Japanese literature

• Japanese literature examines words of literature such as stories, novels, poetry and place to research the workings of the human condition in Japan
• Japanese literature throughout most of its history has been influenced by cultural contact with neighboring Asian literature, most notably China and its literature
• Major themes of classic Japanese literature

  • Loyalty
  • Obligation
  • Self-sacrifice compromised by human emotion
  • Affected by elements of the supernatural
• Kanji


  Logographic characters adopted from the Chinese writing system
• Kana


  A Japanese syllabic script, consisting of hiragana and katakana
• Hiragana


  A Japanese syllabary, used for native Japanese words
• Katakana


  A Japanese syllabary, originally considered as men's writing, used for emphasis, especially on science and advertisements
• Literary periods of Japanese literature

  • Ancient literature (up to 794)
  • Classical Japanese literature (high-end period)
  • Medieval literature (13th-16th century)
  • Early modern literature (1600s-1868)
  • Post-war literature (1945-1990)
  • Contemporary literature
• The Tale of Genji


  • A greatest masterpiece of fiction from the classical Japanese literature period, written by Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century
• The Tale of the Heike


  • A literature work that best represents the period of civil war and conflict in Japan, the struggle between the Minamoto and Taira clans for control of Japan at the end of the 12th century
• Other important works from the medieval literature period

  • Kamo no Chōmei's Hōjōki (1212)
  • Yoshida Kenkō's Tsurezuregusa (1331)
• Notable authors and works from the early modern literature period

  • Matsuo Bashō, famous for his 36 Views of Mount Fuji and wood block prints
  • Hokusai, creator of the illustrated novel Hokusai Manga
  • Ihara Saikaku, writer of the Chinese vernacular novel Kōshoku ichidai otoko
• Notable authors and works from the post-war literature period

  • Dazai Osamu, writer of the novel The Setting Sun
  • Mishima Yukio, writer of the short tale The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea
  • Ōe Kenzaburō, winner of the 1988 Naoki Prize for Riceboy Soldiers
• Japanese contemporary authors cover a broad range of genres and subjects, including fiction, non-fiction, pure literature, and pulp novels
• Despite the influence of globalization, Japanese literature has managed to retain its distinct styles as well as to remain a breeding ground for new literary forms
• Manga


  Japanese comic books, widely read by all ages, covering a broad range of subjects like action, adventure, comedy, romance, and science fiction
• Traditional Japanese dramatic forms

  • Noh play
  • Kabuki play
  • Bunraku (puppet play)
• Noh play


  • The oldest surviving form of Japanese drama, combining music, dance, and acting to communicate Buddhist themes, requiring highly trained actors and musicians
• Bunraku (puppet play)


  • A puppet play or adult theater, featuring beautifully made, life-size dolls, with stories usually based on historical events, folk tales, feudal wars, or love stories between commoners and the elite
• Kabuki


  • A form of Japanese theater, featuring stylized acting, dance-like movements, and specialized performance techniques like tachimawari (stage combat), rope walking, and costume changes
• Haiku


  A 17-syllable verse form, consisting of three metrical units in a 5-7-5 pattern, both a type of poetic poem and a way of experiencing the world
• Tanka


  The oldest form of Japanese poetry, with 31 syllables in a 5-7-5-7-7 pattern, consisting of an upper phrase (kami-no-ku) and a lower phrase (shimo-no-ku)