Early works of Japanese literature were heavily influenced by cultural contact with China and Chinese literature, often written in Classical Chinese. Indian literature also had an influence through the Diffusion of Buddhism in Japan. Eventually, Japanese literature developed into a separate style in its own right as Japanese writers began writing their own works about Japan, although the influence of Chinese literature and Classical Chinese remained until the end of the Edo period. Since Japan reopened its ports to Western trading and diplomacy in the 19th century, Western and Eastern literature have strongly affected each other and continue to do so.
History
Japanese Literature can be divided into three main periods: ancient, classical, medieval.
Ancient literature (until 794)
Before the introduction of kanji from China, Japanese had no writing system. At first, Chinese characters were used in Japanese syntactical formats, and the result was sentences that look like Chinese but were read phonetically as Japanese. Chinese characters were further adapted, creating what is known as man'yōgana, the earliest form of kana, or syllabic writing. The earliest works were created in the Nara period. These include the Kojiki (712), a historical record that also chronicles ancient Japanese mythology and folk songs; the Nihon Shoki (720), a chronicle written in Chinese that is significantly more detailed than the Kojiki; and the Man'yōshū (759), a poetry anthology. One of the stories they describe is the tale of Urashima Tarō, which has been identified as the earliest example of a story involving time travel.
Translator Ginny Tapley Takemori (Alliance Literature Festival) ... I was working in Barcelona for a literary agent and I met lots of Japanese people there and that’s when I started getting interested in Japan and its literature.
TOKYO, Japan... This year's blooming is right on schedule and five days earlier than last year ... For centuries, sakura has played a vital role in Japanese culture, often appearing in poetry and literature as a symbol of life, death, and renewal ... .
University of Cambridge associate professor VictoriaYoung, who teaches contemporary Japanese literature, paid particular attention to the book's many vividly described gastronomic scenes.
Many Japanese enjoy walking or picnicking under the trees. Sakura have deeply influenced Japanese culture for centuries and have regularly been used in poetry and literature, with their fragility seen as a symbol of life, death and rebirth.
Many Japanese enjoy walking or picnicking under the trees. Sakura have deeply influenced Japanese culture for centuries and have regularly been used in poetry and literature, with their fragility seen as a symbol of life, death and rebirth.
Many Japanese enjoy walking or picnicking under the trees. Sakura have deeply influenced Japanese culture for centuries and have regularly been used in poetry and literature, with their fragility seen as a symbol of life, death and rebirth.
Many Japanese enjoy walking or picnicking under the trees. Sakura have deeply influenced Japanese culture for centuries and have regularly been used in poetry and literature, with their fragility seen as a symbol of life, death and rebirth.
Many Japanese enjoy walking or picnicking under the trees. Sakura have deeply influenced Japanese culture for centuries and have regularly been used in poetry and literature, with their fragility seen as a symbol of life, death and rebirth.
Many Japanese enjoy walking or picnicking under the trees. Sakura have deeply influenced Japanese culture for centuries and have regularly been used in poetry and literature, with their fragility seen as a symbol of life, death and rebirth.
“Taiwanese are a big fan of Japanese music and literature, as well as snow and autumn leaves, which are rare on their homeland,” said Chen, who is married to a Japanese ... Japanese-style bidet toilets are popular among them.
The author recently visited Bengaluru for a literature festival ... In many rural pockets, women continue to live in fear.</p>.<p><strong>Currently, in India, Japanese literature is a big hit.
Chatanooga Times Free Press
25 Mar 2025