Ian Buruma’s “Collaborators”
And sometimes, there really are conspiracies — or at least crucial decisions taken far from the public eye
Hans Sautter’s “Japan”: A Photographer’s Lifework
The Sacred is there to balance the profane. We need them both.
An Excremental Film Review
We are a long way from the anality taboo that underpins much Freudian psychoanalysis.
Flowing into the Future: Tokyo by Water
“It is all but forgotten today that Tokyo’s low city was once a city equal to Venice in its charms,”
The Real Musical Magic of Ryuichi Sakamoto
Listening to the jazz-funk of Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters band revolutionized his thinking about music
Big Time Gambling Boss: Yukio Mishima’s Favourite Yakuza Movie
When Tsuruta heard what had happened, he unsheathed his ceremonial sword and wept.
Guilty Pleasures: Tokyo Vice
Having an ex- Mormon missionary as the most formidable of the nightclub hostesses is excellent.
Rockin’ in Rhythm: Japan’s Battling Big Bands
Jazz was not merely a music to be accepted or reviled, but rather a metaphor for Japan’s participation in global cultural trends.
Journey to Disaster: Toshiro Mifune in “Band of Assassins”
He asked to be shaved because he knew exactly what was going to happen to his head
Salute to Toshiro Mifune: Japan’s Greatest Movie Star
When Hideyoshi orders his soldiers to cut off the man’s nose and ears, he fights back