Report TIFO Fellowships 2023/2024

Elias BOUCKAERT:Manuscript Culture in Edo Period Japan (1603-1868): Textual Networks
Concerning Theories of the Five Viscera (江戸時代における五臓論に関する思想的ネットワークと写本文化)
Research TopicMy research focusses on a type of semi-vernacular medico-religious text that was produced inJapan during the Edo period. These texts usually took a manuscript form and explore the humanbody and its place in the universe from what we may call a medical, as well as from a religious
or “metaphysical” perspective. They are highly eclectic in content and rely on a multitude oftranscultural traditions and knowledge.
These Edo period texts rely strongly, yet not exclusively, on the Sino-Japanese medical traditionon the one hand, and on (esoteric) Buddhist discourse and imagery on the other hand, and tovarying degrees on mixtures of these two. The central concept in these texts is that of theinternal organs as seen through the lens of traditional Chinese medicine: the “Five Viscera andSix Entrails” 五臓六腑 (Jp. gozō roppu, Ch. wuzang liufu).
The TIFO Fellowship
The TIFO fellowship has proven to be extremely helpful in executing my research as a PhD
student and allowed me to conduct fieldwork in Japan for the first time. This fellowship madeit possible for me to visit many esteemed libraries and archives, and to encounter a side ofJapan that I had not experienced before. Fieldwork is an expensive undertaking: traveling toand within Japan, accommodation, and the cost of making copies of old (and sometimes fragile)
Japanese texts. Without this fellowship, I would not have been able to shoulder the cost of thisinvaluable experience.
In this report, I will discuss my most important experiences in Japan as a young researcher.
Three components will form the guiding thread of this report. Firstly, networking activities areimportant as a scholar of Japan. An academic network within Japan is indispensable for a careerin Japanese studies, especially after finishing their PhD. Secondly, there is the absorption ofknowledge related to my research. In my case, this often took the form of Buddhist knowledge,
practice, and history, as well as knowledge on medical and cultural history in Japan. To deliver
high-quality text-based research, one’s background knowledge should be as broad as possible
and one should be aware of the conditions in which these texts were written. It is not advisable
to write about Edo period manuscripts without being aware of the general social and cultural
background at that time. This also entails viewing historical artifacts and texts in person, which
has a different dimension as compared to learning through books and articles. Thirdly, and thepriority of this research trip, there was the fieldwork and research itself. Concretely, this meantReport TIFO Fellowships 2023/2024

visiting the archives and libraries that hold the manuscripts that are the focus of my researchand collecting copies of those manuscripts. The yield of these activities is certain to keep me
occupied for at least several months.
Practical Matters
I rented an apartment from the company ‘Kyoto Apartment’. The apartment was located near
the subway station of Shijo Omiya. This central location was extremely convenient to go
anywhere in Kyoto, and the nearby subway connects directly to Osaka. I would recommend
these apartments to any researcher who wishes to reside in Kyoto in the future. Besides being
very affordable, the paperwork was kept to a minimum and there were no extra fees (as might
be the case when renting an apartment from the private market in Japan). Furthermore, they
were fully furnished rooms, which is ideal for a short stay, as there is no need to buy any
expensive furniture or other household items.
During my stay, I was affiliated with Ryukoku University as a researcher at the Research Center
for World Buddhist Cultures (世界仏教文化研究センター). Two days after landing in Japan, I
went to meet the staff at the center, where Mr. Hiratsuna gave me a tour around the campus
and I could apply for a library card. At Ryukoku University, I had the honor of working withrenowned specialist on Japanese medieval Buddhism Professor Abe Yasuro (阿部泰郎).
Activities
On the first day after landing, I went to Professor Abe’s class, in which he was giving a special
lecture on hanging scrolls depicting the life of Prince Shōtoku (the Shōtoku Taishi e-den) at the
Ryukoku museum. This is where I met several other PhD and MA students from Ryukoku, aswell as Haruka Saito, a PhD student from SOAS who also came to study in Japan with Professor
Abe. We were asked to briefly introduce our research to the class. Professor Abe further
notified us of an exhibition at the Ryukoku museum on hand-crafted statues of Buddha anddeities from the historically poorer Tohoku region. These were much more simple statues than
you would expect to see at Buddhist temples, often made from a single piece of wood. These
unique statues were beautiful in their simplicity.
In his lecture, Professor Abe discussed the Shitennōji (四天王寺) in Osaka, a Buddhist temple
related to Shotoku Taishi which was portrayed in the e-den, which I decided to visit at theweekend. By coincidence, a fair was being held on the temple grounds and a Noh theatre wasbeing hosted. At the temple, I was able to witness saru mawashi, a traditional monkey
performance which has a long history in Japan.

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Stone gorintō (五輪塔, five-ringed stupa) sculpture at Shitennōji containing a golden statue of Shotoku Taishi.

The next day, I visited the library of the International Research Center for Japanese Studies, orNichibunken (日文研) in Kyoto, where one of my main research sources is being held. I wasable to inspect the handscroll at my leisure in the viewing room. What struck me most was thelarge size of this handscroll which contents I had studied in advance. Before heading to thelibrary, I met with Professor Edward Boyle, an Associate Professor at Nichibunken, who
generously agreed to discuss my research at the facility. I also met some old friends from theCambridge Summer School on Japanese Early Modern Paleography, one of whom was staying
at Nichibunken for their research.
On 18 October, I met Dr. Esben Petersen, a friend and colleague who is residing in Kyoto, towhom I was introduced by Paride Stortini, our new colleague at my home institution, Ghent
University. Esben is a language instructor at Ritsumeikan University and a scholar of religion,and is currently the editor for the journal Japanese Religions. We were able to meet several
times over the course of my stay and Esben provided useful advice regarding research andacademic life. He introduced me to Dr. Dake Nobuya and Dr. Kondo Shuntaro from Ryukoku
University.
On 21 October, I visited a Buddhist ritual at the Tōshōdaiji temple in Nara. This Shaka
Nembutsu’e (釈迦念仏会) was recommended to me by Professor Abe Mika (阿部美香) from
Nagoya University. The ritual was quite impressive, as it was my first time seeing a Buddhist
relic or busshari (仏舎利) in person. This relic was housed in a golden decorative pagoda towhich each of the participants was allowed to pray for a few moments.
On 23 October, I travelled to Tokyo to visit the Ken’ikai (研医会), an ophthalmology clinic in the
Ginza ward. This clinic also houses a significant number of old books and manuscripts, many of3

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them relating to traditional eye medicine and honzōgaku (本草学, the empirical study of plants
and animals). I was warmly welcomed to the clinic by Ms. Abe Ikuko (安部郁子), head of thelibrary, who was interested to hear about my research and kindly showed me around the vaults
with old documents. Additionally, Ms. Abe invited me to a conference on medical history which
would take place in Kyoto in December; an invitation that I gladly accepted. The Edo period
manuscripts on medicine and the body at the archive contained many practical sketches on
medical and therapeutical treatments, specifically of eye ailments, the internal body and its
tracts and channels. I was able to look at another one of my main sources, which contains an
extremely similar schematic to the Nichibunken scroll, showing depictions of the internal
human body and the five viscera, their connections to other body parts, the acupuncture points
on the spine and several other Buddhist concepts. The only difference to the Nichibunken scroll
is that in the Ken’ikai manuscript, the schematic also features connections with the five sectionsof the eye.

Ken’ikai Manuscript: Chikuōsan Onmusō Ganka Hidensho 竹王山御夢想眼科秘伝書 [Secret Book ofOphthalmology from a Vision at Mt. Chikuō], 1677, handwritten manuscript, Ken’ikai 研医会, Tokyo.

On 26 October, I visited the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum at Koganei Park in Tokyo,
allowing me to see and experience several reconstructions of Edo period buildings (as well asbuildings from other historical periods).
On the 27th, I met with José Manuel Escalona Echániz, another friend from the summer schoolat Cambridge, who is now a research student at the National Institute of Japanese Literature.
He kindly showed me around the library where I could inspect some old documents. We also
took a look at the historical texts in the exhibition that was being held at the institute.
On the 28th, I visited Kanda Jimbochō, the largest used book market in Japan. A book fair was
being hosted at that time and the streets were bustling with people. I was able to look at several
old books, but did not find any books of particular interest to my research. On 29 October, I
had a meeting with Professor Edward Drott, who is on my PhD committee, and we had a fruitful
discussion on my research. After this, I headed to the National Museum of Japanese History (国4Report TIFO Fellowships 2023/2024

立歴史民俗博物館) in Chiba, to see an exhibition on onmyōji (Yin-Yang diviners), which wasvery insightful since some of the texts I focus on in my research touch on onmyōdō (陰陽道),
the way of Yin and Yang, mostly featuring the hakke symbols or trigrams. One of the texts at
the exhibition featured a gorintō (五輪塔, five-ringed stupa), an esoteric Buddhist concept thatis prominently featured in my main sources. This was surprising to me. I also learned at theexhibition that onmyōji in the medieval period often acted as Buddhist monks. This kind of
background information is exactly what I think is important for correctly assessing the texts
that I am studying.
On 3 November, I went to the Shōsō’in exhibition in Nara, a unique and valuable experience
where once a year selected items from the Shōsō’in treasure house are displayed. Among other
old texts and artifacts, I was astonished to see the Kāṣāya robes (袈裟 kesa) of emperor Shomu
from the 8th century.
On 5 November, I joined a field trip to Mt. Hiei, organized by Ryukoku University. There was atour of all the main buildings of the Enryakuji temple, and we were given the chance to listen
to a high monk’s (阿闍梨 ajari) personal story. We also looked at the restoration of the mainhall, of which they were at that point renovating the roof. A monk explained to us the meaningof the never-dying fire in the main hall (不滅の法灯, fumetsu no hōtō).

Restoration of the roof of the main hall at Enryakuji temple.

The next day, I travelled to Gifu for a visit to the Naitō Museum of Pharmaceutical Science andIndustry Library (内藤記念くすり博物館). I inspected a dozen of old books at this location andordered multiple copies for further study. The documents at this library also proved to be very
interesting, with several texts discussing the five viscera, trigrams, Buddhist theories on thebody, etc.
On 16 November, I travelled to Tokyo for a meeting Toshiba International Foundation President
Mr. Omori and Senior Program Officer Ms. Kuwayama at the Toshiba headquarters. I presented
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my research to them and the other fellows. After the presentations, we had a dinner at Tokyobay and I had a fruitful discussion with Ms. Kuwayama on medical history in Japan.

Dinner at Tokyo Bay with Mr. Omori and Ms. Kuwayama from TIFO and two other TIFO Fellows, Clara GeberMerida and Katarina Šukelj.

On 17 November, I visited the National Archives of Japan (国立公文書館) to inspect two moreof my main sources. This institute houses the old Naikaku Bunko collection, to which thesesources belong. This archive is quite accessible. Old documents could be requested on the spotwith the click of a button. Furthermore, taking photographs was allowed at this archive, which
saved the cost and effort of ordering copies.
On 27 November, I travelled to Fujisawa to witness a rather large ritual at the Yugyoji temple,
to which I was invited by Professor Abe Mika. The hitotsuka (一つ火, one fire) ritual reenacts awell-known scene from True Pure Land Buddhism, the nigabyakudō (二河白道) in which thepractitioner is required to cross a narrow white bridge over two raging rivers: one of fire andone of water. These represent suffering and desire. The practitioner is guided by Amitabha
Buddha to reach the pure land. Many people attended the ritual, which took place in the mainhall, where over the course of the ritual, after putting out all of the candles, the priests chanted
in complete darkness, to finally light a large lantern leading the way for the practitioner. The
ritual was impressive and offered me another opportunity to experience a Buddhist ritual firsthand.
On 28 November, I travelled to Tokyo for the last time, where I visited the National Diet Libraryin the evening. The next day, I visited the archives of the Imperial Household Agency.
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On 1 December, I visited Kanazawa bunko in Yokohama. I was surprised and delighted by how
helpful the staff in the library was, suggesting several books to me, as well as helping me findthe documents I needed. The archive held beautiful (copies of) manuscripts, much older thanthe Edo period texts, but quite possibly serving as an influence on those texts, containing
multiple similar elements. These manuscripts date from the Kamakura period (I was notallowed to handle these old and fragile documents, but was allowed to look at copies) and I
requested several copies for my own use.
On 3 December, I joined the conference on medical history (医史学会) in Kyoto, to which I was
invited by Ms. Abe Ikuko from the Ken’ikai in Tokyo. This conference was insightful and themembers of this academic society were extremely welcoming, taking an interest in my researchand even inviting me to become a member of their society. I happily agreed.
On 6 December, there was a lunch event at Nichibunken for the foreign researchers at theinstitute. I was invited by Professor Manami Yasui, who I had previously met in Ghent and who
has good connections with Ghent University. I was also able to meet Professor Timon Screech,
who is an outstanding expert on Edo period art history. I discussed my research with several of
the researchers and received valuable input and suggestions. I also thanked everyone at theevent for attending the EAJS conference in person or online in the name of the Ghent University
team.
On 13 December, I inspected a manuscript at the Ryukoku library at Omiya campus discussing
Shinran, the founder of True Pure Land Buddhism and the five viscera. Notifying the staff that
I was returning to Belgium soon, they were kind enough to digitize the manuscript and upload
it to their online database for valuable materials. It can be found athttps://da.library.ryukoku.ac.jp/page/230627.
On the 14th, I presented my research in Professor Abe’s class for his MA students. I received
plenty of feedback and useful insights from him.
On 15 December, I attended the online book launch of Dr. Xiang Jingjing, whom I met at the
medical history conference in Kyoto. She discussed her new publication on Medicine andConfucianism in Japan. Several esteemed scholars commented on the presentation, among
them Mayanagi Makoto, a medical practitioner and expert in Chinese and Japanese medical
history. In the afternoon, I visited an exhibition on yōkai at The Museum of Kyoto (京都文化博物館), which was recommended to me by Professor Yasui from Nichibunken.

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On 16 December, I joined a tour of the Nishi Honganji temple organized by Ryukoku University,where we were shown around the gorgeous washitsu in the temple, which are usually not open
to the public.
On the 17th, I attended a conference on Buddhist studies at Ryukoku University, Omiya campus.
The participants were also shown around the oldest building of Ryukoku University, the honkan
at Omiya campus.
On 19 December, I visited the Kyōu Sho'oku (杏雨書屋) in Osaka with Professor Abe Yasuro.
He kindly invited me to go with him to this library as it contained some documents that I wishedto take a look at. I again ordered several copies, and the staff at Kyōu Sho'oku were kind enoughto send these copies to Belgium. These are also Edo period manuscripts on the body, containing
many similar elements to my main sources, with one manuscript (五臓六腑形色注) arguably
covering an even larger scope, including multiple original schemata and diagrams, as well as
esoteric Buddhist Siddhaṃ syllables and visual representations of recurring elements of thegozōron manuscripts such as the Buddhist ten-month gestation discourse.
Concluding Thoughts
This research trip has proven to be very beneficial for my research, as well as for my knowledgeof Japanese history and culture, not to mention my Japanese language proficiency. I have beenable to visit many new places, libraries and institutions. I also got to know many new colleagues
and professors and was able to experience Japan again after a long break due to the COVID
pandemic.
During my research trip, I learned to be proactive and to approach different institutions andscholars. I have learned that by doing this, new opportunities will often arise; for example being
invited to conferences and lectures, or by being introduced to other scholars. I also learned to
be flexible with planning and to adapt to the ways in which different institutions work. Someinstitutions are easy to access, some are more difficult and a reference might be necessary.
Some places will allow you to take your own photographs, while others require you to request
official copies through a form.
In conclusion, I think it is fair to say that the research trip was a success. If I get the opportunity
to return to Japan for further fieldwork, I would like to continue the search for manuscripts andmaintain the connections to the institutions and scholars that I was able to make during thisfirst stay in Japan as a PhD student.

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Tamara FUCHS:
The Normalization of Right-Wing Populist Discourses in Japan and Germany(Preliminary thesis title)
Project
An expanding corpus of scholarly work is dedicated to examining the phenomenon of rightwing populism on an international scale (e.g. Heinisch et al., 2017; Kaltwasser Rovira et al.,2017; Wodak et al., 2013). The concept of populism itself, however, is still a subject of scholarly
debate, characterized by a lack of consensus on its definition. This ambiguity underscores thecomplexity of political populism as a theoretical construct. Moreover, it becomes evident
through comparative analysis that, while right-wing populism in particular is experiencing a
notable ascendance in visibility in Germany and has been the subject of various studies (e.g.
Hoshinō, 2015; Zick & Küpper, 2015), its presence and characterization in Japan remaincontentious (e.g. Hijino, 2020; Kobori, 2012; Mizushima, 2016; Yoshida, 2019).
In my research project, I am specifically exploring the mechanisms through which right-wingideas are spread via the normalization of particular linguistic patterns. The aim of mydissertation is a discourse-analytic corpus linguistic study of the longer-term effects of semantic
shifts in linguistic terminology in Japan and Germany. By means of transmedial and bilingualcomparative corpus and computational linguistic discourse analysis of large text corpora (social
media [X, formerly Twitter], print media, parliamentary protocols), it will be analyzed whether
a normalization and transmedial spread of right-wing populist discourses, semantic shifts andideas over the longer period of a decade in Germany and Japan can be shown and how thediscourses differentiate from each other. One of the focal points of this project is to workthrough the semiotic, linguistic, and socio-cultural differences of Japanese and German
populistic discourse.
This report outlines a series of academic activities and engagements undertaken in the pursuitof advancing my research under the premise of my PhD studies. These activities encompass a
broad spectrum of interactions, from workshops and networking meetings to extensive
literature studies and symposium attendances. The focal point of these engagements was togather diverse perspectives, deepen research insights, and refine methodologies under theguidance of esteemed academics and through the rich resources available in Japan.
Research StayMy research stay in Japan stretched from the end of January to Mid-April 2024. The primaryobjective of my research stay was to collect a diverse array of perspectives and insights
concerning the terminology and socio-linguistic nature of populism in Japan. While critical

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discourse analysis provides a data-driven approach to research, engaging with various
viewpoints in real-world contexts is crucial for an accurate interpretation of the data.
A pivotal event in my research journey was the participation in a research consultation meeting
led by Professor Masaaki Itō at Seikei University. After contacting Prof. Itō regarding a meeting,he was kind enough to suggest hosting this research consultation meeting with theparticipation of several other PhD students and candidates. I was very grateful and humbled
that he took time out of his very busy schedule to organize this day-long event. This workshop
presented a unique opportunity to present my work in a Japanese University environment,
while gaining invaluable feedback and insights. Professor Itō’s guidance was instrumental inreshaping my views on my research project and I am very grateful for this opportunity.
Through constructive critique and thoughtful suggestions, Professor Itō and other graduate
students helped me identify new angles and approaches, thereby enriching the overall scopeand depth of my research. It also gave me vital way pointers for the enhancement of my
keyword list for the data analysis, which was still rather insufficient at the time being. This
experience highlighted the importance of expert guidance in navigating complex researchlandscapes and has been a pivotal element in the progression of my project. It also led me tothe conclusion that I need to focus on the crucial differences in the discourses of both countries.
Instead of attempting to subsume the socio-linguistic analysis under one singular
categorization of "right-wing populism," it is essential to formulate two distinct conceptual
frameworks that accurately reflect the divergent outcomes of my data analysis in the Japaneseand German corpora.
Furthermore, this experience facilitated the establishment of connections with fellow PhD
candidates, enabling ongoing dialogues beyond the workshop to discuss our respective
research projects and providing mutual guidance and support. Notably, one peer generously
offered to accompany me during my first visit to the National Diet Library in Tokyo, providing acomprehensive overview of the complex procedures for using the library's resources, thereby
enhancing the potential benefits of my research. Sharing similar research interests, ourdialogues consistently provided me with fresh perspectives, and we continued to stay incontact for mutual support.
I was also delighted to get the opportunity to meet again Professor Naoto Higuchi, who
graciously facilitated the opportunity for academic networking with Professors Eiji Oguma andKōhei Kurahashi. It was a great privilege to meet with these three esteemed scholars and I amvery grateful to have been given this rare opportunity through the efforts of Professor Higuchi.
The discussions were rich with academic vigor and provided interesting perspectives on myresearch area. This interaction highlights the critical importance of engaging in personal
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dialogues and meetings as a means of substantially enriching the scope of one's academic
research.
As briefly mentioned above, a considerable portion of my research has been enhanced byseveral visits to the National Diet Library in Tokyo. The library's extensive collections offeredresources and literature that were otherwise inaccessible in Germany, thereby broadening theliterature study of my research. Especially the library’s rich collection of journals helped meunderstand a lot better, how the use and connotation of Japanese politically affiliated languagechanged over time. These visits were crucial for gathering documents and references that I
would never have had the opportunity to lay my hands on in Germany. Therefore, my visits to
the NDL have substantiated my findings and arguments. Furthermore, I was able to physicallyacquire Japanese literature in bookstores and via online orders that are not available either inlibraries or bookstores in Germany. Therefore, I bought books which I did not have the time tofinish to read in the NDL and brought them back to Germany to continue my study of them
there.
My research stay was further enhanced by attending several symposiums and lectures as an
audience participant, including venues like the DIJ (Deutsches Institut für Japanstudien,
German Institute for Japanese Studies) in Tokyo and the Goethe Institute in Kyoto. These events
provided platforms for engaging with current debates, methodologies, and findings adjacent
to my field of study. I had the opportunity to engage in social interactions with the speakers
and fellow academics after the symposiums and could therefore foster new contacts andnetworking opportunities. Accompanied by all these experiences above, I worked continuouslyon the data analysis of my large corpus data sets, adjusting my methodology and making great
progress in the writing of my dissertation.
Building on the experiences and insights gained thus far, my further plan includes a visit to the
National Diet Library in Osaka. This visit aims to explore additional resources and literature thatcan further substantiate my research findings.
Conducting a comparative study between Japanese and German contexts necessitated
firsthand experiences in Japan, including direct engagement with other scholars on similar or
adjacent research topics. Without such opportunities, data – despite its abundance – canremain static, and the analysis thereof might lack dynamism. The accumulation of workshops,
meetings, library studies, and lecture attendances has profoundly influenced the direction anddepth of my PhD research project.
Acknowledgements
The Toshiba International Foundation Fellowship has been invaluable for my dissertation
project, and I am deeply grateful for having been given this opportunity to conduct a research11Report TIFO Fellowships 2023/2024

stay in Japan, which would have not been possible otherwise. I would like to thank Toshiba
International Foundation’s President Mr. Keisuke Ōmori and Ms. Mariko Kuwayama for thewarm welcome and the wonderful meeting in Tokyo. Furthermore, I would like to thank Mr.
Lorenz Denninger from the EAJS Office for the kind support and flawless organization. I am also
very grateful for the continuous support and encouragement of my supervisor, Prof. Fabian
Schäfer. Last but not least, I am deeply grateful for all the valuable input and effort from all thescholars mentioned in this report.
Literature
Heinisch, R. C., Holtz-Bacha, C., & Mazzoleni, O. (Eds.). (2017). Political Populism: A Handbook:Vol. v.3 (1st ed.). Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft.
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/gbv/detail.action?docID=5519112
Hijino, K. V. L. (2020). “Winds, Fevers, and Floating Voters”, In Y. Funabashi & J. G. Ikenberry(Eds.), The Crisis of Liberal Internationalism. Japan and the World Order. Brookings
Institution Press.
Hoshinō, S. (2015). “Doitsu ni okeru kyokuu popyurisuto seitō no daitō. AfD wo megutte”, Chūō
Daigaku Shakaigakukenkyū Shonenpō, 20.
Kaltwasser Rovira, Cristóbal, Taggart, P. A., Ochoa Espejo, P., & Ostiguy, P. (Eds.). (2017). The
Oxford handbook of populism. Oxford University Press.
Kobori, M. (2012). “Popyurizumu no nichi-ei hikaku: Neo riberaruteki popyurizumu to iu nihon
no 「tokushoku」”, Ritsumeikan Hōgaku, 5(6 (345 346)), 337–363.
Mizushima, J. (2016). “Popyurizumo to ha nani ka?”, Chūō kōron shinsha.
Wodak, R., Khosravinik, M., & Mral, B. (Eds.). (2013). “Right-Wing Populism in Europe: Politics
and Discourse”, Bloomsbury Academic. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781472544940
Yoshida, T. (2019). “Populism ‘made in Japan’: A new species?”, Asian Journal of Comparative
Politics, 68(7), 205789111984460. https://doi.org/10.1177/2057891119844608
Zick, A., & Küpper, B. (2015). „Wut, Verachtung, Abwertung: Rechtspopulismus in Deutschland“,(R. Melzer & D. Molthagen, Eds.), Dietz.

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Clara Momoko GEBER-MERIDA
Female Pathways into Traditional Art Crafts:
A Study of onna shokunin in the District of Arakawa, Tokyo
Research project
There is a small district in Tokyo that proudly names itself “monozukuri no machi” – City of
Manufacturing. The name is no exaggeration: In 1982, the “Regulation for the Protection of
Monuments in Arakawa” was adopted, which ensures the support of individuals who practicewhat is called “traditional Japanese art craftsmanship” (dentō kōgei) of the “Edo period that isbeing transmitted today.” As a result, there is currently a total of forty-five chosen art
craftspeople (shokunin), who are active as “Bearer of Traditional Art Craftsmanship Techniques.”
Strikingly, most of Arakawa’s established craftspeople are men, as only five out of forty-five
shokunin are female. One reason for the scarcity of women is that art craft techniques werepassed on within the family through the “head of the household” hereditary system and guilds.
This tradition goes back to the Edo period (1603–1868), when workshops were mostly familybusinesses and handed down to the eldest son.
Nowadays, female shokunin and apprentices in Arakawa still face hurdles that are peculiar totheir gender. Three rounds of interviews revealed that they possess a very personal view on
their trade and objects that sets them apart from their male counterparts. Indeed, working asa female shokunin has a certain irony to it: They make “traditional” objects in an industry thattraditionally excluded them. However, there is the promise of a future shift in the genderimbalance of this industry, as the majority of young people now in training are women. Thishas serious implications on how they not only envision and situate their role as bearers ofcenturies old techniques, but also as entrepreneurs, teachers, and educators, as well as wives,
sisters, and daughters of established male art craftspeople.
Besides personal biographies, philosophies, and the local museum’s publications (Arakawa
Furusato Bunkakan), I also discuss art craft objects in an art historical manner. This promises
great insights into our understanding of how those women work and how they manifest theirvision as tangible objects. This will reveal how certain techniques are preserved and how theydiffer from the Edo Period, as well as what inspires art craftspersons to use such “traditional”
ways to create objects.
Preliminary WorkDue to the COVID-19 pandemic and its drastic effects on the boarder restrictions of theJapanese government, I had to change my dissertation topic in 2022 – more than two years
after initially enrolling as a PhD candidate in Japanese Studies at Free University of Berlin in
September 2019. I was therefore especially grateful when the worldwide situation improved,
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and when I was generously granted scholarships in 2022 and 2023 to conduct field work in
Tokyo.
For my dissertation, I am using four different types of primary sources that I treat equally andcross-reference: Interviews, art craft objects, the local museum’s publications, and online
sources. In 2022, I conducted several different “semi-structured interviews” that included a setof questions for guidance, but allowed me the freedom to react to new topics brought up
during the conversation. I centered the questions on how certain techniques were passed onwithin the families, the history of the family businesses and perspectives as females in the fieldof art craftsmanship. Due to Japan’s boarder restrictions, I had to conduct this first round ofinterviews digitally with the video chat tool Zoom. However, some of the shokunin (especiallyof the older generation) were not capable of communicating using newer technologies. Someof the interviews were therefore formatted as a questionnaire and filled out by them.
During a research stay in Tokyo as a guest research fellow at Keio University (25.10.–
25.12.2022), I was able to do another round of interviews with every shokunin and almost every
apprentice in person. This time, I also included women (mostly family members) who areassisting in the background of male-led workshops in Arakawa. Furthermore, I interviewed
some male art craftspeople who are currently active as teachers of female apprentices as wellas the leading curator of the local Arakawa Cultural Museum (Arakawa Furusato Bunkakan).
Besides the interviews, my research consisted of spending time in various workshops whilecollecting data as well as photographing the individuals, their techniques, and their objects.
With time, I was able to deepen my bond with some of the art craft individuals, was invited toworkshops and classes on traditional art craftsmanship, and also helped out as an assistant at
an exhibition on Asian fabrics with a regional focus on Japan, Korea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,and Uzbekistan. The exhibition took place from December 3 to 5 at the Asakusa Public Hall. In
addition, I was fortunate to use the university library of Keio University and the National Diet
Library.
Fieldwork (01.10.–15.12.2023)
The research stay supported by the Toshiba International Foundation Fellowship was the last
field work necessary to compile the data for my doctoral thesis. During my two-and-a-halfmonths in Tokyo, I focused on closing my remaining research gaps by interviewing all female
shokunin again (round three) and by spending additional time at their workshops. For thisperiod, I was invited as a guest research fellow at Waseda University.
This time, the focus of my interviews was set on the life choices made by women in the field ofart craftsmanship, for example marriage, maternity leave, and care work of family members.
The discussions were especially interesting since two of the younger art craftswomen became
mothers in 2023 and chose to leave (temporarily, but for an indefinite period of time) the realm
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of art crafts. Since Arakawa is a relatively small community, this had an enormous impact onsome of them. I also had the opportunity to speak with more male counterparts who are active
as teachers of female apprentices. Furthermore, I was able to interview sisters and daughtersof shokunin who chose not to follow the same path as their parents. This helped me gain insight
into voices outside the art craft community.
Similar to last year, I managed to meet almost everyone at least twice, which was ideal toconduct interviews, to borrow some objects to photograph at my apartment, and to ask followup questions when returning them. I took high-quality photographs of additional objects withmy camera (Sony A6400 + Sigma 18–50 mm lens) and documented specific techniques acrossvarious disciplines. Additionally, I was able to search for literature on disciplines of traditionalart craftsmanship at the Arakawa City Library, the National Diet Library, and the Waseda
University Library.
During the fieldwork, I was again invited to classes and workshops. This time, however, I
attended dinners and events to deepen my knowledge on how art craftsmanship is being
presented to the greater public. One event that stood out to me was the award ceremony of
the Business with Attitude Award 2023 on 14 December. This award was created by themagazine Madame Figaro Japan to honor Japanese women who chose to follow a “new wayof life,” which seems to be understood as a career in a field that is usually male-dominated.
Mekaru Yuka (pen-name Tachibana Satsuki), who is one of Arakawa’s youngest establishedfemale art craftspeople, received one of the five Business with Attitude Awards of 2023 for her
work in the fields of Edo style calligraphy (Edo moji). Since it was a star-studded event withmany inspiring guests, it was a wonderful opportunity to develop an understanding of the worldof female entrepreneurs and creatives in Japan.
Another event that stood out to me was that of the Crafts & Community TOI Building, a uniquecommunity building dedicated to Japanese art crafts. Located in the district of NihonbashiYokoyamachō, this building has several floors that are divided into a craft gallery (with ashowroom for events), a craft store, club room, a patisserie, and a bar. They are committed tothe promotion of art craft objects by introducing them to their customers through newconcepts. Hatakeyama Kana, who is a female apprentice in Tokyo cloisonné enamel (Tōkyōshippō) ware, was hosting an event there to demonstrate her techniques on 17 November.
Besides field work, I was able to present part of my dissertation at the Young Scholar’s
Programme of The Asiatic Society of Japan (Yokohama) on October 16. The Asiatic Society ofJapan is said to be Japan’s oldest learned society with its beginnings in 1872. It was therefore agreat honor to present my work there and to receive positive comments from the society’s
Honorary Patron, HIH Princess Takamado, among others. My presentation with the title“Embracing the Generational Change: A Study of onna shokunin in the District of Arakawa,
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Tokyo” was accepted as an article at the Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan inNovember.
Acknowledgements
I am deeply grateful to Mr. Ōmori Keisuke and Ms. Kuwayama Mariko of the Toshiba
International Foundation for this wonderful opportunity. It was a pleasure to meet them andthe other fellows at the Toshiba headquarters and to present my research findings there. I am
also thankful to Prof. Fujino Yūko, who invited me as a guest research fellow to Waseda
University and shared her wisdom with me. The fruitful discussion opened up new invaluable
perspectives for my dissertation. Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my PhD
advisor, Prof. Urs Matthias Zachmann, who wrote me a letter of recommendation and allowed
me to uphold my weekly teaching duties online while I was in Japan.

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Katarina Šukelj:
A Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis on Prehistory in Primary and Secondary
Education in Contemporary Japan
Research projectMy name is Katarina Šukelj, and I am a PhD student at the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
I am currently in my third year and my topic is the analysis of prehistory in contemporary
education in Japan. For my thesis I will analyze various texts and articles written byarchaeologists as well as newspaper articles about the topic of the Paleolithic and Jomon andtextbooks or educational materials. I will also analyze parts of elementary, secondary, and highschool history textbooks. Access to these materials is a prerequisite for carrying out myresearch, and therefore gathering materials was my primary goal during my stay in Japan.
When consulting my supervisor and a professor at the PhD program, we decided that I should
also meet up with archaeologists and other professionals who are connected to archaeology
and education. With that in mind, I contacted professors, professional archaeologists and an
artist that carries out public workshops and set up meetings with them.
After receiving the TIFO Fellowship, I choose to spend a little less than 3 months in Japan. Prior
to arriving in Japan, I had registered at the National Diet Library, which also includes theInternational Library of Children’s Literature. I visited the two libraries and collected scientificarticles and newspaper articles, as well as copies of newer textbooks (from the end of the 20th
Century until present). During my stay in Japan, I also found out about the Japanese Textbooks
Research Center & Library, where I was able to scan a variety of elementary, secondary, andhigh school textbooks. In addition, I was able to buy a variety of books for my backgroundresearch through bookshops and online stores, which included also a few textbooks.
Although my research focuses on textual analysis, meeting with archaeologists and otherprofessionals connected to archaeology gave me insight into their views on the topic ofprehistory in education. They also and made me aware of some issues important to them, or
those that influenced education of prehistory from the end of the 20th century until present.
Participating in lectures, workshops and walking tours organized by Sahoko Aki proved to bevery insightful. She is an artist that creates prehistoric illustrations for museum exhibitions andtextbooks. Partaking in these events gave me the opportunity to visit archaeological sites in the
town Asahi in Toyama, Minamisoma, Fukushima and in Tokyo. I was able to learn about thehistory of the sites and experience how they are preserved and presented to the public. But
even more valuable was the participation in the workshops for the public. In Asahi, theworkshop was held at MaibunKAN (museum for buried cultural properties) and the Fudodo site.
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Preschool and elementary school children visited the site with their guardians, whilst learning
about the daily life of the Jomon people. They explored the site trying out various tools the
Jomon people used, and drew their own vision of life in a Jomon village. In Minamisoma and at
the Jomon period Urajiri shell mound, adult volunteers also participated in a tour and aworkshop that included observing of a Jomon period site, recording it via a drone. In Tokyo, awalking tour brought us, among others, to kofun mounds and a site used during the Jomon
period – a sight that was in stark contrast to Tokyo’s modern buildings and skyscrapers. These
workshops and tours made me aware that prehistoric education in Japan is not limited toschool and textbooks, but is also carried out in museums and archaeological sites. This gives
children (and adults) opportunities to, in a way, experience the life of prehistoric people andlearn about aspects not covered in textbooks. It is also a very memorable and interesting
experience for the participants and therefore an invaluable learning opportunity. In this way,these kinds of workshops complement and add to the teaching carried out in schools.
I have also decided to take this opportunity to visit a few archaeological sites and museums
since both are also used as places for education. In Hakodate, I visited the Miraikan, in which
one can see a video of the Jomon sites at the Hakodate Jomon Culture Center. There is also a
3D rendering of Jomon period artifacts that can be viewed from different angles and different
sizes, which makes it an interesting activity for school children and aids the learning process.
My next stop was Sannai Maruyama in Aomori. The famous site with its reconstructions,preserved excavations and museum offers plenty of material for educational purposes. Inside
the museum, workshops are also available, such as making Jomon style pottery or accessories.
During my stay in the Kansai area, I visited Horyuji and the reconstructed Heijo palace. Although
not covered in my thesis, the sites and facilities again offered insights into the ways the public
can learn about the Jomon period. Since there were multiple junior high school groups visiting,
I was also able to observe how they used the facilities.
To conclude, the TIFO Fellowship gave me the means to conduct an important stay in Japan inorder to collect materials necessary to carry out my analysis, as well as to broaden myunderstanding of the research that is done in Japan on the topic of prehistory, education andtextbooks. Since many of these research articles and materials are very hard to obtain or areeven unobtainable in my home country, this visit was essential for my research. Furthermore,
the meetings with archaeologists, and the participation in the workshops and tours helped me
gain a better understanding of the connection between archaeology and education. In
particular, I was able to deepen my understanding of the role the numerous buried culturalproperties centers play as well as the volunteers at the various archaeological facilities andmuseums. In other words, in Japan, school and history textbooks are just one aspect of theeducation about prehistory. I think that this fact is something that I need to keep in mind while
I am carrying out my analysis and research that is more focused on the school environment andthe discourse surrounding it.
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