In this blog post we are going to discuss some of the basic literary terms and concepts of Japanese literature.
Classical Literary Forms
Some classical Japanese literature forms as follows:
Waka (和歌)
Wa in waka means “japanese”, and ka translates to “poem”. So this word waka means “japanese poems” and is a type of poetry in classical Japanese literature. These poems are usually shorter and are also called short poems. This poem form follows a 5-7-5-7-7 syllable pattern. Waka is mostly seen observing and expressing the themes of life, death, impermanence, nature and love.
Monogatari (物語)
Monogatari literally means “tales” or a “narrative”. It is a type of fiction writing. A very famous example of monogatari is “ the tales of Genji” written by Murasaki Shikibu. Monogatari is usually a very well structured piece of fiction writing that involves elements of reality and a complex and rich storyline.
Nikki (日記)
Nikki is a type of literary diary writing. In these works the author expressed their creativity and commentaries on various areas of their lives and their surroundings. Some examples include “The Pillow Book” (枕草子, Makura no Sōshi) by Sei Shōnagon and “The Tosa Diary” (土佐日記, Tosa Nikki) by Ki no Tsurayuki
Poetry Forms and Techniques
Now let me introduce you to some popular poetry forms and techniques.
Haiku (俳句)
Haiku is three line poetry form heaving a 5-7-5 syllable count. These poems are short and use less number of words but still manage to convey deep messages and creative expressions.
Haiku is all about simplicity and depth.
Renga (連歌)
Renga is a type of poetry composition that involves multiple poets to write different verses of a piece. Multiple poets collaborate and help create a wonderful piece of renga poetry. The first verse of renga is the haiku that we learnt about in the section above.
Tanka (短歌)
Similar to waka, tanka poems are also short poems using a 5-7-5-7-7 pattern ( thirty one syllable poem).
Aesthetic Concepts
Now let’s discuss some concepts that are deeply rooted in the literature of Japan. Knowing about these concepts helps in understanding Japanese literature even better.
Mono no Aware (物の哀れ)
It is a concept to which all of us can relate to. It is about feeling aware of the impermanence of life and how precious everything is. There is a little sadness in this fact but also a sense of appreciation of everything at the same time. Mono no aware is used in many literary forms as falling leaves, setting of sun or cherry blossoms arrival.
Yugen (幽玄)
Yugen is a concept in Japanese that is about the experience of feeling a sense of subtle beauty and depth of certain things or situations. A feeling where you go to a different dimension from the ordinary and think deeply. This aesthetic concept is very important in Noh theaters and poetries.
Wabi-Sabi (侘寂)
Wabi- Sabi is about making one aware of the truth of imperfection and impermanence of life and everything else involved in it. It is about accepting and appreciating the imperfectness and impermanence of life and art and not trying to catch or grasp anything. This concept is very deeply embedded in Japanese literature and arts.
Miyabi (雅)
The concept of Miyabi is about courtly and sophisticated beauty. It is about refinement, politeness and the sweetness of something (in this case, it is about arts and poems). It eliminates anything vulgar or rude and emphasizes elegance and manners.
Modern Literary Terms
Watakushi Shōsetsu (私小説)
Emerged in the early 20th century, Watakushi Shōsetsu is a genre of confessional literature. These I- Novels are about the author’s life and its events. These types of novels blur the line between the fiction and reality and offer an intimate glimpse into the life of the author.
Genbun Itchi (言文一致)
Genbun Itchi is about writing literature in a way that is closer to spoken japanese. It helped in bridging the gap between the classical Japanese literature and modern spoken language as well.
Literary Devices and Techniques
Kakekotoba (掛詞)
Kakekotoba are words that are used by poets to create verses that may have dual meanings and enhance the quality of the poem. These are the words that can have more than one meaning. For example “matsu” can mean both “pine tree” and “to wait,”.
Kigo (季語)
Kigo or “season words” are the words that describe a certain season. These are used a lot in poetries such as haiku to indicate a specific season. In turn, seasons help in conveying a specific feeling. For example, the word “cherry blossom” is about spring and the word “cricket” is about autumn.
Honkadori (本歌取り)
Honkadori is a technique in which the author or poet adds parts or makes reference to the classical or very famous works of literature in their current work. This helps in creating layers of meanings and interpretations.
