A Study of the Relationship Between the Kamigata Literary Circle and the Local Danrin Haikai Cultural Region: From the Perspective of the Maritime and River Distribution Network

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K02480
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Japanese literature
• Research Institution: Kwansei Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: MORITA Masaya 関西学院大学, 文学部, 教授 (10239668)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 日本文学 / 上方文学 / 西鶴 / 談林俳諧 / 江戸時代 / 地方物流網の発展 / 地方文化圏の形成 / 海運・川運

Outline of Final Research Achievements

17century was accompanied by a rapid spread of distribution networks throughout the country. The people supporting these distribution bases quickly piled up vast wealth and soon became involved in regional culture formation as the new wealthy class. This culture formation trend was particularly prominent in the Kamigata region, a similar trend can be observed in the provincial areas, and especially the development in westward aviation and waterborne traffic contributed to the connection of these two areas.
Through analysis of the culture formation within these regions and by focusing in particular on the popularity of Haikai, it is clear that the provincial Haikai cultural region was able to establish for itself a first-class Haiku Circle, even before the advent of Matsuo Basho’s Haikai style, by seeking guidance of Ihara Saikaku at the Danrin Haikai School, known as one of the more refined Kamigata Literary Circles. This study has revealed the details of this fact.

Free Research Field

日本近世文学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

17世紀日本の文化は、幕府の中央集権的に政策により形成されたように見えるが、実態は地方文化圏の形成が基点となった。その下支えをしたのが、地方物流網の拠点に君臨した人々で、彼らは元々は文学的素養はなかったものの、経済的余裕を持つとともに「俳諧」という新しい文学形式を嗜むことで古典文学を学び、文化圏形成を主導し地域全体の文化度を高めた。さらに彼らの持つ物流網は、遠く離れた優れた上方文壇と深く結びつくことを可能にし、俳人同士の交流・通信ネットワークの場となり、全国津々浦々を網羅することになった。日本文化発展の要因に地方の経済発展が寄与し、さらにそれが物流網を利用していたことには注目してもらいたい。