As a young man, Ian Buruma lived in Japan for several years , exploring the fringe worlds of theatre, film and performance art, where erotu, grotu and nonsensu prevailed (erotic/porn, grotesque and nonsense) prevailed.

He hung out with actors, joining them on tour, eating, …more drinking, visiting sex clubs – all part of the life of the Tokyo under-life that he wanted to explore. There was more than enough detail for me of his and the group exploits, though those interested in the inner workings and tensions of extreme Japanese theatre might hold more of the names and works than I do.

This being Buruma, his observation/analysis hat is on, as well as the older-man-recalling-outrageous-past hat.

It’s the intermittent acute comment that kept me going past the stage shows. He reflects on the place of the violent, sexual themes and acts in Japanese entertainment and how they sit within a culture that is very tightly structured, ordered and, superficially at least, polite.

The last chapter I found particularly interesting as he examines why foreigners can never really fit into Japanese society/culture, and why many Japanese find it difficult to fit in else where.

Fascinating book if you can get past the ineptitudes and grossness (less)