Matsuyama Shiki Society "On the 150th Anniversary of their birth: Shiki, Sõseki, Kyokudõ & Matsuyama"
Date
2017-10-12
DOI
Authors
Tamura, Nanae
Version
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
This presentation will provide some background on Masaoka Shiki and his associates, and his home town of Matsuyama, Japan. Matsuyama is located on the Inland Sea on the Island of Shikoku. It is famous for its hot springs, its castle, and its literature, especially haiku and Shiki. Everyone in Matsuyama seems to love Shiki now. However, there was a time when Shiki and his achievements were almost forgotten. He left his hometown when he was 16 years old and died young in Tokyo. If Kyokudō Yanagihara had not been close to him, many fewer people would know about Shiki's achievements. Kyokudō started the haiku magazine Hototogisu in 1897 in Matsuyama. The editorial offices were moved to Tokyo the next year, and the editorship was taken over by Shiki's disciple Takahama Kyoshi. The journal still exists today, and is run by one of the largest haiku groups in Japan, led by the great grandson of Kyoshi. Kyokudō also founded the Matsuyama Shiki Society in 1943 when he was 76 years old. The Society has continuously produced journals which contain precious materials and research on Shiki until the present day. Kyokudō's great energy for supporting and recognizing Shiki largely came from an incident when he heard two voices talking in Gudabutsu-an, the house that Shiki's friend the future novelist Natsume Sōseki rented in Matsyama in the fall of 1895: "It is time for us to create new Japanese literature." I will discuss this incident and Kyokudō, Shiki, and Kyoshi's legacy, beginning with a traditional "paper theater" [kami-shibai] presentation called 'The Life of Shiki.'
Description
This is a video of a talk by Nanae Tamura (Matsuyama Shiki Society) for the "Haiku as World Literature: A Celebration of the 150th Birthday of Haiku Poet Masaoka Shiki", which took place on October 12 & 13, 2017 at Barristers Hall, Boston University. Recorded on October 12, 2017 by the Geddes Language Center.
License
Copyright 2017 Boston University.