HAYASHI FUMIKO, YUKIO MISHIMA AND JAPANJames McRoy

POPULATION AND DEMOGRAPHICS• Population: 126,919,659 • Plurality of the population is between 25-54 • Shintoism 72.9%, Buddhism 66.8% • Only 1.5% Christian • Japanese is the dominant language

HISTORY OF JAPAN

4-5th Century: Japan is introduced to Chinese Characters as well as technologies from the continent of Asia In 607 Horyuji Temple, the oldest wooden structure still standing on earth is constructed In 1274 Japan is attacked by the Mongols In 1549 Francis Xavier introduces Christianity to Japan 1590 Japan is unified by Toyotomi Hideyoshi In 1639 Japan completely closes itself off to the world In 1853 US Navy Comodore Matthew Perry arrives to open up Japan In 1889 Constitution of the Empire is issued In 1945 two nuclear bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki In 1946 the first Constitution of Japan is introduced

JAPANESE CULTURE

• They are very conscious of the age of everyone around them • They hold very highly to the concept of Wa, or group harmony and value the

needs of the collective over the needs of the individual • They also stress social-ranking and status, which play important roles in the

lives of many Japanese people • Family is considered paramount and the shame and dishonor of one family

member negatively affects the entire family • Japan has the highest rate of suicide of any Asian country on Earth at roughly

30,000 a year • Japanese people love food and are famous for a wide variety of foods

including Sashimi and Sushi as well as cooking techniques including Tempura

JAPANESE LITERATURE

• Japanese Literature is considered one of the major world literatures • Japanese literature is complicated and favors the ambiguous, which makes it hard

to figure out what the author is saying with a particular work • Due to Japan’s long period of isolation, a large chunk of literature is region specific

and unintelligible to someone not from that region • Characterized by a preference of emotion over ideas • Japanese language does not feature a stressed accent and all words in the same 5

vowels • Japanese literature also tends to lack the kinds of rigid structures found in western

literature • Famous Japanese writers include Ki Tsurayuki, Futabatei Shimei and Yosano Akiko

HAYASHI FUMIKO

• Born: December 31, 1903 or 1904 (Japanese scholars disagree about the exact year of her birth)

• Died: June 28, 1951 • Place of Birth: Shimonoseki, Japan • Education: She graduated high-school in 1922 • Politics: N/A • Religion: N/A • Relevant Literary Movement: Gender • Main Themes: She is well-known for her feminist themes and most of her works revolve around

free-spirited women and troubled relationships • Style: Conveys humanity with a level of clarity that is universal • Genre: short stories, novels • Examples: Late Chrysathamums, gives a very vivid portrayl • Other: Her novel Horoki became the basis of the anime Wandering Days

YUKIO MISHIMA• Real name: Kimitaka Hiroaka • Born: January 4th, 1925 • Place of birth: Sjinjuki, Japan • Died: November 25, 1970 • Education: at age 6 he enrolled in Gakushuin, an elite Peers school in Tokyo. After six years in school,

he became a member of its literary society. • Politics: In 1970 he and four other members tatenokai, attempted to start a coup that would put the

Emperor back in power in Japan. It failed and he committed a ritual suicide as a result of its failings. • Genres: Novels, plays, serial novellas, short stories and literary essays • Relevant Literary movements: • Main Themes: Sexuality, death and political carnage • Style: His works feature lots of metaphors and aphorisms, as well a blending of modern and cultural

asthetics • Examples: “His wife Rekio, followed him, stabbing herself to death • Other: He is believed to have been a closeted homosexual

WORKS CITED

• https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ja.html • http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/history/ • http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/Spring01/Newsome/culture.html • https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/minority-report/201406/asian-

honor-and-suicide • http://www.japan-zone.com/culture/dishes.shtml • http://www.britannica.com/art/Japanese-literature/Modern-literature • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumiko_Hayashi_(author) • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yukio_Mishima

IMAGE CITATIONS• http://japanmap.facts.co/japanmapof/JapanCitiesMap.png • http://www.mapsofworld.com/images/world-countries-flags/japan-flag.gif • https://files.tofugu.com/articles/japan/2013-03-25-shinto-native-religion-of-japan/

male-and-female-priests-at-a-ceremony.jpg • http://www.onmarkproductions.com/assets/images/autogen/amida-big-buddha-

kamakura-photo-by-mark-schumacher-3.jpg • http://www.badassoftheweek.com/hideyoshi2.jpg • http://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2015_32/1153821/150803-hiroshima-

aftermath-12p_7b60cbe2619912a12592539c8b2895c8.nbcnews-ux-2880-1000.jpg • http://www.foodlve.com/pictures/5991150503.jpg • http://www.japantimes.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/p7-rob-suicide-

g-20110626.jpg • http://veryasian.weebly.com/uploads/3/6/1/0/3610797/650076_orig.jpg • https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Yukio_Mishima.jpg • https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/30/67/6e/

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