HUAS95012 - Varieties of Edo/Tokyo: The Aesthetics of Japanese Life and Culture

Course Description

This seminar takes us on a journey across the various areas of Edo (the former name of Tokyo), from the shogun’s residence to the entertainment district, to explore the roots and hidden meaning of the different segments of Japanese culture, such as kabuki theater and woodblock print making, among others. We will use a variety of visual and cultural materials, such as artifacts, excerpts from documentaries, and even haiku poems to immerse ourselves into the different layers of the traditional and modern manifestations of the “art of Japanese life” from their complex relationship with nature to their vivid dreams of the “floating world.” Seminar participants will also gain insight into the complex life of samurai warriors, the controversial situation of women, and multilayered attitudes toward “others” through a discussion on the development of information exchange and print culture.