![]() His keen interest and ambivalence about the tensions between Western and Japanese cultures would play a part in all of his major works. Through his travels and studies, he became very familiar with Western ideas and literature. From his earlier, lighter novels like I Am a Cat and Botchan to his later, more somber works like Kokoro and Sorekara, Sōseki’s writing displays extraordinary depth and insight into a rapidly modernising Japan. Sōseki was one of the early modern Japanese novelists who was part of the Civilization and Enlightenment movement ( bunmei kaika). I first encountered Sōseki as a university undergraduate student learning Japanese history. Sōseki’s work is key for understanding modern Japanese history his works capture the soul of the Meiji period (1868 – 1912) like no other. Most Japanese citizens will have read a Sōseki novel at least once in their lifetime. ![]() ![]() Natsume Sōseki (1867 – 1916) is unarguably one of Japan’s most well-loved novelists. He is so well-loved, in fact, that Kokoro, his most famous novel, is taught across Japanese middle schools. It’s time to learn a little something about the man who was on the 1000 yen bill for twenty years. ![]()
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