Japanese Literature: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #728

by Alan M. Tansman, Derek Shoales (narrator)

With a history stretching back nearly 1,500 years, written works originating from Japan encompass a vast range of forms and genres. Since the eighth century, poetry and the non-philosophical lyric voice have occupied a central position in Japanese cultural life. The art of narrative would soon follow, blossoming in the eleventh century with one of the world's great literary masterpieces, Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji . Japanese literature later developed other genres no less important than poetry and narrative, among them the diary, the free-flowing essay, drama, the picture book, and the literary treatise.

While intensely attentive to its own tradition, Japanese literature has also embraced the outside world, particularly the influence of China. It is also embraced by the outside world in turn, exporting bestselling authors such as Haruki Murakami and Yukio Mishima. Beyond this, Japan boasts a powerful literary culture, made up of cultivated reading publics, both aristocratic and bourgeois, literary salons, specialized presses, authoritative judges of talent who cultivated and celebrated particular writers and styles, and a canon consisting of classics. A succinct introduction to one of the most dynamic and diverse world literatures, this Very Short Introduction traces the rich history of Japanese literature from its beginnings over a millennium ago to the present day.

Genres: Japan, Nonfiction, Literature, Audiobook, Japanese Literature, Literary Criticism, Art

Audio CD

Published June 6, 2023

Reviews

[Ivy-Mabel Fling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This very short introduction focuses to a large extent on the origins of Japanese literature and the role which language plays (or does not play) in it. Certain chapters concentrate on the view that the real meaning of much of the literature goes beyond words to a transcendental understanding of life, whereas others suggest that its brilliance arises from its down-to-earth quality. What you should not expect from the book is an analysis of modern writing - certain contemporary authors are mentioned but not in any detail and many names I have seen on websites are ignored, which I regret as I had hoped to gain a greater understanding of the contemporary scene.

[Sexy BooRadley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a good reference book to Japanese literature

[carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

bought this because im obsessed with japanese literature. i was worried that it would be a bit too technical but its very easy to follow (even the author of this essay-like book writes beautiful prose), though its definitely more enjoyable if youve read some of the classics and have given some thought to the things that make japanese literature unique. though too short to be "academic", the writer has a way of putting just the right words to vague feelings or impressions you might have about japanese literature. its definitely very introductory, but i liked that it was constructed by theme (or characteristics of japanese lit) rather than chronologically, and i definitely learnt some new things and got to write down some new titles to read (mainly the tale of genji which i became obsessed with just as i was reading). i would surely recommend it to someone who has a special interest in japanese authors!!

[Tinkerreise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seeing as this was the most recently written crash course to JP lit I could get my hand on, I read it thinking it'd have more focus on modern (read: still living) authors, and so be more relevant to my interests (learning Japanese and Japanese literature in parallel). Couldn't have been further from the truth: this introduction is overwhelmingly about pre-1800s texts.

There's a clear focus on pre-WWII Japanese authorship, even to the expense of "modern" authors, who are snubbed in exchange for a quite girthy Genji / ancient matters section. Miyazawa Kenji and Takashi Nagai are nowhere to be found. Yoshimoto Banana is missing too, to my surprise. No mention of the Crab Cannery Ship, despite it apparently having made a comeback in recent years (though to be fair, that may have been after this book went to print). There is actually a mention, if only a mention, of modern online literature, games, and other modern multimedia literature, though a sentence alone feels sparse. Clearly, the hundred-or-so page limit imposed on this series of books is harsh, real harsh. I recognize the valiant effort to cover such a huge field in ~110 pages, but I can't help but feel like a Short Introduction instead of a Very Short Introduction would be better...

I did appreciate the section on Sei Shonagon a great deal though due to the way her lists where presented. It reminded me of Borges' Chinese Encyclopedia and, consequently, Foucault's Order of Things. Interesting links, if imaginary.

Also: the flurry of authors ends up a bit disorienting when they're not necessarily in chronological order. The progression Nagai Kafu -> Higuchi Ichiyo caught me off-guard to be honest. I think some topics are brought up and explained twice too, like renga.

Feels a bit bizarre that the other texts I deliberated between - books written before I was born - likely takes up more modern authors than this does.

[Smith Easton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for Place Studies Japan. Hard to consume as all theory, but still interesting and I’m glad I read it. I enjoyed the chapter on detective novels as I learned more about the name origin of a character from Bungo Stray Dogs.

[Taylor Swift Scholar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautiful very short introduction. I particularly enjoyed the opening chapter on Japanese Poetry and how it plays with language and intertextuality. It made me feel both excited and daunted by the prospect of reading Japanese poetry (in translation).

[Avery · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

Pretty thorough and informative in comparison to some other VSIs I’ve read

[N · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brand new sentence
The many children's books in Japanese written by blind Russian Esperantist Vasili Eroshenko