Cultural Encounters: Japan in its Wider World

Asako KURIHARA(School of Letters)

Cource Objective
   The formation of Japan's cultural and political identities cannot be explained without considering various external impacts. In this course, participants are invited to examine how foreign influence brought about the transformation of Japanese self-description, cultural identity, politics, and so on. By the end of the class, participants will have an in-depth understanding of five different cases in which Japan's reactions to the wider world resulted in significant historical changes. Students will also gain a clear understanding that Japanese history can be better understood within the contexts of Asian and the global environment.

Course Schedule

1. Introduction (Kurihara )
2. Philhellenism in the early 20th century Japan (Kurihara)
   In my classes students will learn how the "philhellenism" amongst Japanese intellectuals resulted in the "discovery" of Japanese cultural identity in the early 20th century.
3. State formation in ancient Japan (Ichi)
   In my classes students will learn how the ancient Japanese nation was formed within a highly international environment by considering three factors:
   1. The introduction of Chinese characters
   2. The Battle of Baekgang
   3. The Relocation of the Capital to Nara.
4. Japanese encounters with Christianity in the early modern period (Egawa)
   I my classes we will consider how through the Catholic missions of the 16th and 17th centuries, Japan experienced its first contact with Christianity and European cultures. There were various reactions to this encounter in Japan from both rulers as well as commoners. At first, strong rulers like Nobunaga tended to make use of the Catholic missionaries. The successive rulers, however, gradually became hostile to Catholic Christianity. Finally, Tokugawa Iemitsu totally prohibited missionary work and closed the door to almost all foreigners. 5. Influences of Western scholarship on early modern Japan (Murata)
   In my classes we will take an close look at the anti-foreign policies adopted by the Tokugawa shogunate in early modern Japan. From the end of the eighteenth century, Western scholarship had become widespread in Japan and so we will consider how this Western scholarship had been accepted in Edo society.
5. Ideas of world history in Japan (Takenaka)
   In my classes students will learn what ideas the Japanese have had about the world and its history. The Japanese notion of the world has been characterized by its unique interpretation of the relationship between itself and the rest of the world. Students will also discuss the differences between the Japanese perspective and those of other civilizations like China.

Textbook and Reference
   'Japanese Illustrated Encyclopedia'(ed.), Japanese History: 11 Experts Reflect on the Past (Kodansha Bilingual Books) (English and Japanese Edition) [Paperback], Kodansha International (1996, 2nd ed. 2006)

Grading
   Attendance and class participation 30%
   (reading in advance of class and the engaged participation in the discussions are required)
   Presentations, written assignments and lecture exams 70%