author

 
Menu
Search
 
May 21, 2024
 

Today's print edition

Home Delivery
Subscribe for more access
Kris Kosaka

Meta

Kris Kosaka
Kris Kosaka, a resident of Japan since 1996, contributes regularly to The Japan Times. She is a lecturer at Meiji Gakuin University in the Faculty of International Studies.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Jul 22, 2017
'Tokyo Geek's Guide': Mapping the epicenter of 'otaku' culture
Anyone on the lookout for "weird Japan" culture, take note.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Jul 8, 2017
'Fall Down 7 Times Get Up 8': 'The Reason I Jump' author returns with new English collection
The accomplishments of Japanese poet, novelist and essayist Naoki Higashida are impressive. He's published more than 20 books in Japanese, pens a popular blog and is seeing the release this month of his second book in English — all before his 25th birthday in August.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / ESSENTIAL READING FOR JAPANOPHILES
Jun 10, 2017
'Milky Way Railroad': A beautiful if unfinished inquiry into meaning and happiness
This beloved classic of Japanese children's literature is testimony to the difficulties of translation. The title, variously called "Night on the Galactic Railway" or "Fantasy Railroad in the Stars," is a good example.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / TELLING LIVES
May 31, 2017
Puppeteer pulls the strings from the sticks of Toyama, with a point to prove
From Toyama to schools far and wide, Jack Lee Randall lives his lesson — that art can thrive wherever people are.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
May 17, 2017
Dance troupe Condors summon teen spirit for new show '17's Map'
Sitting down with Condors frontman Ryohei Kondo, he says something a bit surprising: “’17’s Map’ is a work in progress.”
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / ESSENTIAL READING FOR JAPANOPHILES
May 13, 2017
'Musashi: An Epic Novel of the Samurai Era' encapsulates feudal Japan
Those with an interest in feudal Japan are urged not to miss Eiji Yoshikawa's samurai epic, "Musashi: An Epic Novel of the Samurai Era" — just don't expect historical accuracy. In telling the story of Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1685), the famed swordsman and author of "The Book of Five Rings," Yoshikawa's...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / ESSENTIAL READING FOR JAPANOPHILES
May 6, 2017
'Target Tokyo: The Story of the Sorge Spy Ring': Uncovering a little-known chapter in history
Even some dedicated Japanophiles are unaware of an important international espionage ring that operated in Tokyo before and during World War II.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / ESSENTIAL READING FOR JAPANOPHILES
Apr 29, 2017
'Beauty and Sadness': Yasunari Kawabata's last published novel explores the extremes of human emotion
Yasunari Kawabata's last published novel plumbs the depths of human emotion
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Apr 19, 2017
With parents' support, kids in Japan stamp out stuttering
Thanks to the tireless efforts of an international team of women, an Australian program to tackle speech disfluencies is changing lives in Japan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / ESSENTIAL READING FOR JAPANOPHILES
Apr 15, 2017
'The Just Bento Cookbook': Riffing on the theme of the Japanese packed lunch
Nourishment means nurturing in Japan, and nowhere does this hold more true than in the daily bento.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / TELLING LIVES
Mar 22, 2017
Author returns to China civil war siege that haunts her, still seeking honor for its dead
Scarred by her childhood ordeal in Changchun, Homare Endo channeled her energies into helping Chinese students in Japan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Feb 22, 2017
Bausch's legacy blossoms as emotions unfold on stage
When the curtain opens on a stage blanketed in silk flowers, a beginner might think "Nelken" ("Carnations") by Pina Bausch was about to offer some sweetly whimsical vision of poetry in three dimensions. That, however, would be to ignore dark underlying themes of power and love, and a certain sagacious...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Feb 11, 2017
'Something Other Than Other': The poetry of Philip Rowland captures quotidian Tokyo life
Tokyo poet Philip Rowland's third full-length collection of verse, "Something Other Than Other," quietly resonates with profound images of the quotidian humanity he finds around him.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / ESSENTIAL READING FOR JAPANOPHILES
Jan 28, 2017
'Slam Dunk': Japan's greatest sports manga?
Takehiko Inoue's "Slam Dunk" is one of Japan's most popular manga, spawning four films and numerous video games. To date, more than 157 million copies of this 31-volume series have sold worldwide. Written when Inoue was a rookie, and first serialized in Shonen Jump from 1990 to '96, the manga won a Shogakukan...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Jan 25, 2017
Your school may be international, but what values does it teach?
If you are vested in an international school as a parent, student, member of staff or management, here are four questions to consider.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / ESSENTIAL READING FOR JAPANOPHILES
Jan 7, 2017
'Vagabond': An epic manga based on the life of a 17th-century samurai
Epic samurai manga "Vagabond," first serialized in 1998, is an award-winning series created by author and illustrator Takehiko Inoue after his popular "Slam Dunk" manga. "Vagabond," told across 37 volumes, is based on Eiji Yoshikawa's 1935 historical novel "Musashi," which is a popular account of 17th-century...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Nov 26, 2016
A dark, bittersweet childhood becomes a manga masterpiece
"Sunny" is a manga masterpiece. Page by page, it quietly transcends similar slice-of-life comics in its depiction of children in a foster home, their caregivers and estranged parents. Written and illustrated by renowned manga artist Taiyo Matsumoto, this six-volume collection, which won the prestigious...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Nov 26, 2016
'Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun': Remembering a traumatic moment in China's history
Homare Endo's memoir, "Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun," vividly captures the psychological and physical trauma of surviving war. Today, Endo is a professor emeritus at the University of Tsukuba, but she writes from the perspective of her 7-year-old self, lyrically revealing the horror of one...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / TELLING LIVES
Nov 23, 2016
For 'student of life' Angela Ortiz, lessons from family and 'Grit MBA' from Tohoku led to dream job
'Being a single parent and main role model for my daughter, I have often wondered: What am I showing my daughter by what I do with my life?' says Angela Ortiz.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Nov 22, 2016
NBA Ballet promises a fine and varied show
The NBA Ballet is set to stage an eclectic bill at Saitama Arts Theater next month, comprising the world premieres of two modern works and 1958's contemporary-style classic, "Stars and Stripes," by the so-called "father of American ballet," Russian-born George Balanchine.
Rare sequel to 'My Neighbor Totoro' to play at Cannes
A screening of "Mei and the Baby Cat Bus," which is being billed as a "mini-sequel" to the Studio Ghibli classic "My Neighbor Totoro," is set to take place at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday.
America wasn’t made for walking, and it’s killing them
A 2010 study found that U.S. adults averaged 5,117 steps daily and that this was lower than the averages found in similar studies in Switzerland, western Australia and Japan.
Fuchu Prison adapting to foreign prisoners
From the outside, the light-brown complex that is Fuchu Prison in western Tokyo could easily be mistaken for a city hall.
Why half of Japan's cities are at risk of disappearing in 100 years
A couple looks out onto the Fukuoka nightscape. Due to its distance from Tokyo and its close proximity to South Korea and China, professor Tomoya Mori believes that Fukuoka is one of the few metropolitan regions of Japan that will see some form of growth in the decades to come.
Japan concerned over U.S. officials' remarks on atomic bombings
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham speaks to reporters during a news conference in Washington on Thursday.
Fuchu Prison adapting to foreign prisoners
From the outside, the light-brown complex that is Fuchu Prison in western Tokyo could easily be mistaken for a city hall.
The politicians moving Japan forward on climate
While not the most outspoken politician on the issue, digital minister Taro Kono has a track record of being serious in his commitment to addressing the climate crisis.
Morning-after pill buyers back prescription-free sales following trial
Some 2,181 morning-after pills were sold at 145 pharmacies across the nation, with Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture recording over 200 sales each.
Want to be a voice actor? Stay 'true to the character'
SungWon Cho is a veteran with more than 10 years of experience portraying characters in anime, cartoons and video games.
Local theater in Japan is more than a hobby — it’s a community
Japan Times contributor Laura Pollacco (front right) was offered the role of one of her all-time favorite heroines, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Bennet, in the Tokyo International Players’ production of “Pride and Prejudice.”

Podcast

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.
[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

Longform

Things may look perfect to the outside world, but today's mom is fine with some imperfection at home.
How 'Reiwa moms' are reshaping motherhood in Japan
By Mai Yoshikawa

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Live like a lord or lady for a night at Ozu Castle
Live like a lord or lady for a night at Ozu Castle

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS note

Read more

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER