| Description |
315 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm |
| Summary |
"Described by translator Jeffrey S. Irish as a man of "rare energy and practical insight," Miyamoto Tsuneichi was a leading Japanese folklorist of the mid-twentieth century. In this lifetime he walked 100,000 miles along the backroads and throughout the hill and island villages of Japan, conducting interviews, taking photographs, and capturing a vanishing way of life. Miyamoto's descriptions of these meetings are presented here - in the villagers' own words, in narratives, and in vignettes. The collection is as revealing as it is poignant. All of these interviewees have passed on, and likely many of their villages and ways of life have disappeared or been transformed beyond recognition. Through Miyamoto's diligence and scholarship, their lives and the values of their culture have been preserved." "Among the rural folk portrayed here are rice farmers, carpenters, and fortune-tellers; fishermen, hunters, wood carvers, and mountain ascetics; people who have moved from place to place -- |
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and those who have barely visited the next valley. Vivid reminiscences of working hard with neighbors combine with tales of deprivation, infidelity, and natural disaster. Ballads are sung, and supernatural tales of fox spirits and goblins are recounted. Over time "we witness men pulling carts, then horses pulling carts, and finally the arrival of paved roads and cars." Among the aspects that Miyamoto touches on is the process of decision-making by a group of elders reaching consensus, a foundation of Japanese social cohesion even today." "Miyamoto's goal was beyond the ethnographic, however. Over his many years of travel, he used his expertise in agriculture and forestry to help the villagers he met become self-sufficient, to develop local products and improve their methods. Today's persimmon industry on Sado Island, for example, is a direct result of his efforts, as are many performing groups and folk museums scattered throughout Japan." "The Forgotten Japanese, first published -- |
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in 1960, is a classic in Japan. Eighteen chapters are presented here, slightly abridged and rearranged. To modern Japanese, these tales of rural culture and human connections are an eye-opening look at their past, not just at where they came from but at what they have left behind. To Western readers, they provide great insight into the commonalities of rural life and folklore throughout the world." --Book Jacket |
| Notes |
Formerly CIP. Uk |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index |
| Notes |
Translated from the Japanese |
| Subject |
Ethnology -- Japan.
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Folklore -- Japan.
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| SUBJECT |
Japan -- Description and travel. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85069398
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Japan -- Social life and customs. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85069579
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| Author |
Irish, Jeffrey
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| LC no. |
2009024242 |
| ISBN |
9781933330808 (alk. paper) |
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