Leeds University
Business School
Online Examination Coversheet
Student ID Number: 2 0 1 4 3 0 8 2 8
Module Code: EAST1269
Module Title: Japanese Culture and Society
Module Leader: Dr. Maria Romer
Declared Word Count: 906
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Academic Integrity ( http://www.leeds.ac.uk/secretariat/documents/academic_integrity.pdf).
, Section A
Shingeki – can be translated as “a new theatre” which is considered to be a modern type of
Japanese theatre. It was imposed to create a new sense of representational theatre, which would
cover realism in the playwriting, staging and acting. In contrast of Kabuki, Bunraku and NŌ theatre;
Shingeki wasn’t formalized, but also had change a history of the Japanese performance arts, as
brough women back on stage.
Okinawa – used to be known as Ryukyu kingdom up until the period of Meiji (1868-1912), when
Japan, as part of its policy of Japanization, had incorporated Okinawa as a prefecture in 1879.
Waka - During the Heian period (794-1050), (which is considered to be “the golden age of Japanese
literature”), waka or tanka, was the Japanese 31 syllable short poem, which remains a very popular
genre in Japanese literature up until this day. Usually, waka brings ambiguous meaning to the text, as
kanji chosen within the text have various meaning. For example, 長雨 and 眺め contain the same
word (ながめ), but bring different meaning.
mono no aware – is being used in the sense of the pathos associated with the transformation and
passing away of things. For example, blossoms, human beauty and life itself.
The “I-novel” - was inspired by Western naturalist realism which turned into a “Japanese” version of
it. The I-novel is more like a diary, which aimed to express the internal experience of the first-person
narrator “watashi” as realistic as possible.
TV People by Murakami Haruki – (TV Pipuru, 1990), Murakami’s story “TV People” is a commentary
on mental illness as a whole and the struggles and stigmas that come with it. TV People aligns with
one of the symptoms of schizophrenia, social withdrawal.
Taishō democracy – (1912-1926), this was a time when political parties built up a resilience against
the ruling oligarchy of Meiji leaders. However, it didn’t last long and led to the ultranationalism of the
1930s, which then turned into fascism and dragged Japan into WWII.
Buddhism – (552-710) is one of the spiritual cultures which Japan have borrowed from its neighbour
country – China. There was a need for Japan to catch up with a culture in order to become equal and
centralized, just like China and Korea at the time of the 6th century.
Shinoda Masahiro – (1931), the art production began to flourish during Edo period, which have
emerged new artists, such as Shinoda Masahiro, the author of Bunraku play on “Double Suicide”.
Himiko (Pimiko) – was the first female ruler of Japan in history. She was described as an “older,
unmarried woman with strong political power”. Himiko worked as mediator between the people and
Gods, as shamanism and superstition were the belief system of Japanese culture at the time. When
Himiko died, she was buried over 100 male and female servants following her to the grave alive.
Section B
