Book Breaks

Book Break: Shoji Morimoto (森本祥司), author of "Rental Person Who Does Nothing (レンタルなんもしない人のなんもしなかった話)"

Wednesday, November 12, 2025, 17:45 - 20:30
日本語の案内が英文の後に続きます。 The author, Shoji Morimoto, presents his book, Rental Person Who Does Nothing, that traces his experience of lending himself out ‘as someone who does nothing’—meaning he is available for “just being there” for his client. The experience, says Morimoto, bears witness to significant... ...
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Book Breaks

Book Break: Michael Thuresson, author of "The Salaryman: An American’s Hilarious Journey Through Tokyo’s Corporate Jungle"

Tuesday, October 21, 2025, 17:45 - 20:30
日本語の案内が英文の後に続きます。 No word encapsulates a country’s mainstream lifestyle more than "salaryman" does in Japan. If a Japanese person asks you what you do for a living and you say, "I'm a salaryman," you'll likely get a knowing laugh because they'll instantly visualize the stresses of... ...
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Book Breaks

Book Break: Paul Tulett, author of "Brutalist Japan"

Thursday, October 02, 2025, 17:45 - 20:30
In Brutalist Japan, photographer and writer Paul Tulett takes readers on a striking visual and written journey through more than 100 Brutalist buildings across the country—spanning from postwar civic landmarks to humble hair salons. With over 220 original photographs and 27,000 words of often... ...
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Book Breaks

Book Break: Allan West, author of "They Hang Me in Tokyo: A Barbarian Artist’s Life-Changing Journey to Master Nihonga, the Traditional Art of Japan"

Wednesday, May 14, 2025, 17:45 - 20:30
Nihonga, a living tradition of Japanese painting known for its blend of naturalism and abstraction, fine, delicate lines, and ethereal beauty, is a world wrapped in mysticism, inaccessible even to most Japanese people. For American artist Allan West, learning the techniques for his burgeoning art... ...
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Book Breaks

Book Break: "POP YOKAI 現代百鬼夜行 Contemporary Character Art of Japan"

Tuesday, April 08, 2025, 17:45 - 20:30
日本語の案内が英文の後に続きます。   The speakers: Akiko Iwamoto, Chubei Yagyu, Cathy Hirano   A delightful journey into Japanese popular culture through Yokai art.  Yokai are strange, mysterious creatures that populate Japanese folklore and inspire contemporary art and entertainment, such as Pokémon and the Oscar-winning film Spirited Away.... ...
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