Reviewer Japanese Literature

JAPAN LITERATURE
•JAPAN – land of rising sun

-“Nippon” other name of japan
•Japan is an archipelagic country comprising a stratovolcanic archipelago over 3,000 km (1,900 mi) along
the Pacific coast of East Asia.[8] It consists of 14,125 islands.[9][10] The five main islands are Hokkaido,
Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku, and Okinawa. The other 14,120 islands are classified as "remote islands" by
the Japanese government.[9][11] The Ryukyu Islands and Nanpō Islands are south and east of the main
islands.
•About 73% of Japan is mountainous,[22] with a mountain range running through each of the main
islands. Japan's highest mountain is Mount Fuji, with an elevation of 3,776 m (12,388 ft). Japan's forest
cover rate is 68.55% since the mountains are heavily forested
• According to the Government of Japan, 69.0% of the population practises Shintō, 66.7% practise
Buddhism, 1.5% practise Christianity and 6.2% practise other religions as of 2018.
• Shinto means the way of the gods. Shintoism is an Ancient religion of Japan. It started at least as long
ago as 1000 B.C.E. but is still practiced today by at least five million people. The followers of Shintoism
believe that spiritual powers exist in the natural world.
• The main beliefs of Shinto are the importance of purity, harmony, respect for nature, family respect,
and subordination of the individual before the group
•Buddhism is one of the world's largest religions and originated 2,500 years ago in India. Buddhists
believe that the human life is one of suffering, and that meditation, spiritual and physical labor, and good
behavior are the ways to achieve enlightenment, or nirvana (a place of perfect peace and happiness)
FACTS ABOUT JAPAN

-Japan known now as a developed country, which is famous because of its inventions, companies and
arts. Here we are going to reveal some Japanese cultures, and some of their heritage that have a great
effect on their culture.
-Yukata "for men" Kimono "for women", Zori "sandals".
Japanese Ceremonies
-The Tea Ceremony
-The Wedding Ceremony
-The Birth Ceremony
-The Death Ceremony
Japanese Writing System

The modern Japanese writing system uses:
• Kanji, ideographs from Chinese characters,
• Kana, a pair of syllabaries, consisting of
*Hiragana, used for native Japanese words, and
*Katakana, used for foreign loanwords and sometimes to replace kanji or hiragana for emphasis.
JAPANESE LITERATURE
-Japanese Literature is one of the major literatures of the world comparable APa to English literature in
age and variety.
-Japanese Literature is one of the major bodies of Oriental Literature. It is less voluminous than Chinese
Literature but comparable to Arabic, Persian and Indian Literature. It covers the period from the fifth
century A.D to the
JAPANESE MYTHOLOLGY
• Amaterasu-Ömikami, she is the goddess of the sun as well as the purported ancestress of the Imperial
Household of Japan.
Ancient Literature
Two of the oldest Japanese literature:
•Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matter)relates to the creation of the world, describes the gods and
goddess of the mythological period, and contains facts about ancient Japan.
• Nihongi (Chronicles of Japan)
tells the history of Japan in poetry and shows the profound influence of Chinese.
THE MOST FAMOUS REPRESENTATIVE TEXT

The Tale of Genji Written by Japanese writer Murasaki Shikibu in the 1lth century, is generally
regarded as the earliest novel in any culture and as the greatest masterpiece ofJapanese literature. In
this scene from the novel, Prince Genji isvisiting with his favorite wife, Murasaki, while watching his
housemaids, whom he has sent outside to build a snowman. The novel is remarkable for its detailed
depictionof the refined culture of Heian-period Japan.
Classical and Heian Period (700-1185)

Man 'yoshu (Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves) (ca. 700-750)
-The Man'yoshu, the oldest collection of Japanese poetry," was compiled in the 8th century and
consists of more than 4,000 poems, some of which date from as early as the 5th century. While
consisting mainly of 31 syllable poems (tanka, also called waka), it also contains many examples of long
poems (choka). The subject matter of the poems varies from travel descriptions to elegies and poems of
love and loss. There are also poems reflecting Chinese and Buddhist influences. The Man 'yoshu poems
are direct and accessible to any audience unfamiliar with Japanese culture and the conventions of
Japanese poetry.
Writers Behind Japanese Literature

Natsume Soseki - first gained public attention with his Wagahai wa neko de aru (1906; I Am a Cat,
1961) a generally light-hearted series of observations that a cat nakes about humans. Soseki later
published more serious psychological novels.
Tanizaki Jun'ichirõ - Many of the works ofJapanese author focus on male-female relationships.
- He is best known for Tade kuu mushi (1929; Some Prefer Nettles, 1955), about a
failing marriage.
Kawabata Yasunari Japan's -first winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature
Post-War and Contemporary Literature
• World War II, and Japan's defeat, deeply influenced Japanese literature. Many authors wrote stories of
disaffection, loss of purpose, and the coping with defeat.
• Prominent writers of the 1970s and 1980s were identified with intellectual and moral issues in their
attempts to raise social and political consciousness.
• Modern Japanese writers covered a wide variety of subjects, one particularly Japanese approach
stressed their subjects' inner lives, widening the earlier novel's preoccupation with the narrator's
consciousness
• In Japanese fiction, plot development and action have often been of secondary interest to emotional
issues. In keeping with the general trend toward reaffirming national characteristics, many old themes
re-emerged, and some authors turned consciously to the past.
Japanese Drama
•Noh play
-the national theatre of Japan, which was originally reserved for the nobility. Legend says that the
Noh dance was invented by the gods.
-Oldest (formalized by 1400's)
-Stories are spiritual in nature (ghosts, demons, possessions)
-Masks are worn
-Audience is aristocratic/upper class
-Elegant & refined
•Joruri play
- a puppet play or doll theatre wherein the dolls are beautifuly made and life-like in size.
-
• Kabuki
- the play for the masses. It is less intellectual and more realistic, even sensational.
- Developed around 1600's
- Stories based on folklore, hístory
-Highly stylized make Kabuki
- Appeals to middle class audíence that often yells during pertormance
-Bountiful and exaggerated.
-Elaborate sets, often using special effects
-Extensíve use of props, especially the fan
- Stage has one side
- Accompaníed by music / "chorus'"
-Omnagata: males periorrmíng as fermales
Contemporary Influence of Kabulki & Nohi

-Japanese anime (cartoons) and manga (comíc books)
-Costume /make up design for modern movies (such as Star Wars)
Japanese Poetry
•Tanka (5-7-5-7-7)
It is a five line poem. The first and third lines have five syllables each and the others seven, making a
total of thirty one syllables per poem.
•Haiku (5-7-5)
It is a seventeen-syllable poem of three lines arranged in lines of five-seven-five.

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JAPAN LITERATURE

•JAPAN – land of rising sun

FACTS ABOUT JAPAN

Japanese Writing System

THE MOST FAMOUS REPRESENTATIVE TEXT

Classical and Heian Period (700-1185)

Writers Behind Japanese Literature

Contemporary Influence of Kabulki & Nohi

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