Refining Nature in Modern Japanese Literature

Nanyan Guois associate professor at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies in Kyoto, Japan. She has published eight books including, Japan’s Wartime Medical Atrocities (2010), and Tsugaru: Regional Identity on Japan’s Northern Periphery.

• IntroductionChapter 1: The Nurturing of Shiga’s Feelings for NatureChapter 2: The Moon: Early Encounters with NatureChapter 3: The Sun: In Pursuit of a Religiosity of Art Chapter 4: Nature Destroyed: The Ashio Copper Mine PollutionIncidentChapter 5: Plants: The Essence of NatureChapter 6: Living Creatures: Mirrors of Human NatureChapter 7: The Supernatural and NatureChapter 8: Dreams: Nature InternalizedChapter 9: Lafcadio Hearn’s Influence on Shiga’s Literary StyleConclusion: Nature-Inspired Art and Artistic NatureAppendix 1: Chronology of Shiga Naoya’s Life and ArtAppendix 2: Map with Important Places in Shiga’s Literature

Guo's study will remain a crucial contribution to such reception as exists by its focus on Shiga's deep love of nature.