Offshore No. 4

Offshore is a literary magazine launched by Kanako Yamamoto, who has been introducing Asian culture from her unique perspective through web media. She created it to deepen understanding of Asia not just by acquiring information, but by thoroughly reading texts that offer a deeper insight into the continent.

The fourth issue features a variety of articles: Raku Nakahara, an acoustic engineer who works on music productions and sound design for Chelfitsch's plays, is interviewed about his visits to Asia for performances and changes in the backstage environment; Mayu Murata, a specialist in classical Chinese literature, discusses the relationship between the poetry and divination of Wen Tianxiang, a politician and poet from the late Southern Song Dynasty; Barnu, a feminist based in Osaka, traces her memories of Sri Lanka; and Yoko Takebe, who has lived in Jakarta for 30 years, writes about living as an Indonesian. Other contents include an interview with WOOTACC, a rapper from Yanbian, Jilin Province, China; a serial essay by Kei Wada on Taiwan's underground media; and an essay by photographer Kaori Nakanasone. This fourth issue, packed with engaging content, is described as a personal magazine compiled "naturally, without pretense or formality."