At the end of the Meiji era Mori Ogai wrote that the new era required scholars who were capable of standing with one foot in the culture of the East and another in the culture of the West. In other words, he was referring to the need for a person to be at home in both the East and the West. The verity of this statement holds even today. These harmonious elements embody the excellent qualities possessed by Ms Shibahara.

A question was posed by the late translator, Ms. Mari Yonehara, (perhaps slightly politically incorrect) of a choice between “the faithlessness of a beauty or the loyalty of a hag”. In other words, whether it is better to have a translation which is inaccurate but beautifully worded or one which is not elegant but is true to the original wording. In light of this comparison, Ms Shibahara’s translations fall into the category of “the loyalty of a beauty” which is why I recommend her work.