Pages 269-82: 0:00—Midori & Nobu. 5:02—Love’s fools. 8:03—What eels Nobu. 10:45—Ichiyo’s realism. 13:38—Language of the implied. 15:01—Ihara Saikaku & other influences. 17:53—Nobu’s perspective. 20:06—Young Murasaki. 22:41—Clogged emotions. 28:20—Maple & mud. 30:24—Interlude.

Pages 282-87: 31:11—Pretty things. 34:04—A lyrical passage. 35:47—A Kyoto doll. 38:44—Vague things. 40:10—A period of debate. 43:02—Stepping into the debate. 49:18—The paper narcissus. 50:20—Midori & Nobu. 51:31—Paper narcissus & dark robe. 52:23—Acclaim & ambush. 58:01—Closing.

Text: Higuchi Ichiyō. "Child's Play." Translated by Robert Danly. In the Shade of Spring Leaves: The Life and Writings of Higuchi Ichiyo. A Woman of Letters in Meiji Japan, Yale Univ. Press, 1981.

Interlude: Kimio Eto, "Yorokobi," The Japanese Koto Music of Kimio Eto, World Pacific Records (1424 / ST-1424), 1960 (Internet Archive).

Image: Higuchi Ichiyō, 1896, National Diet Library.

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Contact: jimjneilson@gmail.com

Pages 254-63: 0:00—The Yoshiwara. 7:12—The Daionjimae. 10:14—Raking in prosperity. 11:59—Back street boys. 15:34—Meeting Midori. 19:04—Senzoku Shrine Festival. 25:23—Affable Sangoro. 30:03—Class consciousness. 31:21—Inspecting her daughter. 32:37—Nothing but a whore. 35:36—Class struggle. 37:25—Interlude.

Pages 263-67: 38:09—About Ichiyo. 46:28—Shota & Midori. 53:15—A suspect endeavor. 57:36—Closing.

Text: Higuchi Ichiyō. "Child's Play." Translated by Robert Danly. In the Shade of Spring Leaves: The Life and Writings of Higuchi Ichiyo. A Woman of Letters in Meiji Japan, Yale Univ. Press, 1981.

Interlude: Kimio Eto, "Yorokobi," The Japanese Koto Music of Kimio Eto, World Pacific Records (1424 / ST-1424), 1960 (Internet Archive).

Image: Higuchi Ichiyō, 1896, National Diet Library.

Click here for transcript

Contact: jimjneilson@gmail.com

Chapters 7-8: 0:00—Sunday, November 2, 1884. 5:10—Artificial & distorted forms. 7:25—Japanese dressing. 11:50—Scraping & bowing & spewing. 15:18—Only one idol. 17:39—Baffled Bunzō 24:04—“He’s terribly bold.” 27:51—Interlude.

Chapters 9-12: 28:32— Bunzō’s worst fears. 32:07—Free indirect discourse. 40:14— Bunzō meets Yamaguchi. 42:28—Bozo Bunzō. 47:12—An abyss of pain. 51:19—Interlude.

Chapters 13-19: 52:10—What’s wrong with Bunzō? 1:00:15—Borderline Bunzō. 1:02:30—Bunzō & Futabatei. 1:04:01—Russian literature & politics. 1:06:35—Oblomov & Underground Man. 1:08:36—Neurosis & psychosis. 1:10:11—Not a nice girl. 1:11:31—A new perspective. 1:18:38—Bunzō observes. 1:23:37—The ending. 1:32:07—The end. 1:33:38—Closing.

Text: Futabatei Shimei. Ukigumo. Translated by Marleigh Grayer Ryan. Japan’s First Modern Novel, “Ukigumo” of Futabatei Shimei. 1965. Center for Japanese Studies, Univ. of Michigan, 1990.

Interlude: Yūgure,” performed by Ensemble Hijiri-Kaï , Urban Music of the Edo Period , 2005, Ocora Records, Paris, Internet Archive.

Illustration: Society of Friends of the Cernuschi Museum, Paris.

Click here for transcript

Contact: jimjneilson@gmail.com