Contents

Japan in Numbers
The Mythbuster - Tania Palmieri
The Number - Matteo Battarra

Ghosts of the Tsunami - Richard Lloyd Parry
The devastating tsunami reinvigorated the ancestor cult, Japan's true religion. Survivors still report mysterious apparitions and disturbing cases of possession. We meet Reverend Kaneta, who offers spiritual help both to the possessed and the suffering souls taking possession of them.

The 'Do-it-Yourself' Women - Sekiguchi Ryoko
Having liberated themselves from the role of housewife and entering the world of work, many women are now dreaming of a return to the tranquil profession of 'domestic designer'.

The (No Longer So) Secret Cult that Governs Japan - Jake Adelstein
A Shinto sect with a monarchic, patriotic and revisionist programme operates in the shadow of political power. Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and other prominent politicians are among its members.

Why Japan Is Populist-Free - Ian Buruma
Ian Buruma's optimistic analysis of Japan suggests that, despite Prime Minister Abe Shinzo's nationalism, it remains a country rooted in the middle class in which a kind of social harmony still prevails.

A Simple Thank You - Yoshimoto Banana
Yoshimoto Banana's love letter to Shimokitazawa, the area of Tokyo where she has lived for many years, provides her with the opportunity to reflect on her memories and changes in contemporary Japan.

The Withering of Desire - Murakami Ryu
The inability to be moved, the decline in desire and the growth in cases of depression are examined by one of Japan's major writers, who wonders if it is all caused by socio-economic instability.

Of Bears and Men - Cesare Alemanni
For centuries the Ainu, an ancient people from the island of Hokkaido, have been labelled as a 'prehistoric aberration' and been victims of oppression. Having successfully resisted assimilation thanks to the strength of their traditions, they are now being rediscovered.

Sea of Crises - Brian Phillips
A writer's journey to follow the most important tournament in the sumo calendar becomes a voyage into the past as he follows the trail of a forgotten man and a sensational case of seppuku in .

Sweet Bitter Blues - Amanda Petrusich
Why are the Japanese so crazy about the blues? The answer seems to have more to do with the nature of Japanese culture than the exoticism of a distinctly African-American musical genre.

Family Album - Giorgio Amitrano
A cinematic journey into how families are portrayed in Japanese cinema. From young people struggling to break free of their parents in Ozu Yasujiro's post-war masterpieces through to the indifference of contemporary society and alternative families, we go on a journey that deconstructs the myth of the 'typical' Japanese family.

The Evaporated - Léna Mauger After abruptly disappearing to make a new life elsewhere, tens of thousands of Japanese are living in the shadows to escape debt, an astonishing phenomenon that goes way back to Japan's feudal past.

The Iconic Object - Giacomo Donati
The National Obsession - Matteo Battarra
The Phenomenon - Cesare Alemanni
An Author Recommends - Furukawa Hideo
The Playlist - Furukawa Hideo
Further Reading