Japan

cucumberYukio Mishima and Japanese Literature

Ryunosuke Akutagawa's "Kappa" Synopsis and Impressions - What happens when you wander into the land of kappa? A satirical masterpiece about modern Japan through a strange other world

Through "The World of Kappa," Akutagawa poignantly questions the state of Japan.

How unique and humorous are each (each and every?) kappa! How unique and humorous each kappa is. And how eerie....

It is horrifying to think that this work was Ryunosuke Akutagawa's desperate protest, a warning for the end of his life. He committed suicide less than a year after the publication of this work.

It will soon be 100 years since the death of Ryunosuke Akutagawa. But even 100 years later, Akutagawa's works have never faded. The power of literature has been passed on to those of us living today.
heck-bent on robbing a robberYukio Mishima and Japanese Literature

Ryunosuke Akutagawa's "Jigoken" Synopsis and Impressions - To complete the picture of hell, one must see hell... A masterpiece depicting the madness of a genius painter!

When I read this work, I find myself surrounded by tension as if I am watching a suspenseful movie. It is not so bad until the genius painter Yoshihide chains up his apprentice or sparks an owl. It's just like, "Here we go again with Yoshihide's eccentricities. But from there, a strange feeling of foreboding gradually emerges in our minds, and it becomes more and more eerie. We start to get nervous, thinking, "No way, what is Yoshihide trying to do? This style of storytelling, which gradually and progressively builds up fear and anxiety, is a model of vivid storytelling that can be said to be a model of mystery. This is indeed Ryunosuke Akutagawa.

This work even shows Akutagawa's ambition: "An artist of words can perfectly portray a mad painter who is trying to create a perfect picture.

It is easy to see why this work is regarded as a masterpiece among Akutagawa's literature.
Light and Shadow of "Kingdom of DreamsDreamland Disneyland Research

Tsune Noguchi, "Light and Shadow of the Kingdom of Dreams: The Men Who Created Tokyo Disneyland" - The most exciting masterpiece of non-fiction!

The story of the passionate men who overcame numerous setbacks, struggles, and failures to realize an incredible dream. This is a nonfiction book that clearly depicts the 23 years leading up to the birth of Tokyo Disneyland."

No - it's exciting nonetheless! It's extremely interesting! It's as realistic as if you were watching a movie. I would love to see this movie made into a live-action movie.

I think this book will stick not only with those interested in Disney, but also with business people who are trying to start something. The passion and energy, the tenacity and resourcefulness, and the behind-the-scenes stories of how they turned things around in one fell swoop, make this book an unforgettable read. I read through the book in one sitting. It is a very good work. There is no doubt about it.
A Disneyland TaleDreamland Disneyland Research

Tetsuo Arima, "Disneyland Story: LA-Florida-Tokyo-Paris" - A recommended Disneyland history that gives you the history and the backstory!

This book is a recommended guide that provides an overview of the history of Disneyland from its opening in Anaheim, California in 1955 to Florida, Tokyo, Paris, and Hong Kong.

Nothing brings out the human drama like a theme park project."

This is the essence of what makes this book so interesting. The history of Disneyland itself is incredibly interesting, but it is this that makes this book an exciting work all by itself. I also read it in one sitting.

This book is a work that can be easily picked up in a paperback format, yet is very rich in content. I highly recommend this book not only to Disney fans, but also to those interested in business and non-fiction.
The Sociology of DisneylandDreamland Disneyland Research

Katsuya Arai, "The Sociology of Disneyland: De-Disneying TDR" - A stimulating book that examines the Japanese acceptance of Disney!

This book is not the same as a "Here's a great Disneyland" type of book. It will look at the phenomenon of Disneyland from a sociological perspective.

Why did Tokyo Disneyland take a unique route different from that of the original? And why have operating profits continued to grow despite taking a different route, from a variety of perspectives. This is interesting!

In particular, the episode of Duffy's birth is a must-see. Duffy's existence has always been a mystery to me, too, but reading this book made me think, "Oh! I see!" I couldn't help but groan when I read this book. I was surprised that there was such a background. I was surprised to learn that there was a unique Japanese situation here as well.
spider silkYukio Mishima and Japanese Literature

Ryunosuke Akutagawa's "The Spider's Thread" Synopsis and Impressions - A famous short story, famous as a Buddhist fairy tale! A thread of salvation hung in hell!

The Spider's Thread" is the first children's literature written by Ryunosuke Akutagawa, and is a famous short story that is also famous as a Buddhist tale. As a Buddhist monk, I have seen and heard the story of "The Spider's Thread" in many Dharma talks and Buddhist books, and I believe that this story has been familiar to the Japanese people as a whole, beyond the framework of temple-related works.

In the commentary at the end of the book, there is a detailed explanation of the production of "The Spider's Thread," which was quite a surprise to me. To summarize the main points briefly, (1) it is not known whether "The Spider's Thread" is originally of Buddhist origin or not, and (2) this work is also related to Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. This article will look at this in more detail.
Woman of the SandYukio Mishima and Japanese Literature

Kobo Abe's "The Woman in the Dunes" Synopsis and Impressions - Internationally acclaimed masterpiece! What is Kafkaesque worldview and international literature?

This work, "The Woman in the Dunes," is an internationally acclaimed masterpiece that has been translated into more than 20 countries.

The story itself is just as simple! The main character suddenly wanders into a dune and is unreasonably trapped in a house in a hole. He struggles to escape from the hole surrounded by sand walls.

The "Box Man" introduced in the previous article had a difficult storyline and was so strange that it was considered a problematic work, but the current work, "The Woman in the Sand," is very easy to read.

However, the absurd worldview typical of Kobo Abe is still present.

This was a valuable read for me as it got me thinking about the international nature of literature. This was an enjoyable read.
man who carries a geisha's shamisenYukio Mishima and Japanese Literature

Kobo Abe's "Box Man" Synopsis and Impressions - A dazzling world if you wear a box? A major influence on MGS director Hideo Kojima!

The current work, "Box Man," is indescribably exciting.

First of all, the title is a mystery to begin with. What is "The Box Man"?

I had only heard of Kobo Abe's "Hakon Otoko," but now I finally decided to read it for myself.

I had thought it was some kind of conceptual story in the image of Chekhov's "The Man in the Box," but I was surprised when I read it and found that it was really a story about a man who physically wore a box!

I highly recommend this work. I read this work as part of my study of Yukio Mishima, and it was a very enjoyable read as I could feel the differences in his style.
disregard for humanityYukio Mishima and Japanese Literature

Osamu Dazai's "Ningen Shikkaku" Synopsis and Thoughts - Did Dostoevsky Write Crime and Punishment as Synonyms? Thoughts on Dazai's Last Question

Like "Shayo" introduced in the previous article, "Ningen Shikkaku" also had a strong impact on readers. Dazai's writings have a unique magic power to make each reader think, "This is me! Dazai's writing has a unique magic power to make each reader think, "This is me! Young people who sympathized with the naïve nature of the protagonist became fascinated with Dazai's literature. The term "Shayozoku" was coined to describe these young people.

Among Dazai's works, "Ningen Shikkaku" is one of the most magically powerful works.

And for me personally, the connection between Dostoevsky and "The Human Disqualification" was very interesting.

This is because in the second half of the film, a discussion of Dostoevsky was inserted, in which "Crime and Punishment" was discussed.
setting sunYukio Mishima and Japanese Literature

Osamu Dazai's "Shayo" Synopsis and Impressions - The Aesthetics of Ruin. A masterpiece that gave birth to the Shayo clan. The work that determined Yukio Mishima's dislike of Dazai.

Shayo" is Osamu Dazai's masterpiece, and has become such a social phenomenon that the term "Shayozoku" was coined to describe young people who are fascinated by his works.

As the book "Bungo Navi: Osamu Dazai" says, "'Shayo' depicts the postwar downfall of people who were wealthy before the war, but there is a palpable sense of emotion at the sight of their beautiful demise.

In the commentary at the end of the book, it was also pointed out that the story is closely related to "The Cherry Orchard" by the great Russian writer Chekhov, and this is precisely the case. In particular, the story of Kazuko, one of the main characters, and her mother is filled with the sorrow of a fallen aristocrat.

However, for me, this novel was very interesting to read not so much because it is Dazai's masterpiece or because of his relationship with Chekhov, but because of his association with Yukio Mishima. In this article, I will discuss that relationship with Mishima.