Japan is one of the non-Western countries with the richest and perhaps the most problematic history of classical reception. The Japanese people’s first encounter with Greek and Roman antiquity dates back to the 16th century, when Jesuit missionaries introduced not only Christianity but also European culture, science and technology. The knowledge of classical antiquity brought to Japan during the subsequent so-called Christian period was limited but still covered a wide range of fields, from the adaptations of the fables of Aesop to the philosophical and scientific ideas of Greco-Roman origins. Two hundred years of national seclusion followed, but even in this period, the influx of Western science and culture, including that of Greco-Roman origin, did not cease thanks to the diplomatic and trading relationship with the Netherlands.

After the Meiji Reform in 1868, Japan took the path of radical modernisation, which was virtually equivalent to Westernisation. In its wake, the Japanese people quickly acknowledged the importance of classical tradition in Western culture, and began to use it in their own way, especially in order to address serious concerns regarding how to uphold and reconsider Japan’s national and cultural identity in the face of Western modernity. This approach to Western classics even gave rise to a characteristic tendency among the Japanese people to consider—or rather feel—ancient Greeks and Romans, not as ‘the others’, but rather as their own people with whom they could identify, and sometimes even feel closer to compared to modern Europeans. This alleged similarity or connection between Japan and classical Greece and Rome has been believed in all sincerity at times, as exemplified by the notion, first proposed in the late 19th century, that the beauty of ancient Japanese Buddhist art and architecture could be explained by its Greek provenance. On the other hand, it has also been treated with humour, as in Mari Yamazaki’s recent popular manga series, Thermae Romae. The Japanese people’s sympathy and admiration for classical antiquity has exerted immense influence and yielded many remarkable works of literature, visual art and other genres. Yet, its darker sides should not be overlooked, such as its role in implicitly or explicitly bolstering Japanese imperialism and colonialism.

Despite the increasing recent interest in classical reception studies, which have investigated the receptions of Greco-Roman antiquity in non-Western countries, the focus has largely been on former British and other Western colonies, leaving East Asia, including Japan, relatively underexplored. A groundbreaking collection titled Reception of Greek and Roman Antiquity in East Asia, published by Brill in 2018, marked a significant contribution to the field. However, more specific studies that focus on Japan are much needed, especially in view of the particularly deep historical engagement of the Japanese people with Greek and Roman antiquity. The symposium Receptions of Greek and Roman Antiquity in Japan aims to foster the international debate on this topic by bringing together classicists and scholars from other disciplines. This initiative originates from a research project started by the late Prof. Saiichiro Nakatani (1972-2023) and currently undertaken by an interdisciplinary research team with the support of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. The project will result in the publication of an edited volume on the reception of Greek and Roman antiquity in Japan from the late 16th century to the 21st century, featuring various case studies and encompassing literature, performing arts, philosophy, history, visual arts, music and popular culture.

The symposium will be held in a hybrid format, allowing for both in-person and online participation. We look forward to engaging with a wide range of audience. Additionally, associated events will be held before and after the symposium, and we encourage everyone to stay informed and participate.

General Schedule

Saturday 11 January

9:30-17:30 Day 1 Sessions

Sunday 12 January

9:30-17:30 Day 2 Sessions

Registration for non-speaker participants

If you plan to join the dinner on the first day, please register through the form below by Friday 20 December. For those not joining the dinner, both in-person and online participants can register until Thursday 9 January. If you need to cancel your dinner reservation after registering, kindly inform the organizers.

• (10 January) We have already sent out an email with information to the registered participants. If anyone has not received it (as there were a few undelivered emails), please contact the organizers. Also make sure your settings allow you to receive emails from Gmail, especially if you are sending from a mobile email address.

https://forms.gle/1akX1pE9pnCDCwcz6