Ichiyo Higuchi
Season 1 Episode 5 Airdate February 11, 2024
Episode’s Audio
Summary of Episode
This podcast explores Ichiyo Higuchi, a literary pioneer of the Meiji era. We open with a glimpse into Japan’s past—the Tokugawa period’s traditions and isolation contrasted with the Meiji Restoration’s modernization.
Higuchi’s story emerges from this shift. Born in 1872, she balanced a traditional upbringing with a rapidly changing world. Despite challenges, she pursued writing. Higuchi found inspiration in her own life and the social issues of the time, especially the lives of women in the Yoshiwara district. Though tuberculosis tragically ended her career at 24, Higuchi’s legacy lives on. She’s a role model for female writers, and her work sheds light on Meiji-era women and lower classes. Her influence continues to inspire progress for women in Japan today.
Quotes From Show
In retrospect, the Tokugawa Period stands as a pivotal chapter in Japan’s history, characterized by stability, economic growth, and cultural flourishing. Yet, its legacy is also marked by the seeds of change that would eventually lead to the unraveling of the shogunate and the dawn of a new era in the Meiji Restoration.
Tabitha Bear, Episode 5 Ichiyo Higuchi
Ichiyo Higuchi’s writing career during the Meiji Restoration holds profound significance, not only for its literary merit, but also for its impact on the trajectory of women’s roles in Japanese society.
Tabitha Bear, Episode 5 Ichiyo Higuchi
In contemporary Japan, the impact of Natsu’s legacy can be seen in the strides made by Japanese women in various fields. The echoes of her courage to defy societal norms resonate in the achievements of modern Japanese women who continue to break barriers in literature, academia, business, and politics.
Tabitha Bear, Episode 5 Ichiyo Higuchi
Transcript
Helpful Resources
Higuchi Ichiyo: Badass Women in Japanese History
Ichiyo Higuchi’s Complete Works
A Note From Us
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