61854201 Jananese Literature(Modern)

Hiroshima University Syllabus

Japanese

Academic Year 2026Year School/Graduate School Liberal Arts Education Program

Lecture Code 61854201 Subject Classification Area Courses

Subject Name 日本の文学（近現代）

Subject Name
（Katakana）ニホンノブンガク（キンゲンダイ）

Subject Name in
English Jananese Literature(Modern)

Instructor DALMI KATALIN

Instructor
(Katakana) ダルミ　カタリン

Campus Higashi-Senda Semester/Term 1st-Year, Second Semester, Second Semester

Days, Periods, and Classrooms (2nd) Weds11-12：Online

Lesson Style Lecture Lesson Style
(More Details) Online (simultaneous interactive)

The course will be conducted via Microsoft Teams. Detailed information will be provided to registered students through Momiji before the start of the course.

Credits 2.0 Class Hours/Week 2 Language of Instruction J : Japanese

Course Level 1 : Undergraduate Introductory

Course Area（Area） 23 : Arts and Humanities

Course Area（Discipline） 05 : Literature

Eligible Students

Keywords Contemporary Japanese Literature, Haruki Murakami, Yoshimoto Banana, Murata Sayaka

Special Subject for Teacher Education 　 Special Subject 　

Class Status within
Liberal Arts Education Area Courses（Courses in Arts and Humanities/Social Sciences)　Category：Literature / Linguistics
Expected Outcome 1. Students will be able to explain the formation and development of each academic field, as well as its contemporary issues.
2. Students will be able to explain historical and contemporary issues that span multiple academic disciplines from a multifaceted perspective.

Class Objectives
/Class Outline In recent years, interest in Japanese literature has been growing in the West. This course examines works by Haruki Murakami, Banana Yoshimoto, and Sayaka Murata, all of whom have received high acclaim overseas, and explores the distinctive features of each author as well as the characteristics of contemporary Japanese literature. In addition, focusing on themes such as “literature and fictionality” and “literature and disaster,” students will study the significance of each work.

Class Schedule Lesson 1 Introduction: An Overview of Contemporary Japanese Literature
Lesson 2 Contemporary Japanese Literature in a Global Context
Lesson 3 Literature and Fictionality — Reading Haruki Murakami’s “Firefly”
Lesson 4 Literature and the Fantastic — Reading Haruki Murakami’s “Barn Burning”
Lesson 5 Literature and the Fantastic — Reading Haruki Murakami’s “The Dancing Dwarf” and “Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman”
Lesson 6 Literature and Disaster — Reading Haruki Murakami’s “UFO in Kushiro” and “Landscape with Flatiron”
Lesson 7 Literature and Disaster — Reading Haruki Murakami’s “All God’s Children Can Dance” and “Thailand”
Lesson 8 Literature and Disaster — Reading Haruki Murakami’s “Super-Frog Saves Tokyo” and “Honey Pie”
Lesson 9 Literature and Adaptation — Focusing on the Manga Adaptations of “Firefly” and “Super-Frog Saves Tokyo”
Lesson 10 Literature and Family — Reading Banana Yoshimoto’s “Kitchen”
Lesson 11 Literature and Family — Reading Banana Yoshimoto’s “Full Moon (Kitchen 2)”
Lesson 12 Literature and Society — Reading Sayaka Murata’s Convenience Store Woman (1)
Lesson 13 Literature and Labor — Reading Sayaka Murata’s Convenience Store Woman (2)
Lesson 14 Literature and Pregnancy/Childbirth — Reading Sayaka Murata’s “Murder Birth”
Lesson 15 Conclusion

Assignments and final report

Students will be required to provide feedback after each class.

Text/Reference
Books,etc. Textbook (in Japanese):
Murakami Haruki, Hotaru / Naya o Yaku / Sonota no Tanpen (Shinchō Bunko), Shinchōsha, 1987.
Murakami Haruki, Kami no Kodomo-tachi wa Mina Odoru (Shinchō Bunko), Shinchōsha, 2002.
Yoshimoto Banana, Kicchin (Kadokawa Bunko), KADOKAWA, 1998.
Murata Sayaka, Konbini Ningen (Bunshun Bunko), Bungei Shunjū, 2018.
Murata Sayaka, Satsujin Shussan (Kōdansha Bunko), Kōdansha, 2016.

Additional teaching materials will be distributed during class.

PC or AV used in
Class,etc. Handouts, Microsoft Teams, moodle

(More Details)

Learning techniques to be incorporated Discussions

Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review Lessons 1–2
Students are required to prepare the necessary background knowledge of modern literary history.
Lessons 3–14
Students must review the distributed materials, read the assigned works, and submit the required assignments by the designated deadlines.
Lesson 15
Students should review the course content and incorporate it into their final paper.

Requirements

Grading Method Assessment will be based on assignments (30%), the final paper (60%), and class participation (10%).

Practical Experience

Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it

Message Come to class prepared, having read the assigned works in advance.
Be sure to obtain the books listed under “Textbooks” and bring them to class, as we will work directly with those texts.

Other As this course is conducted in Japanese, sufficient Japanese proficiency (equivalent to JLPT N1 level) is required.

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	2026Year	School/Graduate School	Liberal Arts Education Program
Lecture Code	61854201	Subject Classification	Area Courses
Subject Name	日本の文学（近現代）
Subject Name （Katakana）	ニホンノブンガク（キンゲンダイ）
Subject Name in English	Jananese Literature(Modern)
Instructor	DALMI KATALIN
Instructor (Katakana)	ダルミ　カタリン
Campus	Higashi-Senda	Semester/Term	1st-Year, Second Semester, Second Semester
Days, Periods, and Classrooms	(2nd) Weds11-12：Online
Lesson Style	Lecture	Lesson Style (More Details)	Online (simultaneous interactive)
The course will be conducted via Microsoft Teams. Detailed information will be provided to registered students through Momiji before the start of the course.
Credits	2.0	Class Hours/Week	2	Language of Instruction	J : Japanese
Course Level	1 : Undergraduate Introductory
Course Area（Area）	23 : Arts and Humanities
Course Area（Discipline）	05 : Literature
Eligible Students
Keywords	Contemporary Japanese Literature, Haruki Murakami, Yoshimoto Banana, Murata Sayaka
Special Subject for Teacher Education		Special Subject
Class Status within Liberal Arts Education	Area Courses（Courses in Arts and Humanities/Social Sciences)　Category：Literature / Linguistics
Expected Outcome	1. Students will be able to explain the formation and development of each academic field, as well as its contemporary issues. 2. Students will be able to explain historical and contemporary issues that span multiple academic disciplines from a multifaceted perspective.
Class Objectives /Class Outline	In recent years, interest in Japanese literature has been growing in the West. This course examines works by Haruki Murakami, Banana Yoshimoto, and Sayaka Murata, all of whom have received high acclaim overseas, and explores the distinctive features of each author as well as the characteristics of contemporary Japanese literature. In addition, focusing on themes such as “literature and fictionality” and “literature and disaster,” students will study the significance of each work.
Class Schedule	Lesson 1 Introduction: An Overview of Contemporary Japanese Literature Lesson 2 Contemporary Japanese Literature in a Global Context Lesson 3 Literature and Fictionality — Reading Haruki Murakami’s “Firefly” Lesson 4 Literature and the Fantastic — Reading Haruki Murakami’s “Barn Burning” Lesson 5 Literature and the Fantastic — Reading Haruki Murakami’s “The Dancing Dwarf” and “Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman” Lesson 6 Literature and Disaster — Reading Haruki Murakami’s “UFO in Kushiro” and “Landscape with Flatiron” Lesson 7 Literature and Disaster — Reading Haruki Murakami’s “All God’s Children Can Dance” and “Thailand” Lesson 8 Literature and Disaster — Reading Haruki Murakami’s “Super-Frog Saves Tokyo” and “Honey Pie” Lesson 9 Literature and Adaptation — Focusing on the Manga Adaptations of “Firefly” and “Super-Frog Saves Tokyo” Lesson 10 Literature and Family — Reading Banana Yoshimoto’s “Kitchen” Lesson 11 Literature and Family — Reading Banana Yoshimoto’s “Full Moon (Kitchen 2)” Lesson 12 Literature and Society — Reading Sayaka Murata’s Convenience Store Woman (1) Lesson 13 Literature and Labor — Reading Sayaka Murata’s Convenience Store Woman (2) Lesson 14 Literature and Pregnancy/Childbirth — Reading Sayaka Murata’s “Murder Birth” Lesson 15 Conclusion Assignments and final report Students will be required to provide feedback after each class.
Text/Reference Books,etc.	Textbook (in Japanese): Murakami Haruki, Hotaru / Naya o Yaku / Sonota no Tanpen (Shinchō Bunko), Shinchōsha, 1987. Murakami Haruki, Kami no Kodomo-tachi wa Mina Odoru (Shinchō Bunko), Shinchōsha, 2002. Yoshimoto Banana, Kicchin (Kadokawa Bunko), KADOKAWA, 1998. Murata Sayaka, Konbini Ningen (Bunshun Bunko), Bungei Shunjū, 2018. Murata Sayaka, Satsujin Shussan (Kōdansha Bunko), Kōdansha, 2016. Additional teaching materials will be distributed during class.
PC or AV used in Class,etc.	Handouts, Microsoft Teams, moodle
(More Details)
Learning techniques to be incorporated	Discussions
Suggestions on Preparation and Review	Lessons 1–2 Students are required to prepare the necessary background knowledge of modern literary history. Lessons 3–14 Students must review the distributed materials, read the assigned works, and submit the required assignments by the designated deadlines. Lesson 15 Students should review the course content and incorporate it into their final paper.
Requirements
Grading Method	Assessment will be based on assignments (30%), the final paper (60%), and class participation (10%).
Practical Experience
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it
Message	Come to class prepared, having read the assigned works in advance. Be sure to obtain the books listed under “Textbooks” and bring them to class, as we will work directly with those texts.
Other	As this course is conducted in Japanese, sufficient Japanese proficiency (equivalent to JLPT N1 level) is required.
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.

Back to syllabus main page