San Antonio College Library

Twenty-one essays on Japanese writers from the 15th century to the Meiji period.

"With the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Japan opened its doors to the West and underwent remarkable changes as it sought to become a modern nation. Accompanying the political changes that Western trade ushered in were widespread social and cultural changes. Newspapers, novels, poems, and plays from the Western world were soon adapted and translated into Japanese. The combination of the rich storytelling tradition of Japan with the realism and modernism...

Theater has a long history in Japan, ranging from traditional Kabuki to today's avant-garde performing arts. This program explores the cultural debate within Japan regarding traditional forms of theater and more contemporary variations, including the adaptation of Western texts such as Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard and street theater. Interviews with many of Japan's leading playwrights such as Tadeshi Suzuki and some of the country's most talented...