This two-quarter Japanese studies program examines various Japanese art forms and how their essence was appropriated in Western culture. The ancient culture of Japan fashioned a multitude of impressions in American minds as the United States developed close economic and political relationships with Japan. This program’s curriculum incorporates Japanese literature, cinema and arts as well as comparative analyses of representations or “appropriations” of Japanese culture produced by non-Japanese writers, filmmakers, and artists.

In the fall quarter we will focus on the study of Japanese literature and aesthetics. The literary and artistic works we will examine include: The Tale of Genji and The Pillow Book from the 11 ^th century Heian court, 16 ^th -century tea gardens, 18 ^th -century woodblock prints (which inspired the French Impressionist), and contemporary writers such as Murakami Haruki, Yohsimoto Banana along with artists, Isamu Noguchi and Yayoi Kusama. The films we will examine include works by Kurosawa Akira, Ozu Yasujiro and Miyazaki Hayao.

In the winter quarter we will shift our focus to comparative studies, examining cultural assumptions and representations made by Western writers and artists as they appropriated elements of Japanese culture. We will study different images of Japan represented in the writing of Donald Richie and Pico Iyer, films by Doris Dörrie and Sophia Coppolla, and  Impressionist art. By doing so, we will contrast perspectives from both Japan and the West, creating a format for observation, discussion and inquiry.

Students may enroll for 12 credits and take an additional 4-credit Japanese language class taught by Tomoko Ulmer through Evening and Weekend Studies. Taking a Japanese class along with this program provides valuable insights into Japanese culture because of the remarkably image-oriented nature of the language.