokyo. He later worked on the JET programme in…
…gural Sir Hugh Cortazzi Lecture - Invited Guests and Donors of The Japan Society Tuesday 24 September 2024 / 4:30pm DateTuesday 24 September 2024Time4.30pm 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…
00pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is…
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…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (30) Dear Japan Society members and friends As the year moves to a close we are all in a poor position to make the usual plans for Bonenkai and Christmas parties, but one tradition endures: the choosing, usually by publishers eager for attention, of “words of the year”. It is fitting that in Japan Sanmitsu has been picked as the top buzzword of 2020, since its simple mantra to avoid the “three Cs”, of closed spaces, crowded places and close contacts has been widely praised…
… Club Applicant: Bede AcademyAward: £570Field: Arts, CultureSupport for: activity materials Project: In Spring 2021, Bede Academy in Blyth, Northumberland held a weekly ‘Japan Club’ after school for Year 7’s to explore Japanese language and culture through arts and craft activities and Japanese food tasting. Alongside this, the school held a special afternoon of raku firing with potter John Scott. An event aimed to bring fun and inspiration to students after a difficult year. Japan Club has…
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
…t Back?: The G7 Summit and beyond, with Hiroyuki Akita and Gideon Rachman Wednesday 30 June 2021 / 12:00pm DateWednesday 30 June 2021Time12.00 noon - 1.00pm (BST)8.00pm – 9.00pm (JST)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are…
…ety Chairman's Blog (43) Dear Japan Society members and friends It now seems to happen every year at some stage, but the extreme weather events we have been seeing lately still come as a shock as well, we must hope, as an eye-opener about the reality of climate change. I am sure many of us have had enjoyable visits to the hot-spring resort of Atami over the years, including during the summer, so to see it suffer a month’s average rainfall in such a short time, bringing deadly mud- 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…
… Club Applicant: Bede AcademyAward: £570Field: Arts, CultureSupport for: activity materials Project: In Spring 2021, Bede Academy in Blyth, Northumberland held a weekly ‘Japan Club’ after school for Year 7’s to explore Japanese language and culture through arts and craft activities and Japanese food tasting. Alongside this, the school held a special afternoon of raku firing with potter John Scott. An event aimed to bring fun and inspiration to students after a difficult year. Japan Club has…
…lub Applicant: Bede AcademyAward: £570Field: Arts, CultureSupport for: activity materials Project: In Spring 2021, Bede Academy in Blyth, Northumberland held a weekly ‘Japan Club’ after school for Year 7’s to explore Japanese language and culture through arts and craft activities and Japanese food tasting. Alongside this, the school held a special afternoon of raku firing with potter John Scott. An event aimed to bring fun and inspiration to students after a difficult year. Japan Club has been…
… Club Applicant: Bede AcademyAward: £570Field: Arts, CultureSupport for: activity materials Project: In Spring 2021, Bede Academy in Blyth, Northumberland held a weekly ‘Japan Club’ after school for Year 7’s to explore Japanese language and culture through arts and craft activities and Japanese food tasting. Alongside this, the school held a special afternoon of raku firing with potter John Scott. An event aimed to bring fun and inspiration to students after a difficult year. Japan Club has…
45pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline LectureFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time…
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…
…cers – able to embody any form or quality that the viewer projected on them. 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…
…Foreign 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…
… 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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…ety Chairman's Blog (42) Dear Japan Society members and friends Over the past year and a half we have all become rather more knowledgeable about the way in which Mother Nature can spring surprises on us than we ever wanted or expected to be. So it was uplifting to read on the BBC News website about the discovery of some rare orchids in the rooftop garden on One Angel Lane, the London headquarters of Nomura International and where in normal times our annual lecture by the UK ambassador has…
…ra Mascot Design Contest - WinnersAfter a year of waiting with bated breath, Team GB and Paralympics GB were finally able to travel to Tokyo to compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games this July and August. After a thrilling summer of sport, the teams brought home a total of 189 medals! To celebrate the Games, the Japan Society Education Team launched the first ever Yuru-Chara Design Contest, inviting everyone of all ages to create Yuru-Chara inspired mascots to cheer on GB athletes.…
The Japan Society - The Spider’s Thread 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…
… Day 2011 Applicant: Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for GirlsAward: £500Field: Culture, Education Project: In Hertfordshire, Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls hold a Japanese day for the students every other year. In 2011, around 300 students were given the chance to make sushi with Chef Kurokawa, to try craft activities such as origami and calligraphy, Japanese story telling, taiko drumming and trying on kimono. A special lunch was prepared for all of the students, and in the afternoon they…
00pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Amazon and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and…
…(April 2007, Volume 2, Number 2) In this colourful spring issue our main theme is photographic books about Japan and we review an excellent selection of new books on the topic. 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…
The Japan Society - The Spider’s Thread 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 - The Spider’s Thread 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 - The Spider’s Thread 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…
…Exquisite: Victorian Aesthetics and the Idea of Japan By Grace E. 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…
…ay 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…
… 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
00am (BST)7.00pm (JST)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend and do…
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…
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…
…Video - UK Japan Collaboration in Medical Research: Regenerative Medicine On Tuesday 11 May, Japan Society Chairman Bill Emmott was joined by Professors Paul Riley and Georg Holländer from the new Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine (IDRM) at the University of Oxford and Professor Shin’ichi Takeda of the Translational Medical Center in Tokyo to discuss regenerative medicine and its potential impact on global health. The video of the webinar is now available on the Japan Society…
…esources for Summer TermDon’t miss our brand new Japanese Sports Quiz and other sports resources, which are perfect for those planning a sporty summer term in the run up to the Tokyo 2021 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. Teaching Resources The new Japanese Sports Quiz presentation and accompanying script introduces students to six traditional Japanese sports and martial arts (Karate, Judo, Kendo, Kyudo, Yabusame, and Sumo). The short quiz is suitable for all ages and allows students to…
00pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Amazon and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and…
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…
… Day 2011 Applicant: Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for GirlsAward: £500Field: Culture, Education Project: In Hertfordshire, Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls hold a Japanese day for the students every other year. In 2011, around 300 students were given the chance to make sushi with Chef Kurokawa, to try craft activities such as origami and calligraphy, Japanese story telling, taiko drumming and trying on kimono. A special lunch was prepared for all of the students, and in the afternoon they…
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…
…(March 2006, Volume 1, Number 2) Welcome to the second edition of Japan Book Review. 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…
…vant-Garde and Experimental Film Festival 2021: Bodies Applicant: Japanese Avant-Garde and Experimental Film FestivalAward: £1000Field: Arts, Culture Project: Originally planned to take place in 2020 but postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, inspired by the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the 2021 edition of the Japanese Avant-Garde and Experimental Film Festival explored the theme of the body and sensation. The festival presented a line-up of 17 features and shorts, 10 of which had never been screened…
… Avant-Garde and Experimental Film Festival 2021: Bodies Applicant: Japanese Avant-Garde and Experimental Film FestivalAward: £1000Field: Arts, Culture Project: Originally planned to take place in 2020 but postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, inspired by the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the 2021 edition of the Japanese Avant-Garde and Experimental Film Festival explored the theme of the body and sensation. The festival presented a line-up of 17 features and shorts, 10 of which had never been…
…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…
… Avant-Garde and Experimental Film Festival 2021: Bodies Applicant: Japanese Avant-Garde and Experimental Film FestivalAward: £1000Field: Arts, Culture Project: Originally planned to take place in 2020 but postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, inspired by the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the 2021 edition of the Japanese Avant-Garde and Experimental Film Festival explored the theme of the body and sensation. The festival presented a line-up of 17 features and shorts, 10 of which had never been…
…vant-Garde and Experimental Film Festival 2021: Bodies Applicant: Japanese Avant-Garde and Experimental Film FestivalAward: £1000Field: Arts, Culture Project: Originally planned to take place in 2020 but postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, inspired by the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the 2021 edition of the Japanese Avant-Garde and Experimental Film Festival explored the theme of the body and sensation. The festival presented a line-up of 17 features and shorts, 10 of which had never been screened…
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…
…deo + Report - The AUKUS Security Pact and its Implications for the UK and Japan On Wednesday 3 November 2021, The Japan Society’s Chairman Bill Emmott hosted the latest edition in our ongoing weekly free webinar series, this time focusing on the AUKUS Security Pact. The pact consists of a trilateral security agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, centring on the supply of eight nuclear-powered submarines. To discuss this agreement and its implications for both…
…ou in the Back is a slim, deceptively simple tale about teenage life and love. 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,…
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…
00am - 12.00 noon (GMT)8.00pm - 9.00pm (JST)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if…
…reation 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…
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…
…of one author slowly unfurls into a drama concerning his family, the troupe of young actors, a small settlement in Shikoku and eventually Japanese society as a whole. 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…
The Japan Society would like to thank everyone for their support of this year’s contest and for their patience in waiting for the results. Entrants were asked to compose their own Haiku on the theme of Sports and submit it with an accompanying illustration or artwork for a chance to win a Canon digital camera. This year’s theme allowed students to share their passions through haiku and featured a surprisingly diverse range of sports. We were extremely pleased to see…
…ety Chairman's Blog (46) Dear Japan Society members and friends If you’ll forgive the pun, it has been a noble week for some of the values shared by the UK and Japan. Since I am a long-time Grub Street Hack, as journalists and other writers were termed in 19th-century Britain, it will surprise no one that I was especially delighted to see the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to two brave journalists, battling to hold authoritarian governments to account: Maria Ressa of Rappler in the Philippines and…
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…got 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 Suntory…
…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…
…irror / Neighbouring Applicant: The Glasgow School of ArtAward: £500Field: Arts Project: A project developed collaboratively as an exchange between practitioners and curators from both Scotland and Japan, and to introduce work by Japanese practitioners to audiences in Glasgow. Adapted in response to the pandemic, a four-day online workshop was presented as part of Glasgow International 2021. The project featured new work and presentations by artists Shizuka Yokomizo, Nile Koetting, Jessica…
…ror / Neighbouring Applicant: The Glasgow School of ArtAward: £500Field: Arts Project: A project developed collaboratively as an exchange between practitioners and curators from both Scotland and Japan, and to introduce work by Japanese practitioners to audiences in Glasgow. Adapted in response to the pandemic, a four-day online workshop was presented as part of Glasgow International 2021. The project featured new work and presentations by artists Shizuka Yokomizo, Nile Koetting, Jessica Ramm,…
…irror / Neighbouring Applicant: The Glasgow School of ArtAward: £500Field: Arts Project: A project developed collaboratively as an exchange between practitioners and curators from both Scotland and Japan, and to introduce work by Japanese practitioners to audiences in Glasgow. Adapted in response to the pandemic, a four-day online workshop was presented as part of Glasgow International 2021. The project featured new work and presentations by artists Shizuka Yokomizo, Nile Koetting, Jessica…
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
…irror / Neighbouring Applicant: The Glasgow School of ArtAward: £500Field: Arts Project: A project developed collaboratively as an exchange between practitioners and curators from both Scotland and Japan, and to introduce work by Japanese practitioners to audiences in Glasgow. Adapted in response to the pandemic, a four-day online workshop was presented as part of Glasgow International 2021. The project featured new work and presentations by artists Shizuka Yokomizo, Nile Koetting, Jessica…
…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…
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…it has been well-received at a series of international film festivals this year, winning the top audience prize at the Far East Film Festival in Udine. 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…
She first went to Japan on a highschool trip in 1982 and thereafter decided to pursue a BA in Japanese at the University of Waikato, NZ. She was subsequently awarded a Japanese Ministry of Education Scholarship to study in Osaka 1988-90 and after completing her studies and a year of teaching English in Japan she arrived in London in 1991. She spent several years working for Kubota in their London office and thereafter pursued her MA in Japanese…
… Taiko 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…
…ys to Memory, “which portrays the problems of identity and assimilation of the Ainu people in Japan and means of preserving and disseminating their culture” (1). 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…”. These…
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
…er – 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 found…
… Day 2011 Applicant: Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for GirlsAward: £500Field: Culture, Education Project: In Hertfordshire, Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls hold a Japanese day for the students every other year. In 2011, around 300 students were given the chance to make sushi with Chef Kurokawa, to try craft activities such as origami and calligraphy, Japanese story telling, taiko drumming and trying on kimono. A special lunch was prepared for all of the students, and in the afternoon they…
… Day 2011 Applicant: Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for GirlsAward: £500Field: Culture, Education Project: In Hertfordshire, Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls hold a Japanese day for the students every other year. In 2011, around 300 students were given the chance to make sushi with Chef Kurokawa, to try craft activities such as origami and calligraphy, Japanese story telling, taiko drumming and trying on kimono. A special lunch was prepared for all of the students, and in the afternoon they…
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…
…suri Day Applicant: Scout Road AcademyAward: £500Field: Culture Project: An extension of the school’s lunchtime Japanese language and culture club, this exploration of Japanese culture offered the 109 pupils at Scout Road Academy the chance to experience Japanese traditions and cultural activities, through dance, music, costume and food: specifically traditional obon dance, tanabata, sampling festival food, taiko drumming, and wearing yukata. The day ended with an invitation to parents to visit…
…ct of the Pandemic on Diplomatic and Commercial Relations with China Thursday 21 May 2020 / 11:00am DateThursday 21 May 2020Time11.00am to 12.00 noon (BST) Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential Booking deadline: Thursday 21 May – 10.00am (BST) The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to…
…otani with Till Weingärtner - The Making of a Japanese Stand-Up in the UK Tuesday 26 May 2020 / 6:00pm DateTuesday 26 May 2020Time6.00pm - 7.00pm (BST) Booking DetailsFree – Donations Welcome Registration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend, and are able to consider becoming a member or…
…Video - The Effect of the Pandemic on Diplomatic and Commercial Relations with China On Thursday 21 May 2020, Japan Society members and friends were invited to participate in the seventh event in our Webinar Series: The Effect of the Pandemic on Diplomatic and Commercial Relations with China. The Japan Society chairman, Bill Emmott, was joined in discussion by Kerry Brown, Professor of Chinese Studies and Director of the Lau China Institute at Kings College, London, and Akio Takahara, Professor…
…: The End of Great Ambitions went into print in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic. 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…
…g Japanese Calligraphy Applicant: Chase Bridge Primary SchoolAward: £450Field: Education, ArtsSupport for: resources Project: Chase Bridge Primary School forged an international link with the British School in Tokyo as part of a long term plan to embed the learning of Japanese language, art and culture into a revised curriculum. In year groups pupils collaborated with their Japanese counterparts to learn about life in Japan compared to here in the UK and translating inspirational quotes into…
…and the US: Our Relationship with our Closest Allies with Kim Darroch and Kenichiro Sasae Thursday 25 June 2020 / 11:00am DateThursday 25 June 2020Time11.00am to 12.00 noon (BST) Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential Please note that this event will be held under the Chatham House Rule and that no recording will be subsequently available. The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to…
…ri Day Applicant: Scout Road AcademyAward: £500Field: Culture Project: An extension of the school’s lunchtime Japanese language and culture club, this exploration of Japanese culture offered the 109 pupils at Scout Road Academy the chance to experience Japanese traditions and cultural activities, through dance, music, costume and food: specifically traditional obon dance, tanabata, sampling festival food, taiko drumming, and wearing yukata. The day ended with an invitation to parents to visit…
…- International Responsibilities and the Pandemic with Mark Malloch-Brown and Mami Mizutori Thursday 7 May 2020 / 11:00am DateThursday 7 May 2020Time11.00am to 12.00 noon (BST) Booking DetailsJapan Society Members - Free Non-members - £20Booking deadline: Thursday 7 May – 10.00am (BST) Continuing our series of webinars, Japan Society chairman, Bill Emmott, will be joined in discussion by Lord Malloch-Brown, whose international roles have included Deputy Secretary-General and Chief of Staff of…
…suri Day Applicant: Scout Road AcademyAward: £500Field: Culture Project: An extension of the school’s lunchtime Japanese language and culture club, this exploration of Japanese culture offered the 109 pupils at Scout Road Academy the chance to experience Japanese traditions and cultural activities, through dance, music, costume and food: specifically traditional obon dance, tanabata, sampling festival food, taiko drumming, and wearing yukata. The day ended with an invitation to parents to visit…
…suri Day Applicant: Scout Road AcademyAward: £500Field: Culture Project: An extension of the school’s lunchtime Japanese language and culture club, this exploration of Japanese culture offered the 109 pupils at Scout Road Academy the chance to experience Japanese traditions and cultural activities, through dance, music, costume and food: specifically traditional obon dance, tanabata, sampling festival food, taiko drumming, and wearing yukata. The day ended with an invitation to parents to visit…
… from the Korean Peninsula with Chung Min Lee and John Nilsson-Wright Thursday 2 July 2020 / 11:00am DateThursday 2 July 2020Time11.00am to 12.00 noon (BST) Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend and do not have a membership subscription as…
VIII Edited by Sir Hugh CortazziThe Japan Society and Global Oriental Publishing (2013)ISBN-13: 9789004246027 This eighth edition of the Britain & Japan: Biographical Portraits series, published in 2013, contains fifty-two biographical essays from forty different contributors relating to the influential individuals in Anglo-Japanese relations from the Meiji period to the present day. Structured accordingly, this edition deals with personalities involved…
…awing for WellbeingIf you are stuck at home, and have a little more time on your hands, perhaps you are thinking of developing or honing new skills. The Japan Society has many resources online for those interested in finding out more about manga, or hearing from artists. As part of this programming, we’re delighted to be able to offer our first online manga workshop with UK-based manga artist, Fumio Obata, which will focus on the healing aspects of creativity and being mindful of your…
…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 collection…
…Society Annual General Meeting 2020 Thank you to all the members who attended the Japan Society’s first ‘virtual’ Annual General Meeting; it was lovely to see so many old friends, even if it was only on a screen! A particular pleasure was to be able to welcome members from outside London, and as far afield as continental Europe, Japan and California, who would not normally have been able to join us in London.Ambassador Nagamine, the Japan Society’s President, in his first AGM since arriving in…
…Video - What We Know Now: Medical Science and the Response to COVID-19 On Thursday 14 May 2020, Japan Society members and friends were invited to participate in the sixth event in our Webinar Series: What We Know Now: Medical Science and the Response to COVID-19. The Japan Society chairman, Bill Emmott, was joined in discussion by two eminent scientists, Dr Kiyoshi Kurokawa, Professor Emeritus, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies and of the University of Tokyo, and Chairman of an…
… 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 premise,…
VI Edited by Sir Hugh CortazziGlobal Oriental Publishing (2007)ISBN-13: 9781905246335 This sixth volume of the Britain & Japan: Biographical Portraits series continues to profile the lives of key individuals, both British and Japanese, who have made significant contributions to the development of Anglo-Japanese relations. Containing a total of thirty-three entries thoughtfully and meticulously compiled and written by some of the pre-eminent scholars of…
… (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…
… (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…
…If you have any queries about the JIYC scheme, please contact our Education Officer: Contact Education Japan in Your Classroom (JIYC) To request a Japan in Your Classroom visit to your class, please complete the form below with as much information as possible. Please be aware that we normally need at least 4 weeks notice (6 weeks for the summer term) so we might not be able to arrange a last-minute visit with short notice. For a large number of students, please email our team first to check…
…ety Chairman's Blog (2) Dear Japan Society members and friends In early March, in what now feels like a distant memory, I gave a talk to sixth-formers at a state school in the English countryside, as part of the excellent “Speakers for Schools” charitable scheme set up some years ago by the journalist Robert Peston, now a prominent political anchor on ITV. During the Q&A after my talk one boy asked an especially prescient question: “I’ve heard that the economic impact of the coronavirus could…
… (October 2019, Volume 14, Number 5) For the October issue of The Japan Society Review we have selected a mixture of books that illuminate different aspects of modern Japan. 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…
…ety Chairman's Blog (3) Dear Japan Society members and friendsOne of the surprising but also cheering aspects of this strange and difficult period has been how readily we can all be connected with one another, despite spending most of our time at home. It has been great to see how many Japan Society members have been logging in to the first two of our now weekly webinars, as well as great to be able to link together speakers and indeed viewers in Japan and in the UK. What has also been…
…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…
… (August 2017, Volume 12, Number 4) The August issue of The Japan Society Review opens with reviews of two books, both dealing with the modern history of Japan from a political-diplomatic perspective. 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…
… (April 2013, Volume 8, Number 2) In this issue we remember and mark the second anniversary of Great East Japan Earthquake (東日本大震災) which occurred on Friday 11 March 2011. 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…
…ety Chairman's Blog (4) Dear Japan Society members and friends In most years, given the way England is, we pay remarkably little attention to St George’s Day, despite knowing him as our patron saint and using his flag when supporting the English rugby and soccer teams. It is, I know, one of those puzzlingly English things that we have as a patron saint a figure from history who never actually visited the British Isles and whose main claim to fame lies in a legend of him slaughtering a mythical…
…June 2012, Volume 7, Number 3) In this issue we focus on the Meiji era, which spanned the period September 1868 to July 1912. 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 the…
… (February 2012, Volume 7, Number 1) In this issue we focus on crime and the legal system in Japan. 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…
…g Japanese Calligraphy Applicant: Chase Bridge Primary SchoolAward: £450Field: Education, ArtsSupport for: resources Project: Chase Bridge Primary School forged an international link with the British School in Tokyo as part of a long term plan to embed the learning of Japanese language, art and culture into a revised curriculum. In year groups pupils collaborated with their Japanese counterparts to learn about life in Japan compared to here in the UK and translating inspirational quotes into…
…g Japanese Calligraphy Applicant: Chase Bridge Primary SchoolAward: £450Field: Education, ArtsSupport for: resources Project: Chase Bridge Primary School forged an international link with the British School in Tokyo as part of a long term plan to embed the learning of Japanese language, art and culture into a revised curriculum. In year groups pupils collaborated with their Japanese counterparts to learn about life in Japan compared to here in the UK and translating inspirational quotes into…
…Japanese Calligraphy Applicant: Chase Bridge Primary SchoolAward: £450Field: Education, ArtsSupport for: resources Project: Chase Bridge Primary School forged an international link with the British School in Tokyo as part of a long term plan to embed the learning of Japanese language, art and culture into a revised curriculum. In year groups pupils collaborated with their Japanese counterparts to learn about life in Japan compared to here in the UK and translating inspirational quotes into…
00 for 6.30pm (reception afterwards until 8.30pm) VenueNomura International plcOne Angel LaneLondon EC4R 3AB Booking DetailsBooking essential - FreeMembers of the Japan Society and their guests onlyBooking deadline: Friday 28 February We are delighted to welcome the British Ambassador to Japan, HE Mr Paul Madden, to address the Japan Society at the end of his third year in post. In this…
30pm Registration, light sandwich lunch1.00pm Start2.30pm CloseVenueJETROMidCity Place71 High HolbornLondon WC1V 6AL Booking DetailsBooking essential - FreePriority for Japan Society members and those introduced by JETROBooking deadline: Friday 7 February 2020 In an increasingly inter-connected and digitized world, concerns about cybersecurity are more and more part…
…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…
…: 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)…
00 noon – 1.00pm (GMT)9.00pm – 10.00pm (JST)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning…
… (December 2007, Volume 2, Number 6) In our final issue of 2007, we have some excellent reviews and previews of the latest Japan-related books hot off the printing press. 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…
…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…
… (March 2009, Volume 4, Number 1) We kick off our first issue of 2009 with a look at a fascinating new historical book, Kyushu, Gateway to Japan. 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…
… and the History of Anime Music with Laurence Green Tracks in discussion 1. Astro Boy theme - From: Astro Boy (1963) 2. Space Battleship Yamato theme - From: Space Battleship Yamato (1974) 3. Make-Up - Pegasus Fantasy - From: Saint Seiya (1986) 4. L'Arc-en-Ciel - Driver’s High - From: Great Teacher Onizuka (1999) 5. FLOW - Colors - From: Code Geass (2006) 6. LiSA - Gurenge - From: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019) We’ve put together a playlist of anisongs we have on constant repeat.Does it…
…c Playlist What are Anisongs? One of the most incredible things about Japanese anime is how much amazing music there is - every series has an accompanying ‘opening’ theme - a signal to listen up, pay attention, and get very excited for what’s about to play out. Anisongs are the music used during the opening or ending credits of anime shows. Many become hit singles - as well as karaoke favourites to sing along to! Some of the biggest names from Japan’s music industry frequently lend their…
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 Japan-UK Free Trade Agreement -what does it mean? with Hiroshi Matsuura and Minako Morita-Jaeger
00 noon – 1.00pm (GMT)9.00pm (JST)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if…
…April 2008, Volume 3, Number 2) In this issue our regular review team offers you another excellent selection of the latest books on Japan. 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…
… (August 2010, Volume 5, Number 4) As life in both Japan and the UK takes on a more relaxing summer tempo, we offer you a simulating selection of books to enjoy during the warm August nights. 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…
…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…
…NT - Japan Society Book Club: If Cats Disappeared From The World by Genki Kawamura Monday 11 January 2021 / 7:00pm DateMonday 11 January 2021 Time7.00pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Amazon and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event…
…August 2007, Volume 2, Number 4) Mirroring the recent seismic shifts in the Japanese political world, there have also been some equally significant changes for Japan Book Review. 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 now…
…Series 2020 In April 2020, we began a series of webinars exploring different aspects of the pandemic, as well as social, political and economic news, business issues and Anglo-Japanese relations. The webinar series continues with new topics and experts sharing their views from different places around the world. Watch the video recordings of our webinars in 2020 The Future for Higher Education in Japan and the UK with David Richardson and Yuko Takahashi 10 December 2020 - More information -…
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…Video - The Path to Net Carbon Zero in the UK and Japan, with Naoko Ishii and Adair Turner For the first Japan Society webinar of 2021, chairman Bill Emmott was joined to discuss strategies to achieve net carbon zero by two energy and climate change experts, Professor Naoko Ishii, director of the Center for Global Commons, University of Tokyo, and Lord Adair Turner, chair of the Energy Transitions Commission. The video of the webinar is now available on the Japan Society YouTube channel. You…
…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,…
… ‘Singleness of Purpose’: Sir Harry Parkes, British Minister to Japan, Korea and China In this lecture talk on Saturday 14 November 2020, Robert Morton discussed the life and career of Sir Harry Parkes, a controversial figure who played a central role in the relations between east Asia and the West from the 1850s until the 1880s. Robert Morton is a professor at Chuo University in Tokyo. He is the author of A.B. Mitford and the Birth of Japan as a Modern State (Renaissance, 2017) which won the…
Japan Society members fee:30% discount available with code: JFT1JSOC Registration via website, email or phone (+44 1932 340115). To obtain your discount, please quote the discount code when registering: JFT1JSOC.Please note that discount is not applicable on the reduced 'small company' participation fee. The UK-Japan Free Trade Summit: A Shared Political, Economic and Financial Vision for Mutual…
…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…
In the blog that I wrote on 31 August, perhaps still feeling relaxed thanks to the summer, I said something foolish about Japanese politics. Well, not overly foolish you might say, but something that showed that I had not done all my homework. My folly was to suggest that Shinzo Abe’s resignation as prime minister “may bring to an end Japan’s most remarkable postwar political dynasty”, the family…
…emic and its Impact on Gender Equality in Japan and the UK Wednesday 22 July 2020 / 11:00am DateWednesday 22 July 2020Time11.00am to 12.00noon (BST) Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend and do not have a membership subscription as an…
…e of the Economy in Japan and the UK, with Noriko Hama and Gerard Lyons Wednesday 16 September 2020 / 11:00am DateWednesday 16 September 2020Time11.00am to 12.00noon (BST) Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend and do not have a membership…
…istory and Culture - Enrichment Days Applicant: The Folkstone AcademyAward: £1000Field: Education, Arts Project: Two enrichment days for 240 Year 9 students (ages 13-14) at the Folkstone Academy. Students took part in a range of activities including origami, kite making, taiko drumming and martial arts workshops lead by experts in these fields. The events were intended to offer further understanding of Japanese culture through the creative arts and to precede ongoing Japan themed study within…
… History and Culture - Enrichment Days Applicant: The Folkstone AcademyAward: £1000Field: Education, Arts Project: Two enrichment days for 240 Year 9 students (ages 13-14) at the Folkstone Academy. Students took part in a range of activities including origami, kite making, taiko drumming and martial arts workshops lead by experts in these fields. The events were intended to offer further understanding of Japanese culture through the creative arts and to precede ongoing Japan themed study within…
… History and Culture - Enrichment Days Applicant: The Folkstone AcademyAward: £1000Field: Education, Arts Project: Two enrichment days for 240 Year 9 students (ages 13-14) at the Folkstone Academy. Students took part in a range of activities including origami, kite making, taiko drumming and martial arts workshops lead by experts in these fields. The events were intended to offer further understanding of Japanese culture through the creative arts and to precede ongoing Japan themed study within…
…istory and Culture - Enrichment Days Applicant: The Folkstone AcademyAward: £1000Field: Education, Arts Project: Two enrichment days for 240 Year 9 students (ages 13-14) at the Folkstone Academy. Students took part in a range of activities including origami, kite making, taiko drumming and martial arts workshops lead by experts in these fields. The events were intended to offer further understanding of Japanese culture through the creative arts and to precede ongoing Japan themed study within…
5 hour journey from Nottingham including East Midlands, West Midlands and South Yorkshire.Age range: Any Number of participants: Any email: kiyoko.naish@virgin.netwebsite: http://ganbarejapanuk.blogspot.com/facebook: www.facebook.com/GanbareJapanUK Ganbare Japan are a Nottingham based charity who promote Japanese language and culture. At…
…tics of Governmental Reform in Japan and the UK, with Bronwen Maddox and Koji Tsuruoka Wednesday 23 September 2020 / 12:00pm DateWednesday 23 September 2020Time12.00noon - 1.00pm (BST) Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend and do not have a…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (27) Dear Japan Society members and friendsUntil somebody pointed it out to me – perhaps wanting to send me a message? – I had no idea that Friday 13 November was World Kindness Day, or at least that that is how some countries have labelled it since 1998 (at least, to be a little unkind, if Wikipedia's entry can be believed). Apparently there has also been a Kindness Day UK since 2011, though I must confess that it had passed me by. But no one living in Japan will be…
… (August 2020, Volume 15, Number 4) Welcome to a new issue of The Japan Society Review. 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…
…ety Chairman's Blog (20) Dear Japan Society members and friendsI cannot pretend that these are not turbulent times, when an American president refuses to confirm that there will be a peaceful transfer of power after the US election on 3 November, when in the UK plans emerge to require access permits for trucks entering the county of Kent so as to control post-Brexit congestion, and when rising COVID-19 infection numbers in the UK and some other European countries have led to the tightening of…
…pan Experts PERRIN, Suzanne History, Culture, Art Type of activity: lecture, performance, project leaderAvailable to travel: anywhereAge range: 12+number of participants: any email: info@japaninterlink.com / perrinsuzanne47@gmail.comtel: 0208 579 9404website: www.japaninterlink.com More information WALFORD, Reiko Japanese Language & Culture, Origami Type of activity: demonstration, performance, workshop, project leaderAvailable to travel: anywhere (Based in Wales)Age range: 8 +Number of…
…Video - The US Election: Implications for International Trade For our webinar on 5 November 2020, as we assessed the outcome of the US presidential and congressional elections, Japan Society Chairman Bill Emmott was joined by two experts on international business, Glen S Fukushima in Washington DC and Lord Jim O’Neill in the UK, and Professor Toshihiro Nakayama in Tokyo, to share their views on the election’s implications for both the UK and Japan, especially trade, geopolitics and relations…
After graduating in Modern History & Economics from Oxford University, she was one of the first graduate trainees at the American PR firm Burson Marsteller. She then worked for Mitsubishi Corporation for 9 years in sales in London and Tokyo, and also in HR and corporate planning. After taking an MBA at INSEAD, she worked for a British IT company, running a team of artificial intelligence programmers…
00am (GMT) / 8.00pm (JST)For countries other than the UK or Japan, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline EventFree - Booking essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a…
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…
…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.…
…s & Seasonal Celebrations Subject: Other Topics / Geography Level: Key Stage 3 / Key Stage 2 Age: 11-15 years / 7-11 years / 5-7 years Resource Type: Activities / Worksheets / Other In Japan, there are many festivals and seasonal celebrations, from January all the way to the end of the year. Below is a list of lesson links for each and also our complete collection of activity packs! Download our Winter Holiday Activity Pack with Christmas origami, kanji writing, and New Year's postcard…
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…
…nning” as it is in books such as “Hard Boiled Wonderland at the End of the World” where the narrative jumps, the book still carries you along on a journey in a way similar to other Murakami books.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…
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…
… (February 2022, Volume 17, Number 1) This issue of The Japan Society Review marks the opening of an exciting new year of Japan-related books, films and events. 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,…
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…
… Kaigi, 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…
30pmVenueLondon Business SchoolRegent's ParkLondon NW1 4RG Booking DetailsBooking essentialFree for Japan Society Members£7.50 for non-membersIncludes light refreshments Please note that spaces are limited and early booking is recommended. For the second in our exciting new series of careers events in collaboration with the Japan Club of London Business School, we invite…
…tual Property and the New Japanese Global Economy Routledge, 2009, 196 pages. 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…
…ne: the man who mapped the shaking earth Craven and Pendle Geological Society, 2007, 120 pages, paperback £6.50, (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…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (49) Dear Japan Society members and friends We can all agree that after two such difficult and demanding pandemic years Russia’s decision to invade and seek to conquer its neighbour Ukraine has come as both an outrage and a vast setback. The outcome of this tragic war is unknowable, as is the impact on all our economies of the resulting energy and commodities shocks and of the progressive isolation of Russia through sanctions. The future relationship of China to Russia,…
One Hundred Famous Views of Edo Taschen, 2008, 294 pages, Japanese binding & bookcase £80.00, 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…
…o (The Net War) NTT Publications,2007, 285 pages, including notes and index. 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…
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 ¥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…
…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…
00pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Amazon and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and…
…teway to Japan: A Concise History Global Oriental, 2009, 240 pages. 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…
…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…
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…
…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…
…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…
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…
…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…
… 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…
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.…
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…
…econd film by writer/director Satoshi Miki, a comedy filmmaker who has now shot to prominence with the recent success of Adrift in Tokyo (転々). 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…
… 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…
…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…
…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…
…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…
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…
… 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…
30pm startB) Tuesday 8 March 2022 - 6pm for 6.30pm start*Please give your first and second choice in the booking form VenueROKA Shochu Lounge37 Charlotte StreetLondon W1T 1RR Booking DetailsMembers (& guests): £65 per personNon-Members: £80 per personIncludes an aperitif, tasting of five shochu plus a pairing of tasting dishes, and a ‘make-at-home’ shochu cocktail Priority booking for members until Thursday…
…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…
…, Cherry Blossoms, and Nationalisms: The Militarization of Aesthetics in Japanese History The University of Chicago Press, 2002. 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…
…: 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…
… Exhibition Tour - Kimono: The Making of a Cultural Icon (12 October) Wednesday 12 October 2022 / 6:00pm DateWednesday 12 October 2022Time6.00pm Venue Japanese Gallery23 Camden PassageLondon N1 8EA Booking DetailsFree - Priority for Japan Society Members Spaces are limited and therefore early booking is recommended to avoid disappointment. Please note this event is now fully booked. To book a place to attend the additional date on 19 October, please sign up from here. Japan Society members are…
…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…
… 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 partnering,…
… Community 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…
…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…
…xhibition Tour - Kimono: The Making of a Cultural Icon (19 October) Wednesday 19 October 2022 / 6:00pm DateWednesday 19 October 2022Time6.00pm Venue Japanese Gallery23 Camden PassageLondon N1 8EA Booking DetailsFree - Priority for Japan Society Members Please note this event is now fully booked. Please sign up using the form below to be added to the waiting list. Japan Society members are invited to a special guided visit to the exhibition Kimono: The Making of a Cultural Icon, currently being…
…! Yatemare!L J English is captivated by the Goshogawara Tachineputa Festival held annually in Aomori Having never been to Japan I may seem the least qualified person to talk about my favourite matsuri. Indeed, being a relative newcomer to Japanese culture I expect there are a great many festivals I do not even know about so I may be even less qualified to make a choice of “Favourite Festival”, but there is one matsuri that I know will be my first port of call when I finally get to travel to…
In the Footsteps of the Monk Ennin This venerable man first came to my attention by chance in Hiraizumi when I saw a notice at a small shrine dedicated to him in the Buddhist complex there. It said that Ennin had travelled to China in the year 838. This was unusual and, following up on the internet, I discovered that he had written a diary about the trip. This is likely the first known diary written by a foreigner visiting China. The diary has been translated by a…
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 and…
… of the Japanese State: The Changing Role of Child Protection Institutions in Contemporary Japan." 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…
The Japan Society - 16th World Children’s Haiku Contest 2019-2020 – Applications closed 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…
…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,…
…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…
…girisu Netsu: Rondon-Bashi to Rondon-Dokei Kodansha, Tokyo, 2006, 254 pages, ISBN 4-06-258352-6 Review by Sean Curtin This is a fact-packed scholarly study of the image of England in Edo Japan. 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,…
30 - 5.30pm VenueJapanese Garden - Hammersmith ParkSouth Africa RoadShepherd's BushW12 7FW[Map]*The park can be accessed from the north via South Africa Road and the south via Frithville GardensBooking DetailsFree - everyone welcome.No booking required – just turn up on the day! Bring your family and friends and join us for a summer afternoon of family fun and entertainment in the peaceful surroundings of…
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…
…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…
… story that offers itself up to countless interpretations. 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…
A Novel by Eto Mori Monday 13 June 2022 / 7:00pm DateMonday 13 June 2022Time7.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Amazon, and Book Depository Japanese version available here 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…
…N EVENT - Japan Society Book Club: The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji Monday 8 August 2022 / 7:00pm DateMonday 8 August 2022Time7.00pm Venue The Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Book Depository Japanese version available here 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…
…hi: 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 Tokyo…
45pm VenueThe Swedenborg Society20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Hall entrance on Barter St)London WC1A 2TH[Map] Booking DetailsFree- Booking essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend and do not have a…
In 2013, I visited Japan for the first time. It was fortunate for me that during my time there, there was a large matsuri taking place in Asakusa. Being my first time in Japan, everything had been a bit of a culture shock so far, though completely thrilling, and the matsuri was no exception. It’s almost 10 years later, but I still remember how warm it was that day and the atmosphere…
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 of…
… to Pearl Harbor: The Imperial Japanese Navy and the United States By Sadao Asada Naval Institute Press, Annapolis MD (2006)ISBN 1-55750-042-8 Review by Ian Nish Arma virumque cano. 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…
…ages 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
…ct of the Russo-Japanese War Edited by Rotem Kowner Routledge (2007)ISBN 987-0-415-36842-7 Review by Ian Nish Arma virumque cano. 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…
… 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…
…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…
… 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…
…ry 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…
The Japan Society - The 'VAMOS NIPPON!' Exhibition 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…
…y 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,…
…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…
…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 Japan Society - The 'VAMOS NIPPON!' Exhibition 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…
…nd 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…
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
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…
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…
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…
…y and Sumi-e Workshops at Reading Biscuit Factory Cinema Applicant: Reading Biscuit Factory CinemaAward: £400Field: Arts, Culture Project: As part of the wider BFI initiative of screening a series of Japanese films to tie-in with the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Reading Biscuit Factory Cinema ran two workshops for 20 people to learn calligraphy and sumi-e, facilitated by specialist, Akemi Lucas and her two assistants. The workshops were a sell-out and provided an uncommon opportunity for local people…
…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…
…phy and Sumi-e Workshops at Reading Biscuit Factory Cinema Applicant: Reading Biscuit Factory CinemaAward: £400Field: Arts, Culture Project: As part of the wider BFI initiative of screening a series of Japanese films to tie-in with the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Reading Biscuit Factory Cinema ran two workshops for 20 people to learn calligraphy and sumi-e, facilitated by specialist, Akemi Lucas and her two assistants. The workshops were a sell-out and provided an uncommon opportunity for local people…
…ion with Kazuo Ishiguro in a large theatre at the Friends’ House and all for free. 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…
… 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 Japan Society - The 'VAMOS NIPPON!' Exhibition 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…
…phy and Sumi-e Workshops at Reading Biscuit Factory Cinema Applicant: Reading Biscuit Factory CinemaAward: £400Field: Arts, Culture Project: As part of the wider BFI initiative of screening a series of Japanese films to tie-in with the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Reading Biscuit Factory Cinema ran two workshops for 20 people to learn calligraphy and sumi-e, facilitated by specialist, Akemi Lucas and her two assistants. The workshops were a sell-out and provided an uncommon opportunity for local people…
…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…
…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…
…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…
…performance in London was in 1991, directed by Yukio Ninagawa and featuring Alan Rickman as the main lead, Sei Kiyomura. 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…
…ng at the Southwark Playhouse until 4th January 2015. 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
… Misadventures: 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…
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…
The Japan Society - Kiki’s Delivery Service 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 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…
The Japan Society - The 'VAMOS NIPPON!' Exhibition 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…
…e and the Rise of the Modern Art Movement: The Arts of the Meiji Period, The Khalili CollectionEdited by Gregory IrvineForeword by Professor Nasser D. 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…
…to 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
…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…
…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…
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…
…ciety Chairman's Blog (1) Dear Japan Society members and friendsThis is the first of what will be a regular “Chairman’s Blog” for Japan Society members and supporters. I originally thought I would start the blog to celebrate the joys of spring both in Japan and the UK, with cherry blossom parties in full flow, with planning hotting up for their Imperial Majesties’ State Visit in May, with much thought about how the Tokyo Olympic Games might build on the achievements and enjoyments of last…
…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…
…er 2021 We would like to say a big thank you to all of the participants who shared their poetry with us in 2021. Haiku of the Week - GALLERY & POEMS More Selected Haiku Visit our Haiku Corner 2020 page to read more poems Please keep sending your haiku each week so that we can all get together and strengthen the ties of our community through haiku. Send your haiku Haiku of the Week - Gallery Haiku of the Week - Poems Week 50 (13 - 17 December 2021) red poinsettiain amongst the cactus pots…
…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…
…deo + Report - Prospects for Japan and Asia in 2022 and Beyond After two years in which Japan and the rest of the world had to face issues on an unprecedented scale, as we move into 2022, it is now time to turn our attention to the future. In our first webinar of the year, on Wednesday 26 January 2022, Japan Society’s Chairman Bill Emmott was joined by two expert analysts: Jesper Koll, former Chief Strategist and Head of Research for U.S. investment banks J.P. Morgan and Merrill Lynch, and…
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…
…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…
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…
…se 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 and…
…Miura with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Members Discount Discount Japan Society members and friends can book the best available seats (worth up to £45) for just £10 (+booking fee £4) with the promo code MIURA when booking online here. Fumiaki Miura performs Prokofiev with the Royal Philharmonic OrchestraWednesday 9 February 2022 – 7.30pmCadogan Hall5 Sloane TerraceLondon SW1X 9DQHow to Book Click here and select Book now. Select the seats you would like and then click through to the…
00 - 2.00pm (GMT)10.00 - 11.00pm (JST)Check the time in your location Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are…
Japonisme and the Rise of the Modern Art Movement: The Arts of the Meiji Period, The Khalili Collect
…e and the Rise of the Modern Art Movement: The Arts of the Meiji Period, The Khalili Collect Edited by Gregory Irvine, foreword by Professor Nasser D. 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…
…hipping and Shipbuilding in the Twentieth Century, The Writings of Peter N. 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…
…ORKSHOP - Japanese Language Taster for Young People We are delighted to announce FREE online taster language sessions for secondary school and sixth-form students. Designed for beginners with no previous experience with Japanese, our friendly online classroom is perfect for those who are new to the language and want to give it a try. About the Sessions The two-part taster takes place over 2 consecutive Saturdays so secondary and sixth form students can learn everything they need to introduce…
…e 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…
…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…
…rner old Haiku Corner 2021 In Japanese poetry, kigo (季語) is the word or phrase used to indicate the season and it is often included in haiku to locate the poem in a particular time of the year. In these uncertain times of lockdown and pandemic, we want to open our website to members and friends to embrace the creative power of haiku and express the feelings and experiences we all are living in this peculiar "season". Our hope is to create an ongoing piece of collaborative poetry that brings…
…phy and Sumi-e Workshops at Reading Biscuit Factory Cinema Applicant: Reading Biscuit Factory CinemaAward: £400Field: Arts, Culture Project: As part of the wider BFI initiative of screening a series of Japanese films to tie-in with the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Reading Biscuit Factory Cinema ran two workshops for 20 people to learn calligraphy and sumi-e, facilitated by specialist, Akemi Lucas and her two assistants. The workshops were a sell-out and provided an uncommon opportunity for local people…
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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…
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… 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…
00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Book Depository and AmazonJapanese version available here Due to the current situation with COVID-19, this event will take place online. Places are limited and priority is given to regular attendees at the monthly meetings. If you are…
… (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…
…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…
…o + Report - Taiwan Tensions – Implications for China, the US, Japan and Europe How will recent events such as the visit by Speaker of the U.S House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan affect China, the US, Japan and Europe? This formed the agenda for the Japan Society webinar on 12 September, where Bill Emmott was joined by two world experts on the politics and diplomatic relations of the region, Yasuhiro Matsuda and Meia Nouwens. Yasuhiro Matsuda is a professor at the University of…
…EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: Sisters in Yellow by Mieko Kawakami Monday 8 December 2025 / 7:00pm DateMonday 8 December 2025Time7.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for members of The Japan Society Book available from Spring 2025Japanese version available here Please help us to keep this event free and open to all! The Japan Society is a charity and its activities are made possible thanks to the support of its members. If you are…
…the ordinariness of what seem the most extraordinary feelings, but also to any adult who remembers their juvenescence and is unhappy with the world today. 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…
…EC 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…
…blications The Japan Society has long engaged in the publication of books which further the UK-Japan relationship and the understanding of Japan in the UK. These have included works produced or commissioned by the Society, as well as those which have been initiated by others and published under The Japan Society imprint. My Japan, My Britain In 2013 we marked the 400th anniversary of Anglo-Japanese relations with the Japan400 project. One of the ways in which we celebrated this many-sided and…
…VENT - The Japan Society Film Club: Hiroshima directed by Hideo Sekigawa Wednesday 6 August 2025 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 6 August 2025Time6.30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease register for the meeting in advance from the link below. After registering, you will receive an automated confirmation email with meeting access details (please check your spam folder if you don't receive any…
…VENT - The Japan Society Film Club: Taboo directed by Nagisa Oshima Friday 9 May 2025 / 6:30pm DateFriday 9 May 2025*Time6.30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease register for the meeting in advance from the link below. After registering, you will receive an automated confirmation email with meeting access details (please check your spam folder if you don't receive any emails). Free for…
…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…
…VENT - The Japan Society Film Club: A Fugitive from the Past directed by Tomu Uchida Wednesday 6 November 2024 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 6 November 2024Time6.30pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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…
… Diaries: 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…
The innovation in the characters and conclusion will ensure it lives longer in memory than the simplistic and formulaic structure would otherwise suggest, and demonstrate the opportunities to bring new perspectives to the homogenous genre of the yakuza thriller and the expectations we have of it, for…
… (June 2016, Volume 11, Number 3) For two days in May Japan, and specifically Ise-Shima, was the focus of the world’s media as it played host to the 42nd G7 summit. 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…
… (June 2014, Volume 9, Number 3) In this third issue of 2014, we are pleased to bring a broad range of reviews on a diverse selection of topics and genres to the fore. 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…
…NT - The Japan Society Film Club: Black Rain directed by Shohei Imamura Thursday 8 August 2024 / 6:30pm DateThursday 8 August 2024Time6.30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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).…
…VENT - The Japan Society Film Club: Sailor Suit and Machine Gun directed by Shinji Somai Wednesday 2 April 2025 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 2 April 2025Time6.30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease register for the meeting in advance from the link below. After registering, you will receive an automated confirmation email with meeting access details (please check your spam folder if you don't…
…nvoys 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.…
A Hidden History of Japan Monday 21 October 2024 / 6:45pm DateMonday 21 October 2024 Time6.45pm VenueThe Swedenborg Society20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Hall entrance on Barter St)London WC1A 2TH[Map] Booking DetailsFree- Booking essential Please note this event is now fully booked. Please help us to keep this event free and open to all! The Japan Society is a charity and its activities are made possible thanks to the support of its members. If you are planning to…
00 - 3.00pm VenueJapan House London101-111 Kensington High StLondonW8 5SA How to ApplyThis event is open to young people aged 15 - 25 who are currently in secondary school, sixth form/college, or university in the UK. Booking DeadlineWednesday 4 June 2025 Please note that there are a limited number of spaces for this event. Applicants will be informed via email whether they have…
…d atmospheric soundtrack; gory throughout, it is not to be watched by the faint-hearted. 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…
…formance - Photos On Wednesday 30 April 2025, in collaboration with Japan House London, Master storytellers Kanariya Eiraku, Kanariya Koraku, and Kanariya Knight from the English Rakugo Association presented an evening filled with laughter. Rakugo, Japan’s centuries-old comedic storytelling art, captivated audiences with its wit and charm. Photos from the show can be seen below, offering a glimpse into the performances and the lively atmosphere of the evening. The event, held at Japan House…
00pm to 5.00pm VenueMuseum of London150 London WallEC2Y 5HN London Booking DetailsFree – Booking essential Join us at our launch event for Tsunagu/Connect, a new oral history project recording the lives of Japanese women in the UK since 1945!The lives of Japanese women in the UK are little-known and otherwise misunderstood. We will collect and share Japanese women’s stories in their…
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…
…undation Touring Film Programme 2025 - Members Discount Discount Price for Members of The Japan Society:£11 per ticket (includes £3 discount for regular screenings / £5 discount for special screenings with director’s appearance, and online booking fee £1) when booking online at the ICA London website* To obtain the discount, keep an eye on your inbox! Members will be sent their exclusive discount code by email (if you are a member and do not receive the code, get in touch on membership@japansoci…
…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…
…NT - The Japan Society Film Club: Kamikaze Girls directed by Tetsuya Nakashima Wednesday 3 July 2024 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 3 July 2024Time6.30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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…
…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…
…VENT - Japan Society Book Club: The Key by Junichiro Tanizaki Monday 10 January 2022 / 7:00pm DateMonday 10 January 2022Time7.00pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Amazon, Bookshop and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and…
30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Still Walking is available to watch on BFI Player, Amazon UK, Apple TV, Curzon Home Cinema and Chili UK. The activities of the Japan Society…
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Back to Small Grants 2017 Successful Grants View All Grants 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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…NT - Japan Society Film Club: One Cut of the Dead Wednesday 7 December 2022 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 7 December 2022 Time6.30pm Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. One Cut of the Dead is available to watch on Channel 4, third window films, YouTube, Google Play, Amazon Video, Apple. Do you love Japanese film classics, anime or contemporary cinema stories? Do you miss Japan and want to see it at least on screen?…
…VENT - Japan Society Film Club: The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On directed by Hara Kazuo Wednesday 6 April 2022 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 6 April 2022 Time6.30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On is available on BFI player with subscription and on DVD and Blu-ray. Do you love…
30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. 37 Seconds is available to watch on Netflix with subscription. Do you love Japanese film classics, anime or contemporary cinema stories? Do you miss Japan…
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…
… Silk and Gold - Ornamental Textiles from Meiji Japan Applicant: The Ashmolean MuseumAward: £1000Field: Culture, EducationSupport for: Family activities and exhibition tours Project: Threads of Silk and Gold, the first exhibition devoted to the art of Meiji textiles ever to be held outside of Japan, included some 40 examples of the highest quality Meiji textiles pieced together from around the world. The outstanding collection is one of the finest and most comprehensive of its type in existence…
… Silk and Gold - Ornamental Textiles from Meiji Japan Applicant: The Ashmolean MuseumAward: £1000Field: Culture, EducationSupport for: Family activities and exhibition tours Project: Threads of Silk and Gold, the first exhibition devoted to the art of Meiji textiles ever to be held outside of Japan, included some 40 examples of the highest quality Meiji textiles pieced together from around the world. The outstanding collection is one of the finest and most comprehensive of its type in existence…
…eo - Zaido: Documenting a 1,300 year old ceremony In this special talk on Saturday 10 October 2020, we were joined by photographer Yukari Chikura, who shared with us images taken during a restorative pilgrimage to document the 1,300-year-old ceremony, Dainichido Bugaku, locally known as Zaido. The images from which were recently published in Yukari’s book, Zaido, by Steidl. As well as behind the scenes insights into the stories captured in her photographs, we were given an exclusive chance to…
…VENT - The Japan Society Film Club: Our Little Sister directed by Hirokazu Koreeda Wednesday 3 January 2024 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 3 January 2024Time6.30pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease 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…
…ety Chairman's Blog (29) Dear Japan Society members and friendsThe British novelist Martin Amis once published a book of his essays entitled The War Against Cliche, arguing that all great novels are battles against clichés not just of writing but also of the mind and the heart. I’m not really an Amis fan, but I do like that notion. A stylistic guide for all journalists is, or rather should be, George Orwell’s great 1946 essay Politics and the English Language in which as well as bemoaning the…
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…of Silk and Gold - Ornamental Textiles from Meiji Japan Applicant: The Ashmolean MuseumAward: £1000Field: Culture, EducationSupport for: Family activities and exhibition tours Project: Threads of Silk and Gold, the first exhibition devoted to the art of Meiji textiles ever to be held outside of Japan, included some 40 examples of the highest quality Meiji textiles pieced together from around the world. The outstanding collection is one of the finest and most comprehensive of its type in…
… - How did Elizabeth Anderson learn Japanese in 1943? Wartime language courses In this lecture on Monday 15 March, Professor Peter Kornicki explored the history and stories behind the interrogators and codebreakers during World War 2 and how they were trained in Japanese language at Bedford, Bletchley Park and the Mauritius.The video of this talk is now available on the Japan Society YouTube channel. View our Upcoming Events Back to News Share this: Japan Society website uses cookies for…
…VENT - Japan Society Film Club: The Ballad of Narayama directed by Shohei Imamura Wednesday 5 May 2021 / 6:30pm DateWednesday 5 May 2021Time6.30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. The Ballad of Narayama is available on Amazon Prime Video (rent & buy) and on Arrow Video with subscription. The activities of the Japan…
… in both its book and film incarnations - is proof enough of its ability to speak to the deepest recesses of the human soul. 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…
…Oswald Tuck and the Bedford Japanese School, 1942-1945 - Members Discount Discount Japan Society member price:£10 per copy (including postage and packaging)Standard price: £13 per copy (including postage and packaging)To obtain your discount, please contact the author here and quote the code “JS2019”. Capitan Oswald Tuck and the Bedford Japanese School 1942-1945 Peter KornickiPollino Publishing, London (2019) After the attacks on Pearl Harbor and Malaya, Britain found itself embarrassingly…
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…
…of Silk and Gold - Ornamental Textiles from Meiji Japan Applicant: The Ashmolean MuseumAward: £1000Field: Culture, EducationSupport for: Family activities and exhibition tours Project: Threads of Silk and Gold, the first exhibition devoted to the art of Meiji textiles ever to be held outside of Japan, included some 40 examples of the highest quality Meiji textiles pieced together from around the world. The outstanding collection is one of the finest and most comprehensive of its type in…
…VENT - Japan Society Book Club: The Tale of Heike Monday 9 November 2020 / 7:00pm DateMonday 9 November 2020 Time7.00pm (GMT) For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from Book Depository and AmazonJapanese version available here Please note that a list of key chapters will be sent to those who book in case anyone has no time to read the whole book. The Tale of the Heike is…
…ighting 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 writer,…
…ths, a play by Glen Neath, is inspired by the Biwa Hôshi of medieval Japan – blind itinerant storytellers who journeyed around the country making a living from their performances of epic tales. Based on verbatim interviews with the three performer/characters, the play tells the personal stories of three visually impaired performers – Amelia, Takashi and Victoria – migrating to the UK from Nigeria, Japan and the USA as they face new challenges living independently in London for the first time.…
…s, a play by Glen Neath, is inspired by the Biwa Hôshi of medieval Japan – blind itinerant storytellers who journeyed around the country making a living from their performances of epic tales. Based on verbatim interviews with the three performer/characters, the play tells the personal stories of three visually impaired performers – Amelia, Takashi and Victoria – migrating to the UK from Nigeria, Japan and the USA as they face new challenges living independently in London for the first time. The…
…ths, a play by Glen Neath, is inspired by the Biwa Hôshi of medieval Japan – blind itinerant storytellers who journeyed around the country making a living from their performances of epic tales. Based on verbatim interviews with the three performer/characters, the play tells the personal stories of three visually impaired performers – Amelia, Takashi and Victoria – migrating to the UK from Nigeria, Japan and the USA as they face new challenges living independently in London for the first time.…
…ths, a play by Glen Neath, is inspired by the Biwa Hôshi of medieval Japan – blind itinerant storytellers who journeyed around the country making a living from their performances of epic tales. Based on verbatim interviews with the three performer/characters, the play tells the personal stories of three visually impaired performers – Amelia, Takashi and Victoria – migrating to the UK from Nigeria, Japan and the USA as they face new challenges living independently in London for the first time.…
… Gaijin In the Village is a humorous spin on a British sketch comedy, it doesn’t do justice to the wondrous tales that encompass it. 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…
… provided opportunities for visitors to discover more about Japanese armour in the collection, encouraging further exploration and helping to raise awareness by ensuring a wider range of people engaged with the topics and the collection. Back to Small Grants 2019 Successful Grants View All Grants Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
… provided opportunities for visitors to discover more about Japanese armour in the collection, encouraging further exploration and helping to raise awareness by ensuring a wider range of people engaged with the topics and the collection. Back to Small Grants 2018 Successful Grants View All Grants Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
…rovided opportunities for visitors to discover more about Japanese armour in the collection, encouraging further exploration and helping to raise awareness by ensuring a wider range of people engaged with the topics and the collection. Back to Small Grants 2017 Successful Grants View All Grants Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
… provided opportunities for visitors to discover more about Japanese armour in the collection, encouraging further exploration and helping to raise awareness by ensuring a wider range of people engaged with the topics and the collection. Successful Grants View All Grants Japan Society website uses cookies for functional and analytical purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information. Click here to accept
…undation Touring Film Programme 2024 - Members Discount Discount Price for Members of The Japan Society:£10 per ticket (includes £3 discount) + £1 booking fee (when booking online) at the ICA London* To obtain the discount, keep an eye on your inbox! Members will be sent their exclusive discount code by email (if you are a member and do not receive the code, get in touch on membership@japansociety.org.uk) The code can be used when booking online here, or quoted when booking by phone (020 7930…
…nd Days (of Tayoko Shiojiri in the Shiotani Basin)’ is a Japanese-language feature film that blends drama and documentary approaches, filmed over 27 weeks in a small farming village in the mountains of rural Kyoto Prefecture (nearest to Shiotani, Ayabe) Japan with a population of just 47 – the first feature film ever to be shot in this particular location. A crucial and emotive scene in the film takes place over many hours at a party with a group of working-class men together drinking, telling…
… Days (of Tayoko Shiojiri in the Shiotani Basin)’ is a Japanese-language feature film that blends drama and documentary approaches, filmed over 27 weeks in a small farming village in the mountains of rural Kyoto Prefecture (nearest to Shiotani, Ayabe) Japan with a population of just 47 – the first feature film ever to be shot in this particular location. A crucial and emotive scene in the film takes place over many hours at a party with a group of working-class men together drinking, telling…
… Days (of Tayoko Shiojiri in the Shiotani Basin)’ is a Japanese-language feature film that blends drama and documentary approaches, filmed over 27 weeks in a small farming village in the mountains of rural Kyoto Prefecture (nearest to Shiotani, Ayabe) Japan with a population of just 47 – the first feature film ever to be shot in this particular location. A crucial and emotive scene in the film takes place over many hours at a party with a group of working-class men together drinking, telling…
… Days (of Tayoko Shiojiri in the Shiotani Basin)’ is a Japanese-language feature film that blends drama and documentary approaches, filmed over 27 weeks in a small farming village in the mountains of rural Kyoto Prefecture (nearest to Shiotani, Ayabe) Japan with a population of just 47 – the first feature film ever to be shot in this particular location. A crucial and emotive scene in the film takes place over many hours at a party with a group of working-class men together drinking, telling…
…VENT - The Japan Society Book Club: The Premonition by Banana Yoshimoto Wednesday 13 March 2024 / 7:00pm DateWednesday 13 March 2024*Please note the change of date from Monday to Wednesday. Time7.00pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline meeting on ZoomPlease register for the meeting in advance from the link below. After registering, you will receive a automated confirmation email with meeting access details…
00pm Booking DetailsOnline EventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Book Depository and AmazonJapanese version available here Please note this event is now fully booked Shinako has been ousted from her marriage by her husband Shozo and his younger lover Fukuko. She’s lost everything: her home, status, and respectability. Yet the only…
…have to ask ourselves in the not-so-distant future. 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
…EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: Early Light by Osamu Dazai Monday 12 February 2024 / 7:00pm DateMonday 12 February 2024Time7.00pm VenueThe Japan Society13 / 14 Cornwall TerraceLondon NW1 4QP Booking DetailsFree for members of The Japan Society Book available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Waterstones (translated by Donald Keene)Japanese version available here Please help us to keep this event free and open to all! The activities of The Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support…
30pm Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Family Romance, LLC is available on Modern Films website with a 25% discount for Japan Society members and friends (Please enter 'FRJapanSociety' in the discount code box upon purchase). Do you love Japanese film classics,…
…dy NihonGO! is Back! We’re delighted to announce that the popular online Japanese language and culture resource Ready Steady NihonGO! is once again available for teachers to use in their classrooms. After undergoing essential updates, the ten lesson interactive resource is now ready for the 2021 Autumn Term. Click here to launch Ready Steady NihonGO! Ready Steady NihonGO! is an interactive primary language project created jointly by the Japan Society and the Japan Foundation London Language…
…VENT - One Step at a Time: Exploring the Shikoku Pilgrimage with John Lander Saturday 25 September 2021 / 11:00am DateSaturday 25 September 2021Time11.00am (BST)7.00pm (JST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree – Donations WelcomeRegistration essential The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult…
30-8.30pm The guided viewing will start at 7.00pm after which there will be opportunity for informal discussion with the artist. Venue White Conduit Projects1 White Conduit Street Islington London N1 9EL Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPlease note that spaces are limited and early booking is recommended. We are delighted to invite members and friends to a special private view of Elena…
…eo - One Step at a Time: Exploring the Shikoku Pilgrimage In this online talk on Saturday 25 September, author and photographer John Lander took us on a journey along the Shikoku Pilgrimage guiding us through the evocative images and stories he has been documenting for his latest publication The Shikoku Pilgrimage: Japan’s Sacred Trail. The video of this talk is now available on the Japan Society YouTube channel. View our Upcoming Events Back to News Share this: Japan Society website uses…
30pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Battle Royale is available to rent or buy on Rakuten TV, Google Play, Microsoft Store and Apple TV, as well as on BFI player and Arrow…
…nnect - Intergenerational Film Workshop Tsunagu/Connect is a project from New Earth Theatre documenting the lives of dozens of women who were born in Japan but have settled in the UK since 1945. To date, almost 30 Japanese women have shared their stories and inspired by these conversations, a live performance piece and exhibition is in development, set to debut in Spring 2022. As part of the project New Earth Theatre is creating a short intergenerational film of young people interviewing their…
00pm (BST)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Amazon and Book Depository Japanese version available here and here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members.…
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…
30pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsFree - Booking essentialPriority for Japan Society Members Please remember to watch the film in advance. Tampopo is available on Amazon Prime-Film Box with subscription (7-day free trial available / £4.99/month after trial) and in blu-ray format…
00pm (GMT)For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region. Booking DetailsOnline eventFree for Japan Society Members Book available from AbeBooks, Amazon and Book Depository Japanese version available here The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open…