LESSON 2: JAPANESE LITERATURE (copy)

NIHON AND NIPPON

These are the alternative readings of written characters that means “Origin of the Sun” (“Land of the Rising Sun”)

HOKKAIDO, HONSHU, SHIKOKU, AND KYUSHU

These are the Four Major Islands that consists of the Japanese archipelago

127 MILLION

As of 2016, the population in Japan is ________________

SHINTO AND BUDDHISM

These are Japan’s two major religions.

WHITE RICE

It is their staple component of every meal; other typical ingredients include soy products and seafood that is served grilled or raw.

ETIQUETTE

This can be usually be observed in Japan, especially to elders.

HAIKU

This is a traditional Japanese poetic form that consists of three lines with a syllable pattern of 5-7-5

IKEBANA

It is the traditional Japanese art of flower arrangement, which means “way of flowers”. It emphasizes harmony, balance, and simplicity.

TEA CEREMONY

It is a traditional cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha (powdered green tea).

TAIKO DRUM

It refers to a broad range of Japanese percussion instruments, often recognized for their powerful, rhythmic sound and dynamic performances.

KIMONO

It refers to the traditional Japanese clothing

JAPANESE LITERATURE

It has been influenced heavily by the Chinese literature from the ancient period all the way to the Edo period (1603-1868)

INDIAN LITERATURE

Japanese literary works were also influenced by the _______________.

ANCIENT, CLASSICAL, MEDIEVAL, AND MODERN

The four divided periods of the Japanese literature

ANCIENT PERIOD

It deals primarily with myths and legends. Tales like the creation of Japan, wherein the islands came from the gemstones imbed in the swords of gods are very prominent during this period.

CLASSICAL PERIOD

It occurred during the golden age, the Heian period. During this period, literature became centered on a cultural elite of monks.

MEDIEVAL PERIOD

During this period, history and literature were intertwined because of the influence of the civil wars and the emergence of the warrior class. Besides war stories and tales, the renga, a popular form of Japanese poetry, saw its rise.

MODERN PERIOD

New styles of writing. Japanese writers started to romanticize and tried experimenting with different genres and subject matters.

HARUKI MURAKAMI

He is a novelist, a short-story writer, an essayist, and a translator. He was born on January 12, 1949 in Kyoto, Japan, during the post–World War II baby boom.

FIRST-PERSON

Most of Haruki Murakami’s works use _________ narrative in the tradition of the Japanese I Novel

THE BOY NAMED CROW

An excerpt from Kafka on the Shore (海辺のカフカ Umibe no Kafuka), a 2002 novel by Japanese author Haruki Murakami.

THE BOY NAMED CROW

It demonstrates Murakami's typical blend of popular culture, mundane detail, magical realism, suspense, humor, and involved plot, and potent sexuality

THE BOY NAMED CROW

It features an increased emphasis on Japanese religious traditions, particularly Shinto