The 31st Culture Seminar was held
November 2nd (Sat) Learning in Edo
Mr. Yoichi Yamamoto (Professor Emeritus at Yamagata University, Director of Yamagata Learning Center of the Open University of Japan) was invited as a lecturer to speak on "How did literary figures like Basho acquire knowledge of the classics?", dividing the Edo period into early and late eras to discuss how Basho deepened his knowledge through interactions with people. He mentioned that Basho's library contained four volumes just before his death, and touched upon what kind of books common people in the Edo period read, including printed editions, making it a very engaging session.
The next session will be held on November 9th (Sat).
November 9th (Sat) Basho's Place in Early Modern Literature
Regarding Basho's 'Oku no Hosomichi' (Narrow Road to the Deep North), which can be called a representative work of early modern literature, we received a lecture from Mr. Junichiro Hara (Professor at Yonezawa Women's Junior College). When viewing 'Oku no Hosomichi' from the perspective of a travelogue... We were able to hear interpretations from various perspectives. Indeed.
The next session will be held on November 23rd (Sat).
November 23rd (Sat) Mountains of Yamagata and Woodblock Prints
The mountains of Yamagata that Basho visited. Taking up Edo period publications, we received a lecture from Ms. Koto Sato (Professor at Yamagata University's Faculty of Academic Research) on how the mountains of Yamagata were depicted within them. The content also served as preliminary knowledge for next year's historical drama, making it an enjoyable listen.