Ritsumeikan University Syllabus

Course Name	Year	Term	Period	Faculty / Graduate School	All Instructors	Credits
12480:[2025 Fall]IR18‐AE106 Kyoto and the Japanese Arts (RB) § 12481:IR-AS109 Kyoto and the Japanese Arts (RB) § 12482:Kyoto and the Japanese Arts (RB) § 12483:RUIR-1611 Kyoto and the Japanese Arts(RB)	2025	Fall	Mon2	College　Of　Law,College　Of　Economics,College　Of　Business　Administration,College　Of　Social　Sciences,College　Of　International　Relations,College　Of　Policy　Science,College　Of　Letters,College　of　Image　Arts　and　Sciences,College　of　Information　Science　and　Engineering,College　of　Sport　and　Health　Science　(tentative　name)	GADJEVA NADEJDA PETROVA	2

Campus

KIC

Class Venue

MEIGAKUKAN　MG002

Language

English

Course Outline and Method

【+R-Jugyo】
Information for “+R-Jugyo” will be posted on the “Course News” on manaba+R by April 1. Be sure to check the “Course News” on manaba+R.

This course is based on face-to-face classes.
It offers a comprehensive study of the close relationship between Kyoto and the birth and development of Japanese culture and arts, from the foundation of the ancient capital to the world-class tourist city of today. A wide range of subjects, including major historical developments, architecture, heritage, performing arts, traditional crafts, the art of tea ceremony, and the culture of geisha will especially be addressed. The course will also introduce Japanese public and cultural diplomacy policies for conveying Kyoto’s culture and arts to the world.

Student Attainment Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1) Demonstrate general and diversified knowledge of Japanese culture and arts, both traditional and modern;
2) Attain awareness of major developments in the history of Kyoto;
3) Realize the privilege of studying in an incomparable historic and artistic environment;
4) Obtain a basic insight into Japanese public and cultural diplomacy initiatives for conveying Kyoto’s culture and arts to the world;
5) Develop improved analytic, communicative, and critical thinking skills in preparation for future professional/academic endeavors.

Recommended Preparatory Course

Course Schedule

Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors)	Theme
Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors)	Keyword, References and Supplementary Information
Session 1	Kyoto in the Heian Period
Session 1	◼ Lecture Content and Keywords Development of the Heian-kyō capital, Court Culture, Buddhism ◼ Required Readings • Stavros, M. (2014). Kyoto: An Urban History of Japan’s Premodern Capital. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press: pp. 1-27. ◼ Supplementary Readings (Optional) • Dougill, J. (2006). Kyoto: A Cultural History. Oxford & New York, NY: Oxford University Press: pp. 1-19.
Session 2	Kyoto in the Muromachi and Azuchi-Momoyama Periods
Session 2	◼ Lecture Content and Keywords Capital restoration, religion, the Ashikaga shogunate, Kitayama culture, Higashiyama culture, merchants’ contributions to the cultural development, the Onin war, the role of the townspeople (machishū), Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s renovation of Kyoto ◼ Required Readings • Tatsusaburō, H., & Elison, G. (1977). Kyoto in the Muromachi Age. In Hall, J. W., & Takeshi, T. (Eds.), Japan in the Muromachi Age (pp. 15-36). Berkley & Los Angeles, California: University of California Press. ◼ Supplementary Readings (Optional) • Dougill, J. (2006). Kyoto: A Cultural History. Oxford & New York, NY: Oxford University Press: pp. 109-123.
Session 3	Kyoto and the Medieval Theater: Noh and Kyōgen
Session 3	◼ Lecture Content and Keywords Drama, tragedy, comedy, musical theater, Zeami ◼ Required Readings • Dougill, J. (2006). Kyoto: A Cultural History. Oxford & New York, NY: Oxford University Press: pp. 96-108. ◼ Supplementary Readings (Optional) • Pinnington, N. J. (2019). A New History of Medieval Japanese Theatre: Noh and Kyōgen from 1300 to 1600. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Session 4	Kyoto and the Art of Tea Ceremony
Session 4	◼ Lecture Content and Keywords The concepts of tea ceremony (Wakeiseijaku), Ichigo Ichie, Sen no Rikyū, tea garden, tea room, wabi-sabi, Raku pottery ◼ Required Readings • Dougill, J. (2006). Kyoto: A Cultural History. Oxford & New York, NY: Oxford University Press: pp. 124-142. ◼ Supplementary Readings (Optional) • Pitelka, M. (2003). Japanese Tea Culture: Art, History, and Practice. Oxon & New York, NY: Routledge. • Okakura, K. (1906). The Book of Tea. New York, NY: Putnam’s.
Session 5	Kyoto’s Traditional Textile Crafts
Session 5	◼ Lecture Content and Keywords Nishijin weaving, Kyo-yuzen dyeing, Kyo-nui embroidery, the decline of the industries ◼ Required Readings • Hareven, T. K. (2002). The Silk Weavers of Kyoto: Family and Work in a Changing Traditional Industry. Berkley & Los Angeles, California: University of California Press.: pp. 25-50. ◼ Supplementary Readings (Optional) • Yuzo, M. (2019). Heritage Culture and Business, Kyoto Style: Craftsmanship in the Creative Economy. Tokyo: Japan Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture.: pp. 71-88. • Moon, O. (2013). Challenges Surrounding the Survival of the Nishijin Silk Weaving Industry in Kyoto, Japan. International Journal of Intangible Heritage, 8, 71-86.
Session 6	Mid-term Examination (Group Student Presentations)
Session 6	◼ Lecture Content and Keywords Group student presentations, Kyoto traditional crafts ◼ Required Readings N/A ◼ Supplementary Readings (Optional) N/A ◼ Preparation Instructions Each group should give a short presentation (maximum 10 minutes) on a freely chosen traditional craft of Kyoto. The presentation may be focused on any aspect of the chosen craft. (For example: the craft’s history, specific characteristics, production method and its differences from that in the past, etc.)
Session 7	Kyoto in the Edo Period
Session 7	◼ Lecture Content and Keywords Nijō Castle, Imperial villas of Katsura and Shūgakuin, Kabuki theater, flourishing crafts ◼ Required Readings • Dougill, J. (2006). Kyoto: A Cultural History. Oxford & New York, NY: Oxford University Press: pp. 143-172. ◼ Supplementary Readings (Optional) • Scott, A. C. (2012). The Kabuki Theatre of Japan. New York, NY: Dover Publications. • Singer, T. R., Carpenter, J. T., Goodall, H., Harris, V., McKelway, M., Ooms, H., Rousmaniere, N. C., Smith II, H. D., Takeda, S. S., & Takeuchi, M. (1998). Edo: Art in Japan 1615-1868. Washington, DC: National Gallery of Art, Washington.
Session 8	Kyoto and the Culture of Geisha
Session 8	◼ Lecture Content and Keywords Tayū courtesans, Shimabara, geisha, hanamachi districts, Kyomai dance, ochaya (teahouses for entertaining), okiya (geisha lodging house), maiko training ◼ Required Readings • Dougill, J. (2006). Kyoto: A Cultural History. Oxford & New York, NY: Oxford University Press: pp. 173-196. ◼ Supplementary Readings (Optional) • Iwasaki, M., & Brown, R. (2003). Geisha of Gion: The True Story of Japan’s Foremost Geisha. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
Session 9	Kyoto and the Modernization
Session 9	◼ Lecture Content and Keywords Meiji era, Bangumi elementary schools, Lake Biwa Canal, Western architecture, the establishment of the Heian Jingū Shrine, Jidai Matsuri Festival, Kyoto as the “Hollywood of Japan”, Kurosawa Akira, leading writers of the age: Tanizaki Jun'ichirō, Mishima Yukio, and Kawabata Yasunari ◼ Required Readings • Dougill, J. (2006). Kyoto: A Cultural History. Oxford & New York, NY: Oxford University Press: pp. 197-218. ◼ Supplementary Readings (Optional) • Lewis, D. W. (2022). Kyoto – The “Hollywood of Japan”. In Desser, D. (Ed.), A Companion to Japanese Cinema (pp. 27-48). New Jersey, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. • Breen, J., Hiroshi, M., & Hiroshi, T. (2020). Kyoto’s Renaissance: Ancient Capital for Modern Japan. Folkestone: Renaissance Books.
Session 10	Kyoto’s Heritage Industries in the 21st Century: Innovation and Future Prospects
Session 10	◼ Lecture Content and Keywords 1) Heritage industries, Kyoto craftsmanship, artisan networks, cultural value, innovative collaborations between artisans of different backgrounds, collaborations between Kyoto and European cultures 2) Open in-class discussion on the future of Kyoto’s heritage industries ◼ Required Readings • Yuzo, M. (2019). Heritage Culture and Business, Kyoto Style: Craftsmanship in the Creative Economy. Tokyo: Japan Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture.: pp. 89-109. ◼ Supplementary Readings (Optional) • Yuzo, M. (2019). Heritage Culture and Business, Kyoto Style: Craftsmanship in the Creative Economy. Tokyo: Japan Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture.: pp. 17-40.
Session 11	Promoting Kyoto’s Culture and Arts to the World
Session 11	◼ Lecture Content and Keywords 1) Public and cultural diplomacy actors and initiatives, the Kyoto City government, the Japan Foundation, the Ikenobo School of Ikebana, interpersonal connections 2) Open in-class discussion on Kyoto’s cultural promotion overseas ◼ Required Readings • Yuzo, M. (2019). Heritage Culture and Business, Kyoto Style: Craftsmanship in the Creative Economy. Tokyo: Japan Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture.: pp. 111-130. ◼ Supplementary Readings (Optional) • Gadjeva, N. (2022). Japanese Public Diplomacy in European Countries: The Japan Foundation in Bulgaria and France. Oxon and New York, NY: Routledge. • St. Maurice, G. (2017). Kyoto Cuisine Gone Global. Gastronomica, 17(3), 36-48. • City of Kyoto. (2014). Kyoto City Internationalization Promotion Plan (Revised) Aimed at transforming Kyoto to a vivid multicultural city (Digest Version). Kyoto: International Relations Office, General Planning Bureau, City of Kyoto. • Ogawa, T. (2009). Origin and development of Japan’s public diplomacy. In Snow, N. & Taylor, P. M. (Eds.), Routledge Handbook of Public Diplomacy (pp. 270– 281). New York, NY and London: Routledge. • Ogoura, K. (2009). Japan’s cultural diplomacy, past and present. Peace and Culture, 1, 44–54.
Session 12	Kyoto as a World-Class Tourist City: Issues, Policies, and Future Prospects
Session 12	◼ Lecture Content and Keywords World heritage, overtourism and related issues, Kyoto City tourism promotion policies, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), cultural experience of Kyoto during and after the COVID-19 era, digital technologies ◼ Required Readings • Ritchie, Z., Miller, R., & Parrish, M. (2022). Challenges Facing Kyoto City From International Tourism and COVID-19: A Case Study. Jōsai Gendai Seisaku Kenkyū, 15(2), 13-31. • City of Kyoto. (2021). Kyoto Tourism Promotion Plan 2025, A wonderful place to live, visit, and work. Kyoto – a city where history and culture give rise to hope. Kyoto: Kyoto City Office of Industry and Tourism, Tourism MICE Promotion Office. ◼ Supplementary Readings (Optional) • Gadjeva, N. (2023). Japanese Digital Cultural Promotion: Online Experience of Kyoto. Oxon and New York, NY: Routledge. • Prough, J. S. (2022). Kyoto Revisited: Heritage Tourism in Contemporary Japan. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
Session 13	Concluding Classes I: Individual Student Presentations
Session 13	◼ Lecture Content and Keywords 1) Individual student presentations (Keywords: Kyoto, history, culture, art) 2) Feedback from the instructor on each student’s performance ◼ Required Readings N/A ◼ Supplementary Readings (Optional) N/A ◼ Preparation Instructions Each student may choose any topic in the field of Kyoto’s history, culture, and arts and give a presentation (15 minutes) on his/her own views.
Session 14	Concluding Classes II: Individual Student Presentations and Course Summary
Session 14	◼ Lecture Content and Keywords 1) Individual student presentations 2) Feedback from the instructor on each student’s performance 3) Course summary (keywords: Kyoto, history, culture, art) 4) Open in-class discussion on students’ perceptions after taking this course ◼ Required Readings N/A ◼ Supplementary Readings (Optional) N/A

Class Format

All classes will be held in a face-to-face format.

Recommendations for Private Study

Each week, students are expected to read weekly assignments before the class. The expected amount of weekly preparatory study time for this course is around 1-2 hours.

Grade Evaluation Method

Kind	Percentage	Grading Criteria etc.
Final Examination (Written)	0
Report Examination (A report to be submitted by the unified deadline)	0
Exams and/or Reports other than those stated above, and Continuous Assessment　 (Evaluation of Everyday Performance in Class)	100	• Class preparation and performance: 15% • Participation in class discussions: 15% • Mid-term Examination: Group oral presentation (10 min) on a freely chosen traditional craft of Kyoto 35% • Final Examination: Individual oral presentation (15 min) on a freely chosen topic related to the course 35%

Grade Evaluation Method （Note）

■ Mid-term and Final Presentations (70%)
The purpose of these assignments is to enhance your communication skills and ability to share your knowledge in an organized and constructive way in preparation for future professional/academic endeavors. It will be also a good opportunity to interact with others, receive a valuable feedback, and engage more in-depth in the study of Japanese culture and arts.

■ Participation in Class Discussions (15%)
To further develop your critical thinking and communication skills, you are strongly recommended to actively participate in the class discussions. They will also help you to understand better the course material and learn new perspectives.

■ Class Preparation and Performance (15%)
Each week, you are expected to read weekly assignments before the class and familiarize yourself with the specific concepts introduced by these references.
In addition, as you are expected to contribute to this course consistently, you must attend 12 or more of the 15 classes in order to receive a passing grade.

Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods

Textbooks

Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN Code	Comment
Kyoto: A Cultural History	John Dougill	Oxford University Press	978-0195301380

Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）

The assigned textbook for this course is: Dougill, J. (2006). Kyoto: A Cultural History. Oxford & New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Please refer to the syllabus above for information regarding the use of the textbook. The textbook is available at the Ritsumeikan University libraries or it can be purchased from the Ritsumeikan University COOP Bookstore and other Japanese bookstores and websites. Students can also read the required sections on the website of Internet Archive free of charge. In addition to the textbook, students are required to read other assigned readings as well. All assigned materials unavailable in the Ritsumeikan University libraries will be uploaded on manaba+R.

Reference Books

Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN Code
Kyoto: An Urban History of Japan’s Premodern Capital	Matthew Stavros	Honolulu University of Hawaii Press	978-0824838799
Japan in the Muromachi Age	John W. Hall, & Takeshi Toyoda	‎ University of California Press	978-0520032149
A New History of Medieval Japanese Theatre: Noh and Kyōgen from 1300 to 1600	Noel John Pinnington	Palgrave Macmillan	978-3030061395
Japanese Tea Culture: Art, History, and Practice	Morgan Pitelka	Routledge	978-0415296878
The Book of Tea	Okakura Kakuzo	CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform	978-1530650255
The Silk Weavers of Kyoto: Family and Work in a Changing Traditional Industry	Tamara K. Hareven	University of California Press	978-0520228184
Heritage Culture and Business, Kyoto Style: Craftsmanship in the Creative Economy	Murayama Yuzo	Japan Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture	978-4866580586
The Kabuki Theatre of Japan	A. C. Scott	Dover Publications	978-0486406459
Edo: Art in Japan 1615-1868	National Gallery of Art, & Robert T. Singer et. al.	National Gallery Washington	978-0300077964
Geisha of Gion: The True Story of Japan’s Foremost Geisha	Mineko Iwasaki, & Rande Brown	Simon & Schuster	978-0743430593
A Companion to Japanese Cinema	David Desser	Wiley-Blackwell	978-1118955321
Kyoto’s Renaissance: Ancient Capital for Modern Japan	John Breen, Maruyama Hiroshi, & Takagi Hiroshi	Renaissance Books	978-1898823926
Routledge Handbook of Public Diplomacy (1st edition)	Nancy Snow	Routledge	978-0415953023
Japanese Digital Cultural Promotion: Online Experience of Kyoto	Nadejda Gadjeva	Routledge	978-1032446653
Kyoto Revisited: Heritage Tourism in Contemporary Japan	Jennifer S. Prough	Honolulu University of Hawaii Press	978-0824891671
Japanese Public Diplomacy in European Countries: The Japan Foundation in Bulgaria and France	Nadejda Gadjeva	Routledge	978-1032193533

Reference Books （Frequency of Use, Note）

Students are encouraged to consult the above-listed books for self-study purposes.

Web Pages for Reference

How to Communicate with the Instructor In and Out of Class(Including Instructor Contact Information)

Talk with Students,Other (Separate instructions will be provided)

Other Comments

All announcements and notifications related to this course will be made via the course page on manaba+R. Please make sure to regularly check it.

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