Traditions in Japanese Culture

Catalog description

This course provides an overview and history of major elements of Japanese culture, including annual observances, life events and foodways, religion, folklore, literature, and the arts. It will cover ancient myth-histories, human relationships to nature and agriculture, classical tales and poetry, the social influence of Buddhism and local religions, and the raucous urban culture of the early modern period. The legacy of these elements in modern Japanese identity will also be explored. Taught in English. No prerequisites.