BE218101 Selected problems in Japanese History B

Hiroshima University Syllabus

Japanese

Academic Year 2025Year School/Graduate School School of Letters

Lecture Code BE218101 Subject Classification Specialized Education

Subject Name 日本史特論B

Subject Name
（Katakana）ニホンシトクロンB

Subject Name in
English Selected problems in Japanese History B

Instructor To be announced.

Instructor
(Katakana) タントウキョウインミテイ

Campus Higashi-Hiroshima Semester/Term 2nd-Year, Second Semester, OutOfTerm(2nd)

Days, Periods, and Classrooms (O2) Inte：See the bulletin board for detail.

Lesson Style Lecture Lesson Style
(More Details) Face-to-face, Online (simultaneous interactive)

Lecture, online

Credits 2.0 Class Hours/Week 　 Language of Instruction J : Japanese

Course Level 3 : Undergraduate High-Intermediate

Course Area（Area） 23 : Arts and Humanities

Course Area（Discipline） 07 : History

Eligible Students

Keywords

Special Subject for Teacher Education 　 Special Subject 　

Class Status
within Educational
Program
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced
Evaluation
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)

Class Objectives
/Class Outline In this class, students will learn about the transition and discussion of sexual customs in modern and contemporary Japanese society.

Sex-related issues are rarely studied until high school and are often regarded as taboo. However, even events such as “marriage,” “contraception,” and “sex trafficking,” which are not usually considered deeply, have a long history and have taken various forms depending on the social situation at the time.

In modern Japan, love marriages were not common, contraception was not available, prostitution was legal, homosexuality was not special, and so on, all of which were practiced under values different from those of today.
The purpose of this class is to learn how they were modernized from the historical process and discuss how the sexual customs in modern Japan were formed.

Class Schedule 1st session: Guidance　

Part 2 and 3: Modern and Contemporary Japanese Society and Love Marriage Ideology
How “free love” became “trendy” in Japanese history　

Part 4 and 5: Historical Controversy over Beauty and Appearance
The problem of beauty and ugliness brought about by modernization and modernization

Part 6 and 7: Controversies and Practices on Sexuality and Reproduction
Is the “crime” contraception or abortion?

Part 8 and 9: Gender in Japanese Cinema
War Films, Ninkyo Films

Part 10 and 11: Historical Processes of Sex Trafficking
Why and how has selling sex been taboo?

Part 12, 13: War and Sex Trafficking
Who are the ultimate vulnerable groups in wartime?

Part 14 and 15: Sex Trafficking and the Sex Industry in Postwar Japan and Summary
How was sex trafficking “outlawed”?

*A check-up test will be given on the last lecture day. In addition, several quizzes may be given according to the students' understanding.

Text/Reference
Books,etc. Yu Terazawa “戦前日本の私娼・性風俗産業と大衆社会: 売買春・恋愛の近現代史” Yushisha, 2022, and other materials will be shown in each class.

PC or AV used in
Class,etc. Text, Visual Materials, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Forms

(More Details) Text・Handout・Picture（Video/PC/Other）

Learning techniques to be incorporated

Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review As for basic knowledge, it is not explained verbatim in class, so students should follow up with a glossary, dictionary, etc. as appropriate. As a prerequisite, students are encouraged to read Kodansha's “History of Japan” series or Iwanami Shoten's “Series of Japanese Modern History (Modern History)” to help them build a general picture of the subject matter.

Requirements

Grading Method The final exam will be based on the score of the final exam, with some adjustments to be made by quizzes to be given as necessary. The exam will test the students' level of achievement in accurately understanding the course content.

Practical Experience

Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it

Message The curriculum may be adjusted or changed depending on the size and level of proficiency of the students.

Other

Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes.
Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

Academic Year	2025Year	School/Graduate School	School of Letters
Lecture Code	BE218101	Subject Classification	Specialized Education
Subject Name	日本史特論B
Subject Name （Katakana）	ニホンシトクロンB
Subject Name in English	Selected problems in Japanese History B
Instructor	To be announced.
Instructor (Katakana)	タントウキョウインミテイ
Campus	Higashi-Hiroshima	Semester/Term	2nd-Year, Second Semester, OutOfTerm(2nd)
Days, Periods, and Classrooms	(O2) Inte：See the bulletin board for detail.
Lesson Style	Lecture	Lesson Style (More Details)	Face-to-face, Online (simultaneous interactive)
Lecture, online
Credits	2.0	Class Hours/Week		Language of Instruction	J : Japanese
Course Level	3 : Undergraduate High-Intermediate
Course Area（Area）	23 : Arts and Humanities
Course Area（Discipline）	07 : History
Eligible Students
Keywords
Special Subject for Teacher Education		Special Subject
Class Status within Educational Program (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced Evaluation (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Class Objectives /Class Outline	In this class, students will learn about the transition and discussion of sexual customs in modern and contemporary Japanese society. Sex-related issues are rarely studied until high school and are often regarded as taboo. However, even events such as “marriage,” “contraception,” and “sex trafficking,” which are not usually considered deeply, have a long history and have taken various forms depending on the social situation at the time. In modern Japan, love marriages were not common, contraception was not available, prostitution was legal, homosexuality was not special, and so on, all of which were practiced under values different from those of today. The purpose of this class is to learn how they were modernized from the historical process and discuss how the sexual customs in modern Japan were formed.
Class Schedule	1st session: Guidance　 Part 2 and 3: Modern and Contemporary Japanese Society and Love Marriage Ideology How “free love” became “trendy” in Japanese history　 Part 4 and 5: Historical Controversy over Beauty and Appearance The problem of beauty and ugliness brought about by modernization and modernization Part 6 and 7: Controversies and Practices on Sexuality and Reproduction Is the “crime” contraception or abortion? Part 8 and 9: Gender in Japanese Cinema War Films, Ninkyo Films Part 10 and 11: Historical Processes of Sex Trafficking Why and how has selling sex been taboo? Part 12, 13: War and Sex Trafficking Who are the ultimate vulnerable groups in wartime? Part 14 and 15: Sex Trafficking and the Sex Industry in Postwar Japan and Summary How was sex trafficking “outlawed”? *A check-up test will be given on the last lecture day. In addition, several quizzes may be given according to the students' understanding.
Text/Reference Books,etc.	Yu Terazawa “戦前日本の私娼・性風俗産業と大衆社会: 売買春・恋愛の近現代史” Yushisha, 2022, and other materials will be shown in each class.
PC or AV used in Class,etc.	Text, Visual Materials, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Forms
(More Details)	Text・Handout・Picture（Video/PC/Other）
Learning techniques to be incorporated
Suggestions on Preparation and Review	As for basic knowledge, it is not explained verbatim in class, so students should follow up with a glossary, dictionary, etc. as appropriate. As a prerequisite, students are encouraged to read Kodansha's “History of Japan” series or Iwanami Shoten's “Series of Japanese Modern History (Modern History)” to help them build a general picture of the subject matter.
Requirements
Grading Method	The final exam will be based on the score of the final exam, with some adjustments to be made by quizzes to be given as necessary. The exam will test the students' level of achievement in accurately understanding the course content.
Practical Experience
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it
Message	The curriculum may be adjusted or changed depending on the size and level of proficiency of the students.
Other
Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes. Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

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