Orientalism and the invention of the traditional narrative in modern Japan

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24520285
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Literature in English
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: TODA Masaru 神戸大学, その他の研究科, 教授 (60148484)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: ラフカディオ・ハーン / 雪女 / オリエンタリズム / 民話 / 伝統の創出 / 辺見じゅん / 十六人谷伝説

Outline of Final Research Achievements

My study shows that the famous Toyama legend“Jyurokunin-dani or the legend of sixteen woodcutters” told by Henmi Jun is not fully based on the oral tradition in Toyama. She wrote it under the great influence of Lafcadio Hearn, and incorporated the local legend with Hearn’s “Yuki-onna.” Although it is generally believed that “Yuki-onna” is an old tradition of Japan and was adapted and translated into English by Hearn, the recent studies prove that Hearn invented the story from various fragments of the local tradition. My study concludes that the modern writers of the Japanese folklore are innovative creators and share their motives and techniques of story-telling with the Western writers.

Free Research Field

比較文学