In this blog post, we’ll explore the deep understanding of faith and humanity that Ayako Miura conveys through ‘Living and Thinking’, as well as the warm vitality that shines through in everyday life. Anyone who sees a person with strong convictions feels a peculiar sense of affinity toward them. Not only those who hold convictions themselves, but even—strangely enough—those...
What Does ‘The Proverbs of a Non-Churchgoer’ Teach Us?
In this blog post, I reflected on Uchimura Kanzo’s ‘The Proverbs of a Non-Churchgoer’, focusing on his views on the essence of Christianity and the meaning of faith in seeking God. The Essence of Faith According to Kanzo Uchimura The writings in ‘The Proverbs of a Non-Church Christian’ are excerpts from the essays of Kanzo Uchimura, a Japanese religious figure and...
How does Mori Ogai’s “The Wild Geese” portray love, suffering, and human destiny?
In this blog post, I’ll reflect on human destiny, love, the meaning of suffering, and the life of the modern individual as revealed through reading Mori Ogai’s works, including “The Wild Geese.” Reflections on Mori Ōgai Mori Ōgai is revered, alongside Natsume Sōseki, as one of the two giants of modern Japanese literature, yet he has not been widely introduced in Korea. Unlike Sōseki, who...
What Makes Tokutomi Roka’s Love of Nature So Special?
In this blog post, we’ll focus on Tokutomi Roka’s (德富蘆花) view of nature and the aesthetic appeal of his writing. Nature and Life — A Writer’s Deep Affection for Nature “Nature and Life” is a collection of essays imbued with a deep affection for nature and meticulous observation, and it has long been cherished by many readers in Japan. A love for nature is a long-standing tradition in...
Is Osamu Dazai’s ‘No Longer Human’ an autobiographical novel?
In this blog post, we’ll explore the background and themes of Osamu Dazai’s masterpiece ‘No Longer Human’, as well as the connection between the author’s life and his work. “No Longer Human” is the masterpiece of Japanese novelist Osamu Dazai. He began writing it in March 1948 and completed the manuscript on May 12; one month later, on June 13, Osamu Dazai took his own life by...
What kind of work is Natsume Sōseki’s ‘Heart’?
In this blog post, we’ll examine Natsume Sōseki’s novel ‘Heart’, focusing on its background, structure, the protagonist’s psychology, and various interpretations. Overview and Structure ‘Heart’ is a full-length novel that followed ‘The Wayfarer’ and was serialized in the ‘Asahi Shimbun’ in Tokyo and Osaka from April to August 1914. At the...
What are the messages of loneliness and empathy I feel while rereading ‘No Longer Human’?
In this blog post, I’ll share my reflections on Osamu Dazai’s ‘No Longer Human’ and discuss the messages of loneliness and empathy conveyed by the work. Book Review ‘No Longer Human’: The confession of a man who feared even happiness. It is the masterpiece of Japanese novelist Osamu Dazai (1909–1948), completed shortly before he took his own life. Just as its...
How did Osamu Dazai’s “sense of guilt” and “destruction” stem from his life?
In this blog post, we’ll examine how his literary themes—sense of guilt, humor, and destruction—are embodied in his works by exploring Osamu Dazai’s upbringing and key events in his life. Osamu Dazai’s Life and Upbringing In June 1948, three years after Japan’s defeat in the Pacific War, Osamu Dazai ended his 39-year life by drowning himself in the Tama River reservoir alongside Tomie...
The Modern Reconstruction of the Representation of Women as Seen Through Ichiyo Higuchi and ‘Child’s Play’
In this blog post, we will examine how the representation of women in the Meiji era was reconstructed in the modern era, focusing on the life and works of Ichiyo Higuchi, particularly ‘Child’s Play’. Ichiyo Higuchi: Selection for Banknotes and Social Significance For the design of Japan’s new banknotes, issued starting November 1, 2004, portraits of Hideyo Noguchi—a renowned...
How Does “The Photon Trial” Explain the Copenhagen Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics?
In this blog post, we’ll examine the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics and the significance of various interpretations through Shinichiro Tomonaga’s “The Photon Trial.” A defendant charged with burglary stands before a judge. The defendant entered an empty house through an open window and was caught red-handed inside the room. Traces of the crime remain on the wall opposite...