Japan
Going East
A visitor worries that conservatism is stifling innovation in Japan, once home of the crazy gadget
Why Matter Really Matters
Firing neutrons under Japan may explain why the universe exists
Magical Mystery Tour de Force
A British production of a Japanese work, Shun-kin is a near-perfect triumph
Serious Music for Serious Times
There is an extraordinary fit between Japanese musical tastes and German Lieder
Exotic Stew
The China Lover by Ian Buruma
Why Remoaners should back Boris
“Boris, ironically, now offers Remoaners the best chance of a soft Brexit, or at least a sensible one. And to those who want a second referendum—’the people’s vote’—there may even be a chance of that too.”
On the road
“In the summer of 1980, in the grip of some Kerouac-ish fantasy, I opted to hitch-hike from Laredo to New York”
Discovering the Great War of China
A third of a million Chinese labourers helped the Allies defeat the Kaiser, but their huge unsung contribution ended in betrayal