Japan, Mother of the World’s First Novel Hosts Its First International Literary Festival

South African Nobel price winner for Literature, J.M. Coetzee reading a chapter of his upcoming novel The Childhood of Jesus in front of a literary audience in Tokyo Some famous writers refer to Japan as the “reading society.” With a higher literacy rate than most of the Western countries in the 18th century, Japan’s educational system allowed children from all backgrounds, from peasants to aristocrats, to learn reading and writing. The Genji... Read More

Salaryman in Japan

By Jake Adelstein You wouldn’t expect The Japan Travel Bureau to put out the finest sociological treatise about the pathology and isolation of modern life in Japan, but here it is. It’s a hilarious and disturbingly accurate read about the daily life of Japan’s favorite workhorse — the company man. Read More  Read More