COMPREHENSIVE WRITTEN REPORT

JAPAN LITERATURE

I. Japan and its Historical Documents

Japan is locally called Nihon, Nippon or Nippon-koku. The Japanese are blood related to the Koreans,
Malays, and Chinese. They can also be described as Mongols. The country is notably known as the land
of the rising son and the scenic view of Mount Fuji.
The Kojiki and Nihon Shoki of Japan
Historical records of a country is an important matter that details how the nation grew and developed its
culture. It is also an important facture as to how its literature evolved. Kojiki and Nihon Shoki are the two
oldest written documents that record the history of Japan.
a) Kojiki – Record of Ancient Matters
Also known as the Record of Ancient Matters or An Account of Ancient Matters was written by a
nobleman named O no Yasumaro. It is a compilation of origin myths of the four main islands of
Japan and the Kami (Spirits that are worshipped in Shintoism). The Kojiki is composed of songs
and poems. The poems are written in Chinese to convey sounds. The special use of Chinese
characters is known as Man’yogana.

b) Nihon Shoki/Nirjongi - The Chronicles of Japan

Nihon Shoki is the second oldest book of Japanese History. It is known to be the more detailed
and elaborated ancient written text than its predecessor Kojiki. It is considered the most complete
historical records for archeologists and historians. It was completed under Prince Toneri assisted
by O no Yasumaro.
First Japanese Capital
With its previous name Yamato, Nara was Japan’s first capital and the seat of the Emperor. It also stood
strong preserving and nurturing its culture despite the strong evidence of Chinese Influence. The Japanese
civilization evolved and contributed various art and culture to the world.
II. Japan Art and Culture
Japan has distinctly evolved her own culture and civilization, and has contributed to the world civilization
the following refinement of ideas – arts and culture.
(Explanation) religion and its architecture, distinctive artifacts, the oldest pottery vessels ever
discovered, the largest wooden buildings ever constructed anywhere, and numerous literary classics,
including the first novel in history, are just a few of the contributions ancient Japan made to world
civilization.
 Kana Alphabet – The Japanese writing system is a mixture of innovation and tradition as it is a
combination of Chinese characters (kanji), and syllabic grapheme called kana.
(Explanation) Kana is basically the Japanese alphabet. It consists of three sets/parts:
Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. Both derived from kanji characters. It started when Korean
scholars began to introduce Chinese script to the Japanese. The standardization of the writing
system was driven by a broad cultural shift and the arrival of printed literature, works on kana
spellings laid a solid foundation for it. The general increase in printing was a result of higher
educational standards and a rise in basic literacy. Chinese kanji, Japanese katakana, and
Japanese hiragana are still used in Japanese writing today. Writing in Japan has experienced
several alterations since Chinese scripts were originally introduced, resulting in a distinctive
system. The requirement to indicate the grammatical and inflectional distinctions between
Chinese and Japanese led to the creation of the kana syllabaries.

 Bushido: Code of chivalry - The moral code concerning samurai attitudes, behavior, and
lifestyle. Also used as overarching term for all the codes, practices, philosophies and principles of
samurai culture.
(Explanation) The word “bushi,” a synonym for warrior, serves as a root for the word
“Bushido.” The word Samurai roughly translates to “those who serve,” but has come to
mean warrior. It played an important role in the expansion of Asian art, Japanese
values, and many important traditions like tea ceremonies and the art of samurai sword-
making. Bushido later became the basis for the teaching of ethics in Japan, with
principles that still remain relevant today.
There are seven virtues of Bushido:
1. Gi (Integrity) – being honest and sincere
2. Rei (Respect) – being polite, acknowledge others’ feeling
3. Yu (Courage) – being strong and knowing what’s right and wrong
4. Meiyo (Honor) – acknowledging your moral responsibilities.
5. Jin (Compassion) - ability to manifest love and sympathy through
patience. Attempting to see the world from the perspective of another.
6. Makoto (Integrity) - living honestly and sincerely.
7. Chu (Loyalty) -being responsible of your action and the consequences
that follow. –- being fiercely true.
 Shinto – Indigenous religious belief and practices of Japan. Shintō has no founder, no official
sacred scriptures in the strict sense, and no fixed dogmas, but it has preserved its guiding beliefs
throughout the ages.

(Explanation) Buddhism arrived in Japan sometime in the 6th century through

China and Korea, Buddhism helped shape and evolve Shinto. Beliefs toward nature
include the recognition of a divine spirit (kami) in venerable old trees, large mountains,
and tall waterfalls, as well as celebrations of the highlights of each season. Often
expressed by the placement of a small shrine next to the natural element. However, it
does not espouse a moral code, lacks religious scriptures, and does not conceive of a life
after death. Since it does not have a founder or produce sacred texts, it was through
communal rituals that the religion was transmitted.

 Kimono – Traditional Japanese garment and the national dress of Japan.

(Explanation) “Kimono” literally means “clothing”. It is a symbol of longevity
and good fortune. Believed to live for a thousand years and to inhabit the land of the
immortals. It was the form of dress worn by everyone in Japan until the mid-19th century
it. It began to change slowly with the import of suits dresses and other western fashions.
Nowadays, a kimono is generally worn for celebrations such as weddings, coming-of-age
ceremonies and graduations, while a lighter, more informal yukata will be worn for
summer festivals and fireworks displays.

 Japanese gardens and landscapes - in landscape design, a type of garden whose major design
aesthetic is a simple, minimalist natural setting designed to inspire reflection and meditation.
(Explanation) The art of garden making was probably imported into Japan from
China or Korea. Their chief characteristic being a pond with an islet connected to the
shore by bridges. It aims at satisfying a human craving for the natural and, by supplying
peace and repose, at offering a retreat in which one can find spiritual recreation and
sustenance.

 Ikebana – the Japanese art of flower arranging, blossoms, branches, leaves, and stems find new
life as materials for artmaking.
 (Explanation) In contrast to the western habits of casually placing flowers in a
vase, ikebana aims to bring out the inner qualities of flowers and other live materials and
express emotion. In Japanese culture, most native flowers, plants, and trees are
embedded with symbolic meaning and are associated with certain seasons, so in
traditional ikebana, both symbolism and seasonality have always been prioritized in
developing arrangements.

 Japan Delicate Ceramics – beloved by connoisseurs as some of the finest in the world. There is
an almost endless variety of forms and styles, which can be confusing until you realize that each
evolved individually in different parts of Japan.
(Explanation) Japanese pottery is known around the world for being unique and
beautiful. The pots are usually made of clay and kaolinite-made porcelain that provides a high
degree of hardness and density despite the fine look. Ceramics has distinct features depends on
its origin. e.g. Agano ware (Fukuoka, Agano-yaki) 1602. when the lord of the Kokura domain, a
master of the tea ceremony, brought the potter Sonkai Joseon from Korea to build a very special
kiln dug in the hillside of Agano.

 Cha-no-you – Japanese ceremonial way of preparing a green tea (matcha). Zen Buddhism was a
primary influence in the development of the culture of Japanese tea.
(Explanation) main purposes of the tea ceremony is for the guests to enjoy the
hospitality of the host in an atmosphere distinct from the fast pace of everyday life.
Today, the tea ceremony is practiced as a hobby, and there are places where tourists can
experience it, as well.

 Zen Meditation – helps to cope with anxiety and stress, among other health benefits. In a fast-
paced country like Japan, meditation is a superb way to slow down and experience peace of mind.
(Explanation) Its roots trace back to the origins of Zen Buddhism, a religion that
offers a path to enlightenment through meditation. Those who practice Zen don't rely on
powerful deities, but instead are guided by their teacher along their spiritual journey.

 Nara Period - Japanese society during this period was predominantly agricultural and centered
on village life. Most of the villagers followed Shintō, a religion based on the worship of natural
and ancestral spirits named kami.
 (Explanation) Some of Japan's literary monuments were written during the Nara period.
As well as various sports and classical plays were appeared in the age of nara. These
will be futher discussed on the next slides –

III. Japanese Poetry

 Kokinshu or Kokin Wakashū - Collection of Ancient and Modern Poems came out during the
great age of Kyoto (922).

The Kokinshiu (Ancient and Modern Poems) came out during the great age of Kyoto (922). The age also
produced Lady Murasaki Shikibu, one of Japan’s greatest writers, author of Genji Monogatari. Other
literary forms such as the novel, poetry and essays also flourished during the age, written in a
sophisticated native language. 

(Explanation) The Kokinshû was the first compilation of waka (or tanka), the traditional thirty-one
syllable short style of poetry, and it was created between the eighth and tenth centuries. For the next
1,000 years, the waka remained the standard poetic form. The Kokinshû set the standard for literary
knowledge for educated people  (Asia For Educations, n.d.).

 Genji Monogatari or The Tale of Genji is written by one of Japan’s greatest writers, Lady
Murasaki Shikibu. This is known as the first novel in the world. 

(Explanation) The Tale of Genji provides a fascinating introduction to the aristocracy of early Heian
Japan, including its forms of amusement, clothes, way of life, and moral code. The work has exceptional
attention to human emotions and the beauty of nature, but as it progresses, its tone darkens in line with
the Buddhist belief in the impermanence of this world. (Britannica, n.d.).

Japanese poetry is mostly lyrical and basically an expression of emotion. 

Themes include 

 Nostalgic yearning for the home and beloved 

 Extolling or praising love 
 Elegies on the dead 
 Lament over loss of someone so dear
  Grieving over the flitting brevity of nature, waves, seasons, purling or sluggish streams, chirping
birds, algae drifting, rugged shorelines, frogs croaking or hovering winged moths and
butterflies, or blossoms signaling spring. 

It is noticeable though that wars, chaos and bloodshed are never used as themes. 

(Explanation) This is because Japanese poetry focuses on the beauty of life and nature. The themes
include things that are important to human like love, real life experiences, and death (IvyPanda, 2019).
Furthermore, nature is used by Japanese poets to deliver and communicate intense emotions and real-
life experiences. This is because they aim to show the peaceful relationship existing between human and
nature.

IV. Haiku
The Haiku - How haiki developed and raised to the level of literature can be attributed to the introduction
of haiki in the 15th century. Haiki meaning “light-hearted” or “free verse” became the steppingstone to
haiku.
(Explanation) Haiku can be formal, weighty, lighthearted, hilarious, tragic, religious, or sarcastic. They
can be superficial or deep. But despite its briefness, it manages to catch ephemeral moments. It is
therefore acknowledged as a component of Zen meditation and Buddhism, stressing the universe in its
natural condition and the role of man as a fundamental component of nature. Essentially, a haiku is a 17-
syllable, rimless poem that aims to communicate and arouse emotion. It is shorter than a tanka, a five-
line, brief lyric poetry that describes an impression. To express the strongest feelings, emotions, or
impressions, Japanese haiku authors alternated lines of 5-7-5 syllables in three lines. The haiku awakens
one to nature, trains one to be a keen observer of nature, and inspires one to notice anything weird or out
of the ordinary in it. It has the capacity to instill in a person a profound sensation of focus, heightening
feeling, and sparking ideas. As a result, imitation develops in the subject or viewer, and depth is attained.

 Masters of haiku - use picture-painting words or sensory words that assault the senses; thereby
suggesting mood and establishing a starting point for trains of thought. The main objective of
haiku writing is to show awareness of the senses through nature. A mood is captured, and vivid
imagery is implied. A subtle falling of leaves suggests autumn, and a crow perching on a bare
snowy bough indicates winter.
(Explanation) A petty samurai and his wife gave birth to one of the haiku masters, Matsuo
Kinsaku, in the vicinity of Kyoto, Japan, in the seventeenth century. Shortly after the poet was
 born, Japan shut its borders, beginning a period of seclusion that allowed its indigenous
culture to develop.

 Matsuo Basho - developed and perfected the haiku from the crude prosodic form ‘haiki’ which
originally used colloquial language.
(Explanation) Chinese poets, notably those of the Tang period and older ones, had a
significant effect on him. Basho contributed to the creation of haikai no renga, which he
created by highlighting the significance of the opening hokku verses and connecting them to
his own life, particularly his foot trips around Japan.

 Basho’s technique - in haiku writing is prominently written in a “new style” and his verses were
taken as a model by haiku poets. Taking a close look at most of his haikus, the following
elements or pattern can be description or vivid imagery; the second line presents a movement or
action; and the third line usually is a reaction or result of the movement which may be a sound or
imagery that completes the picture.
(Explanation) Three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables make up the hokku, the
first verse of a renga. At the time of Basho, poets were starting to use the hokku form as a
model for creating short, independent poems that incorporated natural imagery; this style
would later become known as the haiku. The form was mastered by Basho.
V. Japanese Dramaturgy
 Ame-no-uzume No Mikoto – Uzume’s dance trying to lure the Sun Goddess from hiding is the
first dramatic performance ever recorded which constitutes the myth preserved in the Kagura
dances. From the fusion of dance and narration, a crude primitive form emerged.
(Explanation) Ame-no-Uzume is a Shinto Goddess who overflows with joy and Amenouzume is
the patron goddess of dancers and considered the Goddess of Dance. It is said that Uzume was
the one who created the Kagura dance style that continues to be danced in Japan to this day.
Uzume is also considered the goddess of entertainment in general, and the goddess of actors and
actresses.
Who is Goddess of the sun? Goddess Amaterasu is the Goddess of the Sun worshipped in Japan.
Possessing the rising sun as a symbol, every morning she is greeted by the people through
prayers.
What does Ame-no-uzume do? uzume the celestial goddess who performed a spontaneous dance
enticing the sun goddess Amaterasu out of the cave in which she had secluded herself and had
thus deprived the world of light.
 The Dengaku – The Japanese writing system is a mixture of innovation and tradition as it is a
combination of Chinese characters (kanji), and syllabic grapheme called kana. The Dengaku
which originally associated with planting and harvesting festivities also culled some forms of
ritualistic dances from Korean Gigaku and Chinese Bugaku (7th Century); hence, the fusion of
Dengaku and Sarugaku (dance drama) gave rise to Noh drama in the 12th and 14th centuries.
(Explanation) Dengaku is a traditional Japanese performance art. It is a combination of music
and dance. Dengaku were rustic Japanese celebrations that can be classified into two types:
dengaku that developed as a musical accompaniment to rice planting observances, and the
dengaku dances that developed in conjunction with sangaku. The dengaku celebrated for rice
planting was performed by villagers either at the New Year or during the planting season in early
summer. The instrument of dengaku is the sasara, a wooden percussive instrument clapper,
though there are other instruments that can be used.
By the present day, Dengaku dances have become divided into Bin-zasara and Suri-sasara,
depending on the type of percussion instrument used. Dengaku dances include dances that are
prayers for a good harvest, and dances that are prayers for driving away evil.

 The Noh or No Drama - a traditional Japanese theatrical form and one of the oldest extant
theatrical forms in the world. It is an exotic drama with traditional costumes and recitation using
the archaic dialogue.
(Explanation) Noh is a word derived from nō which means talent or skill. Noh performers are
simply storytellers who use visual appearances and their movements to suggest essence of their
tale rather than to enact it. Commonly, the spectators in Noh Dramas already know the plot well;
what they watch for are the subtle allusions and symbols relating to the Japanese culture that are
contained in the words and movements. Usually, Japanese husbands perform in Noh theatre with
the belief that it will lessen the labor pains of their wives during child birth. These performers
usually observe silence three or more hours before performing for meditation and deep
concentration to settle in.
The Five Types of Noh Drama
o Kami – god play
o Shura mono – fighting play
o Katsura mono – wig play
o Gendai mono and Kyojo Mono – present day play and madwoman play
o Kiri or Kichiku – final or demon play
 (Explanation) The first type of Noh drama, god play, involves a sacred story of the Shinto shrine
which are the religious beliefs and practices in Japan. The shura mono focuses on stories about
warriors. The third, the katsura mono are Noh dramas with female protagonists. The fourth type
has varied content; the first is the present-day play where the plot is realistic rather than
legendary or supernatural, while the second is a madwoman play in which the protagonists
become insane through the loss of a lover or a child which is why it is also known as insanity
play. The last one is the kichiku which features devils, strange beasts, and supernatural beings.
 The Kabuki art form first appeared in the early 17th century when a female dancer by the name
of Okuni (who had previously worked as a servant at the Grand Shrine of Izumo) became well-
known for her mocking renditions of Buddhist prayers. She gathered a group of female actors and
dancers who performed on the streets around her. The first significant dramatic performance
geared toward the preferences of the average Japanese person was Okuni's Kabuki. The
authorities found the sensual nature of the dances (and the actors' prostitution) to be too
disruptive, and in 1629 they outlawed women from participating. The plays were then performed
by young boys costumed as girls, but this kind of Kabuki was banned in 1652 due to moral
concerns because older men finally took control.

Kabuki eventually developed into a recognized art form by the early 18th century, capable of the
serious, dramatic rendering of genuinely emotional circumstances. The people's theater of Japan,
Kabuki, offered a dramatic commentary on modern society as merchants and other commoners
started to advance economically and socially. Chshingura (1748), for instance, was an essentially
faithful depiction of the infamous incident of 1701–03 in which a band of 47 rnin (masterless
samurai) exacted their retribution on the man who had forced the suicide of their lord after
waiting patiently for almost two years. In a same vein, almost all of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's
"lovers' double suicide" (shinj) plays were based on real-life incidents.
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