The Passenger: Japan

A new series from Europa Editions, The Passenger collects the best new writing, photography, art and reportage from around the world.

IN THIS VOLUME: Ghosts of the Tsumani by Richard Lloyd Parry·Living in Shimokitazawa by Yoshimoto Banana·Why Japan Is Populist-Free? by Ian Buruma·plus: a Shinto sect in the shadow of power, feeling debts by disappearing into thin air, the decline of sexual desire, the obsession with American blues, the strongest sumo wrestler of all time (who isn’s Japanese), the revenge of the Ainu and much more...

Visitors from the West look with amazement, and sometimes concern, at Japan’s social structures and unique, complex culture industry; the gigantic scale of its tech corporations and the resilience of its traditions; the extraordinary diversity of the subcultures that flourish in its “post-human” megacities. The country nonetheless remains an intricate and complicated jigsaw puzzle, an inexhaustible source of inspiration for stories, reflections, and reportage.

The subjects in this volume range from the Japanese veneration of the dead to the Tokyo music scene, from urban alienation to cinema, from sumo to toxic masculinity.

Caught between an ageing population and extreme post-modernity, Japan is an ideal observation point from which to understand our age and the one to come.

Review

“These books are so rich and engrossing that it is rewarding to read them even when one is stuck at home.” ― The TLS

“Few travel guides are confident enough to tell the stories of a destination’s complex realities as well as those of their beauty. [The Passenger] has a strong focus on storytelling, with pages given over to a mix of essays, playlists and sideways glances at subcultures and thorny urban issues.” ― The Stack

“Half-magazine, half-book . . . think of [The Passenger] as an erudite and literary travel equivalent to National Geographic, with stunning photography and illustration and fascinating writing about place.” ― Independent.ie (Best series of the year – 2021)

“The Passenger readers will find none of the typical travel guide sections on where to eat or what sights to see. Consider the books, rather, more like a literary vacation--the kind you can take without braving a long flight in the time of Covid-19.” ― Publisher's Weekly

“Fresh and diverting, informative and topical without being slight or ephemeral [...] This supremely well-edited combination of current affairs, journalism, commentary, and fun facts is perfect for our pause-button moment.” ― Australian Financial Review (Best Books of the Year)

“Tremendously eclectic and classily produced . . . each volume gets under the skin of a country or a city in a multifaceted way that feels essential in these times of narrowing national horizons.” ― The Bookseller