Brief history and the contribution of Japanese Literature

1. JAPANESE literature
THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN

2. About Japan:
Kanji - makes Japan name means “sun origin” or
referred to the “land of the rising sun”
Japanese – Language of Japan
Tokyo – Capital of Japan
Yen – Currency
Sumo – National Sport
Emperor – Akihito
Population – 127. 3 million as of 2013

3. - Japan is a volcanic archipelago consisting of
about 6,852 islands
- The Japanese name for Japan is Nippon
- Japan is a sovereign island nation in eastern
Asia located at the pacific ocean

4. 7 Major Japanese Dialects
- Hakata Ben
- Osaka Ben
- Hiroshima Ben
- Kyoto Ben
- Nagoya Ben
- Sendai Ben
- Hokkaido Ben

5. Four largest Islands
Honshu
Hokkaido
Kyushu
Shikoku

6. Traditional Cuisine
(Washoku ) is based on rice with miso soup and other
dishes, with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. Side
dishes often consist of fish, pickled vegetables, and
vegetables cooked in broth. Fish is common, often
grilled, but also served raw as sashimi or in sushi.

7. “HELLO KITTY” - Created by: Shimizu
Designed by: Yuko Yamaguchi
TOKYO
DISNEYLAND
Mt. Fuji

8. Religion
Folk Shinto, or not religious (51.82%)
Buddhism (34.9%)
Shinto organizations and others (4%)
Christianity (2.3%)

9. Brief history:
14,000 BC to 300 BC -The first period called Jōmon
period.
500 BC - Introduction to wet-rice farming, new style of
pottery and metallurgy.
NARA PERIOD (710-784) - Marked an emergence of the
centralized Japanese state centred on the imperial court in
Heijo-kyo.
HEIAN PERIOD (794-1185) - A a distinctly indigenous
Japanese's culture emerged noted for its poetry and prose.

10. 12th century- Samurais ruled (shogun), emperor was
only a figurehead.
1853: Commodore Matthew Perry (with four
warships) “requested” Japan to begin trading.
1868: After the civil war, shogun resigned and
Emperor restored the power. Emperor begins
modernization of the country, abolishes samurai class
and feudal system.

11. Murasaki Shikibu
- A Japanese novelist and poet
- A lady-in-waiting at the Imperial court during
the Heian period.
- She is best known as the author of “The Tale of
Genji”
- Written 1,000 years ago

12. JAPANESE THEATER

13. Noh
- A classic Japanese drama (1400’s)
- Stories are spiritual in nature
- Heroic theme
- Audience: Aristocrats/upper class
- Highly stylized action, costuming, masks and scenery

14. - Simple sets, small and no props
- Stage has three sides for audience, connects to
dressing room (separated by curtain)
- Accompanied by music or chorus

15. A Traditional Noh Theater

16. Kabuki
- Japanese popular drama developed around 1600’s
- Stories are based on folklore and history
- Highly stylized makeup
- Appeals to middle class audience that often yells during
performance
- Lavish, exaggerated

17. - Elaborate sets, often using special effects
- Extensive use of props, especially the fan
- Stage has only one side (long proscenium), walkway
connects to rear of theater
- Accompanied by music or chorus
- OMNAGATA: males performing as females

18. A traditional Kabuki Performance

19. Haiku

20. - A form of Japanese poetry
- An unrhymed verse form of Japanese origin
- An opening stanza of longer poem
- Traditionally, the subject is nature or the seasons

21. - Consist of three lines
- Traditionally, haiku is 5-7-5 (syllables )
- Because Haikus are such short poems, they are
usually written about things that are
recognizable to the reader.

22. Haiku
the first cold shower
even the monkey seems to want
a little coat of straw
_________________________________________________________
old pond (fu/ru/i/ke ya)
a frog jumps (ka/wa/zu to/bi/ko/mu)
the sound of water (mi/zu no o/to)
by Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)

23. THANK YOU 