Japan Now 2019: Fumio Obata and Yuya Sato

This event has ended.

Fumio Obata and Yuya Sato are two Japanese writers revitalizing Japanese storytelling through their fictional work. Fumio Obata’s graphic novel Just So Happens is a story of exile and belonging, where Yumiko, living in London, returns home for her father’s funeral, where Japanese traditions are delicately evoked. Yuya Sato’s novel Dendera explores the Japanese legend of ubasute – the custom of abandoning elderly relatives to die in a desolate place – where the heroine, Kayu Sato wakes up in a utopian community under threat. The authors will talk about the relationship between text and image, explore their influences from Japanese popular culture and take questions from the audience.

Simon Prentis will chair the event and Kozue Etsuzen will interpret.

Part of Japan Now 2019. Programmed by Modern Culture in partnership with the Japan Foundation and Sheffield University.

Supported by Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, the Japan Society and the National Centre for Writing.

Part of Japan-UK Season of Culture 2019-20

Simultaneous Translation:

The event will be delivered in the medium of English. You are welcome to ask questions in the medium of Welsh during the QandA session. If you intend to do this, please contact mlang-events@cardiff.ac.uk by 07/02/19 to request simultaneous translation. Please note that 10% or more of those planning to attend will need to request this provision in order for it to be sourced and will be subject to resource availability.