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Primary Source: Japanese Calligraphy

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JAPANESE CALLIGRAPHY

Classical Japanese calligraphy is known as sho or shodo ("the way of writing"). Practiced through the centuries by samurai. nobles and ordinary people, it is both something that elementary school children take in after-school classes and an art form that takes decades to master. According to some estimates, around 20 million Japanese practice the art.

Calligraphy is a system of aesthetic Chinese writing expressed through a variety of brush movements and compositions of dots and strokes. Largely unintelligible to Westerns, calligraphy is regarded by many Chinese and Japanese as "the supreme art form" higher than painting and sculpture and more able to express lofty thoughts and feelings than words.

Fusing poetry, literature and painting into one art form, good calligraphy possesses rhythm, emotion, aesthetic, beauty, spirituality and, perhaps most importantly, the character of the calligrapher. One ancient Chinese historian wrote: "calligraphy is like images without form, music without sound."

Alida Becker wrote in the New York Times, "In the Japanese art of sumi-e, strokes of ink are brushed across sheets of rice paper, the play of light and dark capturing not just images but sensations, not just surfaces but the essence of what lies within. Simplicity of line is prized, extraneous detail discouraged.

One calligraphy artist told the Daily Yomiuri, "I love expressing the meanings of the characters and words through calligraphy in all its various forms...Calligraphy is not about writing beautiful characters, but instead putting on paper words or characters have presence and grace. Otherwise they're; meaningless."

See China, Art, Calligraphy

Calligraphy, History and Culture in Japan

From an early age Japanese and Chinese children are taught that calligraphy and beautiful handwriting are considered a reflection of their character and personality. Rendered in quick fluid strokes calligraphy is more concerned with flow and felling that skill deal and precision and is supposed to come straight from the heart. The characters themselves are a kind of poetry. To produce great works calligraphers must tap into the forces of qi, which many Asians believe permeate nature and the universe.

Calligraphy has traditionally been highly valued in the Japanese court. For noblemen it was one of the most important skills they were expected to master.

Japanese calligraphy is based on Chinese characters, known in Japanese as kanji. In the Heian period (794-1185), hirgana, Japanese sounds written with Chinese characters, evolved. Members of the Imperial court used it to create uniquely Japanese styles of calligraphy that was more slender, fluid and elegant than Chinese calligraphic scripts.

Calligraphy Tools, Paper and Techniques

Calligraphy requires a fude brush, sumi ink, a suzuri inkwell, hanshi paper, a shitajiki felt pad and a bunchin paperweight. They each come in several varieties and price ranges; Kinoshita recommends visiting a calligraphy speciality shop for advice on which tools you should use for your purposes and budget. Inkwells and water droppers in particular are available in many beautiful choices, so it could be fun to build an attractive collection as your skills grow. [Source: Naoko Moriya, Yomiuri Shimbun , October 22, 2010]

There are two ways to hold a brush: With the tankoho method, the brush is held like a pencil, with the thumb, index finger and middle finger. With the sokoho style, the ring finger is added.

As a specialist in kanji calligraphy, Kinoshita---who works under the name of Shusui Kinoshita---uses white paper for her work. But she uses letter paper made for brush writing when sending a letter to her friends and acquaintances. Says Kinoshita: "It can also be fun to base your choice of letter paper on the recipient and the season." There is a large selection of beautiful paper available for use in hiragana calligraphy. They come in different colors; some are patterned and some are gilded. This type of paper is called ryoshi and is believed to have originated in high society during the Heian period.

Calligraphy Tools, See Painting Materials Above

Styles of Calligraphy in Japan

There are three main styles of Japanese calligraphy: 1) kaisho ("block style"), the most common style; 2) gyosho ("running hand style"), a semi-cursive style; and 3) sosho ("grass hand"), a flowing, graceful cursive style.

Most Japanese calligraphers have traditionally been trained in both Chinese and Japanese scripts. The style and script employed by a calligrapher has been influenced by both the content of the text and aesthetic considerations. The most famous Chinese-style calligrapher is Kusakabe Meikaku.

Students who learn calligraphy are taught the importance of proper breathing as students of the martial arts and Zen meditation are. Longtime resident of Japan, John David Morely said calligraphy was like Sumo wresting because the calligrapher has only one brief chance to get it right.

Some Japanese calligraphy artists use tatami-size sheet fo hansh paper and gigantic brushes, the artist Choso Yabe us a brushes the size of a mops ad and paper the size of a ;large meeting room.

Comeback of Calligraphy

Calligraphy is making a comeback in primary school as a way to generate interest in traditional culture, teach etiquette and instill discipline. It is also being sought out by adults of all ages and walks of life as a means achieving a degree of tranquility and inner peace.

Calligrapher Mariko Kinoshita told the Yomiuri Shimbun, "One of the most appealing aspects of calligraphy is its meditative quality: You can reflect on yourself and feel a sense of serenity as you practice. You don't have to spend hours doing it,. For example, if you just write on one sheet of paper before heading off to bed, it will give you a sense of composure, especially if you have a rather hectic life." [Source: Naoko Moriya, Yomiuri Shimbun , October 22, 2010]

Kinoshita, who teaches the art at a culture center inside Printemps Ginza in Tokyo, began studying calligraphy privately when she was 6. She says she finds joy in reaffirming to herself the beauty of the characters and the years it took for the forms to become complete. Kinoshita told the Yomiuri Shimbun her students tend to be women in their 20s-30s. Some of them are hoping to have attractive writing; others are interested in what is known as art calligraphy, a recent movement in which there is more freedom in the writing of characters. [Source: Naoko Moriya, Yomiuri Shimbun , October 22, 2010]

"Kinoshita recommends that people new to the tradition begin by first practicing brushing the Chinese and Japanese classics, known as rinsho," Naoko Moriya wrote in the Yomiuri Shimbun. "Demonstrating her point, Kinoshita writes six kanji characters on hanshi paper. She sits with her back straight as she holds her brush, creating a tense, serious atmosphere. The six characters are from Kyuseikyu reisenmei, a Chinese classic often used to illustrate the kaisho standard, or square writing. The words are inscribed on a monument built to celebrate the coming of spring at Kyuseikyu, a palace building from the Tang Dynasty in China. Kinoshita said it is always the first thing she has her students learn.""By meditating on why the ancient peoples left these characters, I feel as if I can get a sense of those days," Kinoshita said. [Ibid]

Big-Brush Calligraphy Performance in Japan

Ryuzo Suzuki wrote in the Yomiuri Shimbun: "Dressed in hakama skirts, female students dip giant, oversized brushes into buckets containing various colors of water-based paints as a popular song begins to play in the background. "Let's go!" one of the girls shouts, thrusting her brush downward. Then, in sync with the rhythm, the students begin to write out the lyrics of the song being played. Such new wave calligraphy performances have started to gain widespread attention. [Source: Ryuzo Suzuki, Yomiuri Shimbun, December 22, 2012]

Teacher Hiroko Ishiwara first introduced the idea of public performances to her calligraphy club at Saitama Prefectural Matsuyama Girls High School in Higashi-Matsuyama about 10 years ago. "I wanted to overturn the preconception that calligraphy is low-key. My goal is to make as many people understand that calligraphy is an extraordinarily beautiful aspect of Japanese culture," Ishiwara said. [Ibid]

Club members practice more than three hours on weekdays and eight hours on weekends. They give public performances several times a year. This year, the club even delivered a performance at a send-off party for the Japanese delegation to the London Olympics. On November 18, 2012, the club performed in front of an audience of about 600 at Okegawa City Arts Theatre in the prefecture. The girls used beautiful brush strokes to write words in Japanese and English. The expressions included words such as "thank you," "dream," and four-character compounds such as "spring, summer, autumn and winter." [Ibid]

A wide range of music was used to accompany the performance, from the shamisen tune "Kami no Mai" (The dance of the paper) to "Wa ni Natte Odoro" (Let's form a circle and dance) by all-male idol group Human. After the performance drew applause from the crowd, the club's performance captain, Natsumi Sugawara, proudly said: "Our motto is to be gracious, humble and first-rate. Our goal is to deliver a dynamic performance with an inner strength that expresses the subtlety of feminine beauty and true passion of the heart." [Ibid]

The club also emphasizes the fundamentals of traditional calligraphy, devoting half of its yearly activities to practicing kana moji, the unique Japanese syllabary developed in the Heian period (794-1192). In a nationwide traditional calligraphy competition, the club took first place in the group category in school year 2009 and 2011. Tsumugi Maruyama, the club's leader, explained the difference between performance calligraphy, which is usually done in groups, and traditional calligraphy, which is done by individuals. "In performance calligraphy, we feel united in spirit during performances, and we can enjoy its dynamic nature. On the other hand, we also need to reflect on ourselves individually in solitude as in traditional calligraphy. Both are wonderful in different ways," Maruyama said. [Ibid]

New-wave calligraphy performances are said to have first started at a high school in Fukuoka Prefecture. Many schools across the nation adopted the practice after a film and TV drama featuring such performances were aired. The number of schools participating in the Zenkoku Koko Shodo Pafomansu Senshuken Taikai (National high school calligraphy performance championships) has been growing rapidly since it was established four years ago in Shikoku-Chuo, Ehime Prefecture. [Ibid]

Robot Replicates Calligrapher's Work

In September 2012, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported: "A robot that can duplicate hand-written calligraphy has been developed by Seiichiro Katsura, an associate professor at Keio University. For the robot to copy the work, a calligrapher writes using a brush attached to the robot, allowing the robot to record information about the movement of the brush, including its angle and pressure. The robot's sensors take readings 10,000 times a second. Then the robot can recreate the brushwork using the information. [Source: Yomiuri Shimbun, September 29, 2012]

In an experiment, the robot was able to flawlessly recreated the kanji for a flower written in grass script by calligrapher Juho Sado, 89. Looking at the work, Sado was surprised and said, "It's like the brush is alive." Katsura said "It was difficult to record and duplicate the writing pressure. By using this system, we can effectively learn the skills of a calligrapher, which previously had only been available through experience and intuition. [Ibid]

Image Sources: National Museum of Tokyo, British Museum, Onmark productions.

Text Sources: New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Daily Yomiuri, Times of London, Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO), National Geographic, The New Yorker, Time, Newsweek, Reuters, AP, Lonely Planet Guides, Compton's Encyclopedia and various books and other publications.

&copy 2009 Jeffrey Hays

Last updated January 2013

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JAPANESE CALLIGRAPHY Classical Japanese calligraphy is known as sho or shodo ("the way of writing"). Practiced through the centuries by samurai. nobles and ordinary people, it is both something that elementary school children take in after-school classes and an art form that takes decades to master.

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Children's Book: Tales of Old Japan

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Read an Excerpt

Tales of Old Japan

Folklore, Fairy Tales, Ghost Stories, and Legends of the Samurai

By A. B. Mitford

Dover Publications, Inc.

Copyright © 2005 Dover Publications, Inc.
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-486-12026-3

CHAPTER 1
The Forty-Seven Ronins
The books which have been written of late years about Japan, have either been compiled from official records, or have contained the sketchy impressions of passing travellers. Of the inner life of the Japanese, the world at large knows but little: their-religion, their superstitions, their ways of thought, the hidden springs by which they move - all these are as yet mysteries. Nor is this to be wondered at. The first Western men who came in contact with Japan - I am speaking not of the old Dutch and Portuguese traders and priests, but of the diplomatists and merchants of eleven years ago - met with a cold reception. Above all things, the native Government threw obstacles in the way of any inquiry into their language, literature, and history. The fact was that the Tycoon's Government - with whom alone, so long as the Mikado remained in seclusion in his sacred capital at Kito, any relations were maintained - knew that the Imperial purple with which they sought to invest their chief must quickly fade before the strong sunlight which would be brought upon it so soon as there should be European linguists capable of examining their books and records. No opportunity was lost of throwing dust in the eyes of the newcomers, whom, even in the most trifling details, it was the official policy to lead astray. Now, however, there is no cause for concealment; the Roi Fainéant has shaken off his sloth, and his Maire du Palais, together, and an intelligible Government, which need not fear scrutiny from abroad, is the result: the records of the country being but so many proofs of the Mikado's title to power, there is no reason for keeping up any show of mystery. The path of inquiry is open to all; and although there is yet much to be learnt, some knowledge has been attained, in which it may interest those who stay at home to share.

The recent revolution in Japan has wrought changes social as well as political; and it may be that when, in addition to the advance which has already been made, railways and telegraphs shall have connected the principal points of the Land of Sunrise, the old Japanese, such as he was and had been for centuries when we found him eleven short years ago, will have become extinct. It has appeared to me that no better means could be chosen of preserving a record of a curious and fast disappearing civilisation, than the translation of some of the most interesting national legends and histories, together with other specimens of literature bearing upon the same subject. Thus the Japanese may tell their own tale, their translator only adding here and there a few words of heading or tag to a chapter, where an explanation or amplification may seem necessary. I fear that the long and hard names will often make my tales tedious reading, but I believe that those who will bear with the difficulty will learn more of the character of the Japanese people than by skimming over descriptions of travel and adventure, however brilliant. The lord and his retainer, the warrior and the priest, the humble artisan and the despised Eta or pariah, each in his turn will become a leading character in my budget of stories; and it is out of the mouths of these personages that I hope to show forth a tolerably complete picture of Japanese society.

Having said so much by way of preface, I beg my readers to fancy themselves wafted away to the shores of the Bay of Yedo - a fair, smiling landscape: gentle slopes, crested by a dark fringe of pines and firs, lead down to the sea; the quaint eaves of many a temple and holy shrine peep out here and there from the groves; the bay itself is studded with picturesque fisher-craft, the torches of which shine by night like glow-worms among the outlying forts; far away to the west loom the goblin-haunted heights of Oyama, and beyond the twin hills of the Hakoné Pass - Fuji-Yama, the Peerless Mountain, solitary and grand, stands in the centre of the plain, from which it sprang vomiting flames twenty-one centuries ago. For a hundred and sixty years the huge mountain has been at peace, but the frequent earthquakes still tell of hidden fires, and none can say when the red-hot stones and ashes may once more fall like rain over five provinces.

In the midst of a nest of venerable trees in Takanawa, a suburb of Yedo, is hidden Sengakuji, or the Spring-hill Temple, renowned throughout the length and breadth of the land for its cemetery, which contains the graves of the Forty-seven Rnins, famous in Japanese history, heroes of Japanese drama, the tale of whose deeds I am about to transcribe.

On the left-hand side of the main court of the temple is a chapel, in which, surmounted by a gilt figure of Kwanyin, the goddess of mercy, are enshrined the images of the forty-seven men, and of the master whom they loved so well. The statues are carved in wood, the faces coloured, and the dresses richly lacquered; as works of art they have great merit - the action of the heroes, each armed with his favourite weapon, being wonderfully lifelike and spirited. Some are venerable men, with thin, grey hair (one is seventy-seven years old); others are mere boys of sixteen. Close by the chapel, at the side of a path leading up the hill, is a little well of pure water, fenced in and adorned with a tiny femery, over which is an inscription, setting forth that 'This is the well in which the head was washed; you must not wash your hands or your feet here. 'A little further on is a stall, at which a poor old man earns a pittance by selling books, pictures, and medals, commemorating the loyalty of the Forty-seven; and higher up yet, shaded by a grove of stately trees, is a neat inclosure, kept up, as a signboard announces, by voluntary contributions, round which are ranged forty-eight little tombstones, each decked with evergreens, each with its tribute of water and incense for the comfort of the departed spirit. There were forty-seven Ranins; there are forty-eight tombstones, and the story of the forty-eighth is truly characteristic of Japanese ideas of honour. Almost touching the rail of the graveyard is a more imposing monument under which lies buried the lord, whose death his followers piously avenged.

And now for the story.

* * *

At the beginning of the eighteenth century there lived a daimio, called Asano Takumi no Kami, the Lord of the castle of Ako, in the province of Harima. Now it happened that an Imperial ambassador from the Court of the Mikado, having been sent to the Shogun at Yedo, Takumi no Kami and another noble called Kamei Sama were appointed to receive and feast the envoy; and a high official, named Kira Kotsuké no Suké, was named to teach them the proper ceremonies to be observed upon the occasion. The two nobles were accordingly forced to go daily to the castle to listen to the instructions of Kotsuké no Suké. But this Kotsuké no Suké was a man greedy of money; and as he deemed that the presents which the two daimios, according to time-honoured custom, had brought him in return for his instruction, were mean and unworthy, he conceived a great hatred against them, and took no pains in teaching them, but on the contrary rather sought to make laughing-stocks of them. Takumi no Kami, restrained by a stem sense of duty, bore his insults with patience; but Kamei Sama, who had less control over his temper, was violently incensed, and determined to kill Kotsuké no Suké.

One night when his duties at the castle were ended, Kamei Sama returned to his own palace, and having summoned his councillors to a secret conference, said to them: 'Kotsuké no Suké has insulted Takumi no Kami and myself during our service in attendance on the Imperial envoy. This is against all decency, and I was minded to kill him on the spot; but I bethought me that if I did such a deed within the precincts of the castle, not only would my own life be forfeit, but my family and vassals would be ruined: so I stayed my hand. Still the life of such a wretch is a sorrow to the people, and tomorrow when I go to Court I will slay him: my mind is made up, and I will listen to no remonstrance.' And as he spoke his face became livid with rage.

Now one of Kamei Sama's councillors was a man of great judgment, and when he saw from his lord's manner that remonstrance would be useless, he said: 'Your lordship's words are law; your servant will make all preparations accordingly; and tomorrow, when your lordship goes to Court, if this Kotsuké no Suké should again be insolent, let him die the death.' And his lord was pleased at this speech, and waited with impatience for the day to break, that he might return to Court and kill his enemy.

But the councillor went home, and was sorely troubled, and thought anxiously about what his prince had said. And as he reflected, it occurred to him that since Kotsuké no Suké had the reputation of being a miser he would certainly be open to a bribe, and that it was better to pay any sum, no matter how great, than that his lord and his house should be ruined. So he collected all the money he could, and, giving it to his servants to carry, rode off in the night to Kotsuké no Suké's palace, and said to his retainers: 'My master, who is now in attendance upon the Imperial envoy, owes much thanks to my Lord Kotsuké no Suké, who has been at so great pains to teach him the proper ceremonies to be observed during the reception of the Imperial envoy. This is but a shabby present which he has sent by me, but he hopes that his lordship will condescend to accept it, and commends himself to his lordship's favour.' And, with these words, he produced a thousand ounces of silver for Kotsuké no Suké, and a hundred ounces to be distributed among his retainers.

When the latter saw the money, their eyes sparkled with pleasure, and they were profuse in their thanks; and begging the councillor to wait a little, they went and told their master of the lordly present which had arrived with a polite message from Kamei Sama. Kotsuké no Suké in eager delight sent for the councillor into an inner chamber, and, after thanking him, promised on the morrow to instruct his master carefully in all the different points of etiquette. So the councillor, seeing the miser's glee, rejoiced at the success of his plan; and having taken his leave returned home in high spirits. But Kamei Sama, little thinking how his vassal had propitiated his enemy, lay brooding over his vengeance, and on the following morning at daybreak went to Court in solemn procession.

When Kotsuké no Suké met him, his manner had completely changed, and nothing could exceed his courtesy. 'You have come early to Court this morning, my Lord Kamei,' said he. 'I cannot sufficiently admire your zeal. I shall have the honour to call your attention to several points of etiquette today. I must beg your lordship to excuse my previous conduct, which must have seemed very rude; but I am naturally of a cross-grained disposition, so I pray you to forgive me.' And as he kept on humbling himself and making fair speeches, the heart of Kamei Sama was gradually softened, and he renounced his intention of killing him. Thus by the cleverness of his councillor, was Kamei Sama, with all his house, saved from ruin.

Shortly after this, Takumi no Kami, who had sent no present, arrived at the castle, and Kotsuké no Suké turned him into ridicule even more than before, provoking him with sneers and covert insults; but Takumi no Kami affected to ignore all this, and submitted himself patiently to Kotsuké no Suké's orders.

This conduct, so far from producing a good effect, only made Kotsuké no Suké despise him the more, until at last he said hastily: 'Here, my Lord of Takumi, the ribbon of my sock has come untied; be so good as to tie it up for me.'

Takumi no Kami, although burning with rage at the affront, still thought that as he was on duty he was bound to obey, and tied up the ribbon of the sock. Then Kotsuké no Suké, turning from him, petulantly exclaimed: 'Why, how clumsy you are! You cannot so much as tie up the ribbon of a sock properly! Any one can see that you are a boor from the country, and .know nothing of the manners of Yedo.' And with a scornful laugh he moved towards an inner room.

But the patience of Takumi no Kami was exhausted; this last insult was more than he could bear.

'Stop a moment, my lord,' cried he.

'Well, what is it?' replied the other. And, as he turned round, Takumi no Kami drew his dirk, and aimed a blow at his head; but Kotsuké no Suké, being protected by the Court cap which he wore, the wound was but a scratch, so he ran away; and Takumi no Kami, pursuing him, tried a second time to cut him down, but, missing his aim, struck his dirk into a pillar. At this moment an officer, named Kajikawa Yosobei, seeing the affray, rushed up, and holding back the infuriated noble, gave Kotsuké no Suké time to make good his escape.

Then there arose a great uproar and confusion, and Takumi no Kami was arrested and disarmed, and confined in one of the apartments of the palace under the care of the censors. A council was held, and the prisoner was given over to the safeguard of a daimio, called Tamura Ukiy no Daibu, who kept him in close custody in his own house, to the great grief of his wife and of his retainers; and when the deliberations of the council were completed, it was decided that, as he had committed an outrage and attacked another man within the precincts of the palace, he must perform hara kiri - that is, commit suicide by disembowelling; his goods must be confiscated, and his family ruined. Such was the law. So Takumi no Kami performed hara kiri, his castle of Ak was confiscated, and his retainers having become Rnins, some of them took service with other daimios, and others became merchants.

Now amongst these retainers was his principal councillor, a man called Oishi Kuranosuké, who, with forty-six other faithful dependants, formed a league to avenge their master's death by killing Kotsuké no Suké. This Oishi Kuranosuké was absent at the castle of Ak at the time of the affray, which, had he been with his prince, would never have occurred; for, being a wise man, he would not have failed to propitiate Kotsuké no Suké by sending him suitable presents; while the councillor who was in attendance on the prince at Yedo was a dullard, who neglected this precaution, and so caused the death of his master and the ruin of his house.

So Oishi Kuranosuké and his forty-six companions began to lay their plans of vengeance against Kotsuké no Suké; but the latter was so well guarded by a body of men lent to him by a daimio called Uyésugi Sama, whose daughter he had married, that they saw that the only way of attaining their end would be to throw their enemy off his guard. With this object they separated and disguised themselves, some as carpenters or craftsmen, others as merchants; and their chief, Kuranosuké, went to Kito, and built a house in the quarter called Yamashina, where he took to frequenting houses of the worst repute, and gave himself up to drunkenness and debauchery, as if nothing were further from his mind than revenge. Kotsuké no Suké, in the meanwhile, suspecting that Takumi no Kami's former retainers would be scheming against his life, secretly sent spies to Kito, and caused a faithful account to be kept of all that Kuranosuké did. The latter, however, determined thoroughly to delude the enemy into a false security, went on leading a dissolute life with harlots and winebibbers. One day, as he was returning home drunk from some low haunt, he fell down in the street and went to sleep, and all the passers-by laughed him to scorn. It happened that a Satsuma man saw this, and said: 'Is not this Oishi Kuranosuké, who was a councillor of Asano Takumi no Kami, and who, not having the heart to avenge his lord, gives himself up to women and wine? See how he lies drunk in the public street! Faithless beast! Fool and craven! Unworthy the name of a Samurai!'

And he trod on Kuranosuke's face as he slept, and spat upon him; but when Kotsuké no Suké's spies reported all this at Yedo, he was greatly relieved at the news, and felt secure from danger.

One day Kuranosuké's wife, who was bitterly grieved to see her husband lead this abandoned life, went to him and said: 'My lord, you told me at first that your debauchery was but a trick to make your enemy relax in watchfulness. But indeed, indeed, this has gone too far. I pray and beseech you to put some restraint upon yourself.'

'Trouble me not,' replied Kuranosuké, 'for I will not listen to your whining. Since my way of life is displeasing to you, I will divorce you, and you may go about your business; and I will buy some pretty young girl from one of the public-houses, and marry her for my pleasure. I am sick of the sight of an old woman like you about the house, so get you gone - the sooner the better.'

So saying, he flew into a violent rage, and his wife, terror-stricken, pleaded piteously for mercy.

Excerpted from Tales of Old Japan by A. B. Mitford. Copyright © 2005 Dover Publications, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of Dover Publications, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Tales of Old Japan: Folklore, Fairy Tales, Ghost Stories and Legends of the Samurai

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Tales of Old Japan Folklore, Fairy Tales, Ghost Stories, and Legends of the Samurai By A. B. Mitford Dover Publications, Inc. Copyright © 2005 Dover Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-486-12026-3 CHAPTER 1 The Forty-Seven Ronins The books which have been written of late years about Japan, have either been compiled from official records, or have contained the sketchy impressions of passing travellers.

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Class Activity: Japanese Literature, Art, and Drama

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Interactive Source: Edo Castle Art Gallery

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Video: Heian Literature and the Lives of Japanese Court Women

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East Asian Studies Center, The Ohio State University

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Heian Literature and Japanese Court Women

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Class Activity: Who was in charge of the Military

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Primary Source:

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Children's Book: The Devil’s Horsemen by James Chambers

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The Devil's Horsemen: The Mongol Invasion of Europe

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The Mongols formed one of the finest armies ever known—and when they swept across the Danube on Christmas Day 1241, the west lay at the mercy of these...

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Class Activity:

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By Catherine Mein with Anthony Robbins and David Culley

Introduction:

This lesson uses the Mongol invasions of Japan as a case study in historiography. Students develop and apply important historical thinking skills. In particular, they distinguish and examine secondary and primary sources, including written, visual, and archaeological sources, and recognize the benefits and challenges of each in forming a historical narrative.

The lesson can be used as part of (1) the first unit in a world history course to introduce students to reasons for studying history, to a comparison of history and memory, and to protocols/routines for studying, analyzing multiple sources, asking questions, writing, etc. throughout a world history course or (2) the study of East Asia in World History Era 5, 1000-1500 CE. This lesson is differentiated for middle and high school use.

Prior to this lesson, introduce students to and engage them in annotated reading. This strategy encourages close reading by having students identify main ideas, highlight/underline important details, and add comments on or questions about the reading.

Objectives:

After completing this lesson, students will be able to:

Use historical thinking skills-recognizing multiple perspectives, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, analyzing primary documents, and asking questions.

Compare and evaluate a variety of sources.

Assess historical interpretations of the Mongol invasions of Japan.

Guiding Questions:

How and why is the past remembered?

Whose past is remembered and whose is forgotten?

What is the relationship between history and memory?

Did typhoons save Japan from the Mongols?

Standards and Guidelines:

Era 5 (1000-1500 CE), Standard 3: The rise of the Mongol empire and its consequences for Eurasian peoples, 1200-1350.

Standard 3B: The student understands the significance of Mongol rule in China, Korea, Russia, and Southeast Asia.

7-12: Explain how Southeast Asia and Japanese successfully resisted incorporation into the Mongol empire.

Key Ideas and Details

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.3: Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain.

Craft and Structure

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.6: Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy. RH.11-12.6: Evaluate authors' differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors' claims, reasoning, and evidence.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.8: Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.9: Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary source on the same topic.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.9: Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.

Text Types and Purposes, CCSS.ELA-Writing.WH.11-12.1: Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.

Production and Distribution of Writing, CCSS.ELA-Writing.WH.11-12.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Plan for Assessment:

The lesson organizer, timeline, and map can be used as a means of formative assessment over the course of the lesson, with checks of one or more of these assignments periodically throughout the lesson. If the lesson is occurring at the beginning of the year, when the goal is to develop students' habits of mind to be used throughout the year, most of the guided practice is intended to be done in small groups with reporting out to the whole group so that the teacher can make corrections immediately and all students can hear those corrections. If this lesson is taught later in the year, some of the guided practice could be collected as individual assignments.

At the conclusion of the lesson, students write a brief essay answering the lesson's central question-Did typhoons save Japan from the Mongols? Students will be assessed on their ability to correctly organize an essay and to use the sources from the lesson to support their thesis and main points.

Time Required: Six 50-minute class periods or three 90-minute block periods, plus homework; middle school teachers will likely want to shorten the lesson by omitting some of the documents to be analyzed by students.

Materials:

Materials Provided

Online Resources

Other Materials

Copies of your course textbook's coverage of the Mongol invasions of Japan

Document projector (recommended)

Computer and projector, plus multiple computers with Internet access

Self-adhesive notes

Implementation:

Pre-Lesson Activities (Optional)

1. As homework the night before you begin this lesson, assign students to watch the half-hour video, Bridging World History: History and Memory, online at Annenberg Learner. If access to computers is problematic for some students, you can print out a full transcript. In the video, which discusses the connections between history and memory through segments on Columbus, Mayan glyphs, oral histories of West Africa, and South Korea's National Museum, scholars raise questions similar to this lesson's guiding questions. Each segment highlights a different way in which memory and history interact and the ways in which history can change due to new evidence or interpretations. One of the main points of the video is that our understanding of history can and does change.

2. For middle school: Discuss (review) the benefits and challenges of using history textbooks (secondary sources) versus primary sources when investigating history. On the board, make two T-charts to display the pros and cons of both textbooks and primary sources. Ask for volunteers to share insights; add benefits and challenges students do not raise. Possible answers:

Textbooks (Secondary Sources)

Brief

Usually well-researched

Draws on and presents numerous sources

May leave out key information

Presents one author's interpretation

Bias

Authors not witnesses to time period or events

Present multiple perspectives and different interpretations

Requires background knowledge to interpret

Descriptive

Created during time period of events, firsthand account

Narrow view of events

Bias

Trap of relativity, "Who can say what is 'right'?"

Can be difficult to read

Day 1

1. Use the History and Memory: The Mongol Invasions of Japan PowerPoint to share the following quote by Historian Peter Winn from the video, Bridging World History: History and Memory:

"All history, even ancient history is contemporary history because each generation and group rewrites that history in the light of their own values, perspectives, experiences and concerns....Memory can be a slippery source...The question for the historian is: What is the value of...a historical source? It is a question that different historians will answer differently. Those answers will shape their histories in different molds, creating a clash of historical interpretations...."-Historian Peter Winn (Annenberg Learner 2013)

Discuss the ideas expressed by Winn with students and explain the lesson's guiding questions. Explain to students that they will study the history of the Mongol invasions of Japan to understand how history is rewritten over time and by different groups; the values and challenges of primary sources (memory); and how historians assess and evaluate sources to interpret history.

2. Use the History and Memory: The Mongol Invasions of Japan PowerPoint to pose the question, "What do you know about the Mongol invasions of Japan?" to students. Students should think silently to themselves about how they would respond to the question. They may categorize their responses as what they know, what they think they know, or questions they have. After thinking silently, students should share their thoughts in small groups (3-4) and then with the whole group. Record student responses so they can be referred to at the end of the lesson.

3. As a class, watch the Medieval Japan: The Mongol Invasions, 1274 and 1281 video clip at http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/at/md_japan/mj07.html. This video presents historian Paul Varley's overview of the invasions. In small groups and then sharing out to the whole group, have students identify what details they now have about the invasions and Varley's main point about the invasions-the typhoons saved Japan.

4. Introduce the central question of the unit-Did typhoons save Japan from the Mongol invasions.

Option 1: For high school students, distribute the Lesson Organizer handout and have students complete the first row using the information from Varley's video.

Option 2: For middle school students, introduce the Lesson Organizer handout and, as a whole class, complete the first row using the information from Varley's video.

5. As a whole class, read your course's textbook account of the Mongol invasions of Japan (or use one of the excerpts in the Textbook Accounts of the Mongol Invasions of Japan handout). With contributions from the students, model annotated reading. Underline or highlight key information to identify details of the invasions. Also circle words that affect how the reader interprets the information presented. Share the example: Source 5 on the handout says the Japanese "resisted fiercely" while Source 2 uses the phrase "fought desperately." As a whole class, complete the lesson organizer for your course textbook.

6. If you have not already done so, distribute the Textbook Accounts of the Mongol Invasions of Japan handout and use one of the following approaches for engaging students in the analysis.

Option 1: As a whole class, read the textbook accounts of the Mongol invasions of Japan. After reading each account, have students, individually or with a partner, annotate the accounts as modeled in Step 7 (underline/highlight key information and circle words). Randomly call on students or pairs to report out to the whole class what they underlined/highlighted and circled. If possible, have students display the reading using a document projector. Have students comment on how the word choices they circled affected their understanding of how the Japanese fought against the Mongols. After each source, students should complete the lesson organizer for that source. They may want to include any phrases or quotes that could be useful in their essay at the end of the unit.

Option 2: Individually have students read one of the textbook accounts of the Mongol invasions of Japan and annotate the accounts as modeled in Step 7 (underline/highlight key information and circle words). Students should complete the lesson organizer for that source and include any phrases or quotes that could be useful in their essay at the end of the unit. When students have completed this individual work, create jigsaw groups consisting of seven students (six, if you modeled an excerpt from the handout in Step 5), each of whom read a different account. In their groups, each student should share the account read, including his/her annotations and help group members complete the lesson organizer with information, phrases, or quotes that could be useful in their essay at the end of the unit. You may want to establish a set time, such as 25 minutes, for groups to complete their work so they will know how long each student has to report.

Option 3: Have middle school students work with a partner to read one of the textbook accounts of the Mongol invasions of Japan and annotate it as modeled in Step 7 (underline/highlight key information and circle words); you may want to have the class focus on a limited number of excerpts. Group students with others who read and annotated the same excerpt. Give the groups five minutes to discuss, compare notes, and choose a group representative to share out. Have group representatives report out to the whole class what they underlined/highlighted and circled. If possible, have students display the annotated reading using a document projector. Have students comment on how the word choices they circled affected their understanding of how the Japanese fought against the Mongols. While students present each source, have the class complete the related rows in the lesson organizer with useful phrases or quotes for the essay assignment. You might find it useful to do this on a projected copy of the organizer.

7. For high school: As homework, have students read and annotate the two paragraphs regarding the Mongol invasions under "Political History" in "Japan's Medieval Age" by Martin Colcutt (the last two paragraphs before the heading "Kamakura Period: Economy". Students should update their lesson organizer with information from this source. If your class is doing an in-depth study of Kamakura, you may want to have students read the entire article.

1. For high school: At the beginning of class, have students share briefly with a partner and then with the whole class what information in "Japan's Medieval Age" was new and/or conflicting and what information agreed with the other sources.

2. Give each student a copy of the Timeline of Mongol Invasions of Japan and Map of Kamakura Japan. Have students complete the handouts individually or as a class:

Option 1: High school students should review the information from all sources thus far and add events to the timeline. They should also add notations to the map regarding the significance of specific places for the Mongol invasions. Tell students they will need to continue to update their timelines and maps whenever they add information to their lesson organizer.

Option 2: For middle school, with contributions from the students, review the information from all sources thus far to complete a class copy of the Timeline of Mongol Invasions of Japan and Map of Kamakura Japan.

1. Use the History and Memory: The Mongol Invasions of Japan PowerPoint to show the image from Takezaki Suenaga's Scrolls of the Mongol Invasion of Japan. Have students conduct a See, Think, Wonder routine. In this method, students first look silently at the object to see what is there. In pairs or small groups, students share what they see. Students then discuss what they think is going on and possible interpretations of what they see. Finally, students discuss the questions that occurred to them while examining the object. The intent of this step is to have students ask broader questions raised by their wonderings. Each pair or small group will report out their "thinks" and "wonders" to the class. For more information about the See, Think, Wonder routine, visit the Visible Thinking website.

2. Tell students they are going to be looking at more of Takezaki Suenaga's Scrolls of the Mongol Invasions of Japan.

Option 1: For high school students, demonstrate the Bowdoin College site displaying the scrolls, focusing on the 19th-century version, which includes translations of the text that accompanies the images. Be sure to show students how to make the translations "pop-up" on the screen. Distribute the Scrolls Organizer handout and divide the class into five groups corresponding to the five parts of the 19th-century scrolls. Assign each group responsibility for examining and analyzing the images and texts in their section and preparing to present their section of the scrolls to the whole class.

Option 2: For middle school students, distribute the Scrolls Organizer handout and show students that the Bowdoin College site displays the scrolls (the 19th-century version) in five parts. Demonstrate the Bowdoin College site displaying the 19th-century scrolls, which includes translations of the text that accompanies the images. Be sure to show students how to make the translations "pop-up" on the screen. Analyze the first section of the scrolls with the class, modeling notes that students may write on their Scrolls Organizer. Divide the class into four groups corresponding to the remaining four parts of the 19th-century scrolls. Assign each group responsibility for examining and analyzing the images and texts in their section and preparing to present their section of the scrolls to the whole class.

3. When groups have finished their analysis, have each group report out to the class. Students should add information about each section to their Scrolls Organizer as the groups present their information. After all groups have presented, have students compare Suenaga's account of the invasions to previous accounts they have read. Encourage students to think about why the accounts might differ and what accuracy problems may exist with the different sources.

4. Remind students to update their lesson organizer, timeline, and map with information from Takezaki Suenaga's scrolls.

5. Show students the Mongol Wall in Hakata Bay PowerPoint. Use the notes with the slides to explain what students are seeing. Be sure to emphasize that the wall was built after the 1274 invasion and before the 1281 invasion. At the end of the slide show, have students discuss, in pairs, how they could use this evidence to answer the central question. Have each pair share out their thoughts to the whole group. After groups have had a chance to share and the class has had a chance to come to some consensus as to the meaning of this evidence, students should complete the Lesson Organizer for Mongol Wall in Hakata Bay.

6. From the online resource, "Relics of the Kamikaze," by James Delgado, which appeared in the journal Archaeology, share with students images of some artifacts and discuss what new information they contribute to historical interpretations of the Mongol invasions of Japan. Students should complete the Lesson Organizer for "Relics of the Kamikaze."

7. Option for high school: Have students read "Relics of the Kamikaze" for homework. Students may want to print out the article so they can annotate it (underline/highlight key ideas or information, circle words that affect perception of the invasions, add margin notes making connections to other information). Students should pay particular attention to how the information in this article compares with the information from the earlier secondary sources and from Suenaga's scrolls. Students should identify in their annotations (or notes) which information is new, what information agrees with the secondary sources, and what agrees with Suenaga's scrolls. Students should complete the Lesson Organizer for "Relics of the Kamikaze."

1. Have students update their note-taking tools individually or as a class:

Option 1: For high school students, allow time for students to update their organizers, timelines, and maps to reflect information from the article read as homework. Briefly discuss as a class what new information the students gained and how the article compared to the earlier sources.

Option 2: For middle school, with contributions from the students, update the class copy of the Timeline of Mongol Invasions of Japan and Map of Kamakura Japan.

2. Encourage students to reflect on the information they gathered based on the different sources (secondary and primary written, visual, and archaeological). Ask: Are there discrepancies in the information that still trouble you? (Possible answer: The numbers of troops on both sides) Are there aspects of the historical explanations about which you remain skeptical? (Possible answer: The kamikaze, or divine wind explanation)

3. Share the following information with students:

1. In his book, In Little Need of Divine Intervention: Takezaki Suenaga's Scrolls of the Mongol Invasions of Japan (2001), scholar Thomas Conlan analyzed Kamakura/Yuan-era sources to suggest that numbers such as the figure of 140,000 Mongol troops in the 1281 invasion are inflated by a factor of ten or more (pp. 261-264). Based on his interpretation of Japanese and Mongol sources, Conlon suggests that in 1274, despite their initial inroads to low-lying territory along Hakata bay, the Mongols couldn't hold their position and a northeasterly wind (not of typhoon-strength) was a "convenient excuse" (p. 266) for the Mongols to retreat to their boats. He suggests that in 1281 the fortified walls of Hakata Bay kept the invasion to outlying islands for six weeks. At sea the Mongols could not re-supply or reinforce with new troops and the typhoon was a final blow in their defeat.

2. Ask: Why would historians inflate numbers and adopt the "divine wind" myth? Why is this historical encounter remembered differently than the Kamakura/Yuan-era sources relate it? (Inflated numbers of Mongols troops, from a Japanese perspective, exaggerate the threat, while from a Mongol perspective, exaggerating the number of Japanese troops would make the defeat less crushing. Explaining the defeat due to "divine wind" or typhoon, in the case of the Japanese, proved their power as a nation that could summon the gods. In the case of the Mongols, the explanation saves face. It allowed blame to fall on nature rather than the strategy of the seemingly undefeatable Mongol force.)

3. Review the Day 1 list showing what students knew about the Mongol invasions at the beginning of the lesson. Ask: How do the different sources (secondary and primary written, visual and archaeological) answer the central question-Did typhoons save Japan from the Mongol invasions?

4. Draw a line on the board showing the opposing answers to the central question:

Tell students they will be writing an essay addressing the central question. Give each student a self-adhesive note. To preview what they will write, students should review information on their organizers, timelines, and maps; write their names on their sticky notes; and place their sticky notes on the board showing where their answers will fall on the continuum. For example, if they believe unequivocally that Japan would have fallen to the Mongols, they should place their sticky notes at the left end; if they think the evidence is inconclusive, they should place their sticky notes somewhere in the middle.

5. Pair students from different points on the continuum and have each student try to convince the other to move toward their spot on the continuum. Remind students to use specific evidence from the sources to support their arguments. Pairs should share the results of their discussion to the whole class, including the evidence used to support their positions.

6. Distribute the Essay Assignment and Essay Rubric. Explain the assignment: Each student is to write a brief essay (1.5 to 2 pages) presenting their own historical interpretation. The essays should present students answers to the central question based on their evaluation of the lesson's sources and their assessment of the various interpretations. The essays should be presented in standard essay format: thesis, supporting arguments with evidence, conclusion. Allow time for students to begin planning and organizing their essays. This could be done individually, in small groups, or as a whole group.

7. Assign students to finish their essays as homework.

Resources and References:

Ahmad, Iftikhar, Herbert Brodsky, Marylee Susan Crofts, and Elizabeth Gaynor Ellis. World Cultures: A Global Mosaic. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2001. Note: The excerpt from this source includes an unattributed quote. The source of the quote is: "Taiheki." In William George Ashton, A History of Japanese Literature, Book the Fifth, Namboku-chō (1332-1392) and Muromachi (1392-1603) Periods (Dark Ages), Chapter 1. New York and London: D. Appleton, 1899, 1916, p. 182.

Annenberg Learner. "History and Memory." Bridging World History. St. Louis, MO: Annenberg Foundation, 2013.

Asia for Educators. "Medieval Japan-The Mongol Invasions: 1274 and 1281." Asian Topics: An Online Resource for Asian History and Culture. New York: Columbia University, 2002-2014.

Bentley, Jerry H., and Herbert F. Ziegler. Traditions and Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past, 4th edition. Columbus, OH: McGraw Hill, 2008.

Colcutt, Martin. "Japan's Medieval Age: The Kamakura & Muromachi Periods." About Japan, A Teacher's Resource. New York: The Japan Society, March 27, 2008.

Conlan, Thomas D. In Little Need of Divine Intervention: Takezaki Suenaga's Scrolls of the Mongol Invasions of Japan. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University East Asia Program, 2001.

Craig, Albert M., William A. Graham, Donald Kagan, Steven Ozment, and Frank M. Turner. The Heritage of World Civilization, combined edition, 4th edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1997.

Delgado, James P. "Kublai Khan vs. Kamikaze." Military History, vol. 28, no. 2, 2011.

Delgado, James P. "Relics of the Kamikaze." Archeology, vol. 56, no. 1, January/February 2003.

Ellis, Elizabeth Gaynor, and Anthony Esler. World History Connections to Today. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005.

Perry, Marvin, et al. A History of the World. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1985.

Ritchhart, Ron, Mark Church, and Karin Morrison. Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2011.

Spielvogel, Jackson J. Glencoe World History. Columbus, OH: McGraw Hill, 2005.

"Takezaki Suenaga's Scrolls of the Mongol Invasions of Japan." Brunswick, ME: Bowdoin College.

Wallbank, T. Walter, and Arnold Schrier. Living World History, 2nd edition. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1964.

Wallbank, T. Walter, et al. History and Life, 4th edition. Glenview, Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1990.

The Program for Teaching East Asia at the University of Colorado gratefully acknowledges the support of the United States-Japan Foundation in the development of Cultural Encounters: Teaching Japan in World History.

Created 2015 Program for Teaching East Asia, University of Colorado.

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History and Memory: The Mongol Invasions of Japan

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By Catherine Mein with Anthony Robbins and David Culley This lesson uses the Mongol invasions of Japan as a case study in historiography. Students develop and apply important historical thinking skills. In particular, they distinguish and examine secondary and primary sources, including written, visual, and archaeological sources, and recognize the benefits and challenges of each in forming a historical narrative.

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The history and development of Japan is characterized by strong military rule for a very long period of Japanese history. While early Japan was heavily influenced by nearby China, in later years, ancient Japan practiced isolationism.

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Kate MacLeod has been published in both fantasy and science fiction. This books collects four of her previously published short stories as well as one new bonus...

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Interactive Source: Interactive Map

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Video: Heian-Kyo

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Honor was so much a part of Samurai life that warriors would commit ritual suicide if ever the code was broken.

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a treasury of japanese folk tales: bilingual english and japanese edition

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japanese stories in english;japanese children stories;japanese fairy tales;japanese folklore

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japanese story books; japanese stories for children; japanese childrens books bilingual

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japanese story books; japanese stories for children; japanese childrens books bilingual; japanese stories in english; japanese children stories; japanese fairy tales; japanese folklore; japanese children books; japanese books for children; japanese books for kids

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japanese story books;japanese stories for children;japanese childrens books bilingual

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juvenile fiction / fairy tales & folklore / country & ethnic

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juvenile fiction / people & places / united states / asian american

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juvenile fiction / people & places / asia

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juvenile folk tales / mythology / fables

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traditional stories (children's / teenage)

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A Treasury of Japanese Folktales, presented in both English and Japanese, contains 12 of the best Japanese folk and fairy tales, told to generation after generation of Japanese children. These charming tales of rich imagination carry us, on turtle-back, to the splendors of the underwater palace o...

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Students will have the opportunity to create the following activities and projects:✓43 Interactive Notebook Activities✓Webquest: Introduction to Japan✓Geography of Japan: Create a Real Estate Advertisement or Commercial✓Create a Timeline: Medieval Japan✓Create Tanka Poems✓Create Currency for Japan's...