Rich history is woven into each of the essays in "The Land We Saw, the Times We Knew," forming a picture of a Japan not unrecognizable to that of today, but one which has not yet made the Meiji Era leap into modernity.
'From Truant to Anime Screenwriter': A raw glimpse into the soul of an impressive talent
Filmmaker Mari Okada's own story, "From Truant to Anime Screen Writer," that of a child trapped in the prison of her hypersensitivity, is baldly and grimly told, a struggle against her demons of isolation, humiliation, and self-loathing.
A new edition of popular contemporary poet Makoto Ooka's "Beneath the Sleepless Tossing of the Planets" includes the original Japanese texts of each poem, early drafts, photos from the poet's life and a new introduction by translator Janine Beichman.
Familiar tropes but not much plot in Haruki Murakami's 'Killing Commendatore'
With Haruki Murakami's latest novel, "Killing Commendatore," die-hard fans might find something to enjoy in the writer's trademark, albeit under-edited, style, but one gets the feeling Murakami has gotten too comfortable with his own style.
Androids, infertility and ethics collide in Kazufumi Shiraishi's dystopian 'Stand-in Companion'
Kazufumi Shiraishi's novella "Stand-in Companion" offers an interesting male perspective on infertility, plumbing the frustrations of a childless couple and the self-accusation and unspoken blame that can eat away at a relationship.
'Friendship for Grown-Ups' evokes the ambiguity of everyday life
Keshiki is a chapbook series published by Strangers Press designed to showcase some of the most exciting writers working in Japan today. "Friendship for Grown-Ups" by Nao-Cola Yamazaki is the second book in the series. The recipient of five Akutagawa Prize nominations, Yamazaki's ...
'Small Buildings of Kyoto': A spotlight on Kyoto's overlooked quotidian
When it comes to photography books about Kyoto, the genre is usually limited to three areas: geishas, gardens and temples — in the English language at least. Small Buildings of Kyoto: Volume Ⅱ, by John Einarsen.108 pages KYOTO JOURNAL, Photography. In "Small Buildings of Kyoto," John Einarsen, ...
Toriko Takarabe's 'Heaven and Hell': A child's perspective of war's aftermath
Toriko Takarabe's "Heaven and Hell," a 2005 novel recently translated into English for the first time, provides the key to Takarabe's poetry and childhood, both of which were defined by Japan's brief colonial adventure in Manchuria.
Tadao Tsuge's 'Slum Wolf': A gritty, discomfiting yet necessary manga
Tadao Tsuge's "Slum Wolf," a collection of nine of the artist's short stories translated into English, deals with difficult topics in a gritty, yet dynamic, art style.
Seiichi Yamamoto's 'Ginga': Musings from an underground music legend
Seiichi Yamamoto's "Ginga," originally released in Japanese in 2009 and translated into English by Kato David Hopkins this year, compiles highlights from Yamamoto's column for Guitar Magazine.
'Apocrypha: The Legend of Babymetal': A triumphant artistic manifestation of Babymetal hits
"Apocrypha: The Legend of Babymetal," illustrated by G.M.B. Chomichuk, is a surreal multigenre manga that elaborates on "kawaii metal" band Babymetal's origin story.
'Tinian and the Bomb': Historical details shed light on one island's overlooked role in World War II
Along with unfamiliar historical details from the U.S. side, made possible through recent declassification of archival documents, Don A. Farrell's "Tinian and the Bomb" provides an account of how the use of atomic bombs influenced the Japanese government's decision to end the war.
