A Study on the Formation of the Cultural Sphere of the Kazoku and Outadokoro in the Meiji Period

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K12303
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 02010:Japanese literature-related
• Research Institution: Oita Prefectual College of Arts and Culture
• Principal Investigator: CHOFUKU Kana 大分県立芸術文化短期大学, その他部局等, 准教授 (90634949)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 華族 / 御歌所 / 旧派 / 正風社 / 興風会 / 向陽会 / 近世和歌 / 近代短歌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

As an effort to elucidate the significance of the old school, whose raison d'etre was neglected in Meiji-period poetry circles, in the history of waka poetry, this study focuses on the waka poetry associations Seifusha, Kofukai, and Koyokai, which consisted of noblemen and court poets and occupied important positions in the old school, clarifying their actual activities. As a result, all of them were created in response to Emperor Meiji’s encouragement and promotion of the art of waka poetry, and that they played a role in the inheritance and development of waka poetry. We were also able to observe the formation of the old school cultural sphere through the human networks established there as well as clarify the reality of their work with waka poetry.

Free Research Field

日本近世・近代文学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

明治期における旧派の実態は、明治後期以降現代に至るまで近世文学・近代文学の両研究領域から十分な調査研究がなされておらず、日本文学研究における空白に該当する。しかしながら本研究を通して、旧派を代表する華族や御歌所歌人による「正風社」「興風会」「向陽会」の活動がいかに精力的に展開され、彼らがいかに和歌を継承してきたのかが知られるとともに、当時の旧派歌壇においては明治天皇の存在が大きく、多大な影響を与えていたことが明らかとなった。このように、旧派の実態解明は研究の空白を埋める作業であり、正当な和歌史を再構築することであると考えている。