About Me
KRISTINE OHKUBO is an award-winning author whose work emphasizes topics related to Japan and Japanese culture. During her childhood in Chicago, she cultivated a deep reverence and affection for Japanese culture, people, and history. Through her many travels, she has gained unique insights into this fascinating country, which she shares in her books and various writings.
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Published in 2016 (revised edition in 2022), her debut book was an anthology of numerous travel blog articles pertaining to Japan. In 2017, she released a historical examination of the Pacific War, focusing on the perspective of Japanese and Japanese American civilians living in Japan and the United States when the conflict began. Two years later, she supplemented her earlier works with the account of an infamous twentieth-century geisha who was both the aggressor and the victim, enduring a strict patriarchal culture and a rapidly changing social system. 2019 marked the publication of Sakhalin, a sequel to her 2017 book, The Sun Will Rise Again. With an emphasis on the tragic events that took place in August 1945, this book examines the far-reaching effects that the island's transfer of ownership had on its inhabitants and resources.
Kristine shifted her attention in 2020 to rakugo, the 400-year-old Japanese narrative art form. She released two books, Talking About Rakugo 1: The Japanese Art of Storytelling followed by Talking About Rakugo 2: The Stories Behind the Storytellers. By employing a combination of biographical information, anecdotes, interviews, and rakugo scripts, the author offers an exhaustive account of the enduring nature of this traditional art form. In 2022, Kristine contributed her editorial skills to an additional rakugo book authored by English rakugo storyteller Kanariya Eiraku and entitled Eiraku's 100 English Rakugo Scripts (Volume 1). Following its publication in August, she undertook a reevaluation of a work that she had authored and published three years prior.
Asia's Masonic Reformation: Freemasonry's Impact on the Westernization and Subsequent Modernization of Asia, first published in January 2019, delves into the historical significance of Freemasons as catalysts of change in Asia and other regions. By presenting compelling historical evidence and specific examples, the revised second edition establishes that Freemasons had a significant impact on progress, enlightenment, and modernization. This is accomplished by conducting exhaustive research while ignoring the proliferation of false information and conspiracy theories that have developed over time.
Kristine, a dedicated rakugo devotee, realigned her focus towards the art form in 2023. She released a collection comprising her own unique English rakugo narratives and contributed to the editing and publication of Eiraku's 100 English Rakugo Scripts (Volume 2).
In late 2024, the interest that encouraged her to enter the field of writing ultimately brought an end to her literary journey. Her attention was directed away from Japan and Japanese culture, and she rekindled her passion for old-time radio. The publication of an extensive book that delineates the rich history of the cherished radio program, The Great Gildersleeve, was completed. Audiences throughout the United States were captivated by the program during the 1940s. Through this journey, Kristine's writing career has completed a full circle.
As an author, Kristine believes that writing from other cultural perspectives encourages empathy and understanding, and at the same time it broadens our knowledge of the events that have unfolded over the years.