Kada no Azumamaro
Encyclopedia
was a poet
and philologist of the early Edo period
, who hailed from a scholarly family that for generations had supplied Shinto
priests to the Inari shrine
in Fushimi. From an early age he studied traditional Japanese poetry, waka
, and Shinto thought and belief, and his precocity was such that he was soon employed as poetry tutor to one of the sons of Emperor Reigen
(regnabat 1663-1687).
In 1699 he settled in Edo
where he taught the classics of Shinto, a curriculum which then included such ancient texts as the Man'yōshū and the Nihon Shoki
. His studies in the former classic profited particularly from the work of the Buddhist priest Keichū
, and together these two figures may be considered as founding fathers of the movement of nativist thought known as kokugaku
("national studies"). Kokugaku, together with the kogaku (古学: "Ancient Studies") school founded by Kamo no Mabuchi
laid the foundations for both the renaissance of interest in Japanese classical poetry and culture, and for the nativist critique of Confucian ideology which was to prove of great ideological importance during and after the transformation of Tokugawa
Japan into the modernizing nation of that country under Emperor Meiji
.
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and philologist of the early Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, who hailed from a scholarly family that for generations had supplied Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
priests to the Inari shrine
Fushimi Inari-taisha
is the head shrine of Inari, located in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan. The shrine sits at the base of a mountain also named Inari, and includes trails up the mountain to many smaller shrines....
in Fushimi. From an early age he studied traditional Japanese poetry, waka
Waka (poetry)
Waka or Yamato uta is a genre of classical Japanese verse and one of the major genres of Japanese literature...
, and Shinto thought and belief, and his precocity was such that he was soon employed as poetry tutor to one of the sons of Emperor Reigen
Emperor Reigen
was the 112th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Reigen's reign spanned the years from 1663 through 1687.-Genealogy:...
(regnabat 1663-1687).
In 1699 he settled in Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
where he taught the classics of Shinto, a curriculum which then included such ancient texts as the Man'yōshū and the Nihon Shoki
Nihon Shoki
The , sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the Kojiki, the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeologists as it includes the most complete extant historical...
. His studies in the former classic profited particularly from the work of the Buddhist priest Keichū
Keichu
Keichu may refer to:* Keichu Do, a modern branch of the martial arts.* Keichū, a Japanese scholar of the Edo period....
, and together these two figures may be considered as founding fathers of the movement of nativist thought known as kokugaku
Kokugaku
Kokugaku was a National revival, or, school of Japanese philology and philosophy originating during the Tokugawa period...
("national studies"). Kokugaku, together with the kogaku (古学: "Ancient Studies") school founded by Kamo no Mabuchi
Kamo no Mabuchi
was a Japanese poet and philologist of the Edo period.Mabuchi conducted research into the spirit of ancient Japan through his studies of the Man'yōshū and other works of ancient literature...
laid the foundations for both the renaissance of interest in Japanese classical poetry and culture, and for the nativist critique of Confucian ideology which was to prove of great ideological importance during and after the transformation of Tokugawa
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
Japan into the modernizing nation of that country under Emperor Meiji
Emperor Meiji
The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...
.
See also
- Japanese nationalismJapanese nationalismencompasses a broad range of ideas and sentiments harbored by the Japanese people over the last two centuries regarding their native country, its cultural nature, political form and historical destiny...
- KokugakuKokugakuKokugaku was a National revival, or, school of Japanese philology and philosophy originating during the Tokugawa period...
- Motoori NorinagaMotoori Norinagawas a Japanese scholar of Kokugaku active during the Edo period. He is probably the best known and most prominent of all scholars in this tradition.-Life:...
- Hirata AtsutaneHirata Atsutanewas a Japanese scholar, conventionally ranked as one of the four great men of kokugaku studies, and one of the most significant theologians of the Shintō religion. His literary name was Ibukinoya.-Life and thought:...