UCLA UCLA Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title Floating Between Worlds: The Intersection Between Performance and Popular Fiction in the Works of Ihara Saikaku Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8840m410 Author Kanesaka, Kirk Ken Publication Date 2018 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Floating Between Worlds: The Intersection Between Performance and Popular Fiction in the Works of Ihara Saikaku A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Languages and Cultures by Kirk Ken Kanesaka 2018 © Copyright by Kirk Ken Kanesaka 2018 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Floating Between Worlds: The Intersection Between Performance and Popular Fiction in the Works of Ihara Saikaku by Kirk Ken Kanesaka Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Languages and Cultures University of California, Los Angeles, 2018 Professor Torquil Duthie, Chair This dissertation examines the emerging genre of popular fiction during the Early Modern period (1600-1868). My primary focus is on the popular fiction writer Ihara Saikaku (1642-1694) and in particular his fourth erotic work, The Sensuality of Five Women (1686). Previous scholarly approaches to literary texts has tended to be limited to interpreting, analyzing, or annotating such texts, including scholarly works on Saikaku. The aim of this dissertation is to expand our understanding of Saikaku’s works beyond a strictly literary approach and illustrate how the performing and visual arts influence the creation of Saikaku’s popular fiction. By incorporating a theatrical and visual approach to Saikaku’s works, I illustrate how early modern ii popular fiction did not emerge independently as a genre, but rather was highly integrated within the various artistic genres. This study limits its scoop on chapters one, four and five within The Sensuality of Five Women because all three of the female protagonists are of the same age, from the same social class, and are all coming to terms with the exploration of their sexuality. However, I contextualize these stories within the larger framework of Saikaku’s other erotic works to also illustrate how The Sensuality of Five Women served as a turning point within Saikaku’s early career as a popular fiction writer. Furthermore, this study incorporates analysis of woodblock prints, or sashi-e 挿絵, incorporated within The Sensuality of Five Women. These woodblock prints are believed to be originally drawn by Saikaku before being commissioned by artisans in order to be mass produced for publication. Previous scholarships on Saikaku has largely overlooked these woodblock illustrations, mainly because literature scholars tended to stay within the boundaries of the written texts. Yet, I argue these woodblock prints offer a glimpse into the mind of Saikaku and offered insights to various levels of interpretations of the narratives by his audiences. The inclusion of these woodblock prints furthers my argument that popular fiction did not evolve independently as a genre, but rather emerged interconnected to both the performing and visual arts. iii The dissertation of Kirk Ken Kanesaka is approved. Satoko Shimazaki Seiji M. Lippit Torquil Duthie, Committee Chair University of California, Los Angeles 2018 iv DEDICATION In Loving Memory of my Grandmother: My source of Inspiration v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ii DEDICATION v LIST OF FIGURES vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ix VITA x INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER ONE: SAIKAKU’S RETELLING OF ONATSU AND SEIJŪRŌ 24 CHAPTER TWO: TRANSCENDING BOUNDARIES OF SOCIAL CLASS: THE TALE OF OSHICHI AND KICHISABURŌ 78 CHAPTER THREE: CREATING THE EARLY MODERN TOWNSMAN: THE STORY OF GENGOBEI AND OMAN 136 CONCLUSION 191 BIBLOGRAPHY 197 vi LIST OF FIGURES TABLE 1: SAIKAKU’S INTERACTIONS WITH PERFORMING ARTS 14-15 FIGURE 1.1: YONOSUKE PEEPING INTO THE MAIDS 62 FIGURE 1.2: NARIHIRA AND FRIENDS ON THE SUMIDA RIVER 63 FIGURE 1.3: SEIJŪRŌ AND ONATSU ELOPING 66 FIGURE 1.4: THE TALES OF SUMIDAGAWA 66 FIGURE 2.1: OSHICHI TRAVELING TO KICHISABURŌ’S ROOM 86 FIGURE 2.2: LADY ISE TRAVELING WITH HER COMPLETED VERSION OF THE TALE OF ISE 87 FIGURE 2.3: OSHICHI DEPARTURE FROM TEMPLE KICHISABURŌ IN DISUGISE 96 FIGURE 2.4: KICHISABURŌ IN THE TWILIGHT 105 FIGURE 2.5: OSHICHI REALIZING IT IS KICHISABURŌ 122 FIGURE 2.6: OSHICHI CONTEMPLATING HER LIFE 129 FIGURE 2.7: ONO NO KOMACHI 130 FIGURE 2.8: SAIKAKU’S ONO NO KOMACHI 130 vii FIGURE 3.1: GENGOBEI PERFORMING AS ARASHI SA’EMON I AND OMAN PERFORMING KABUKI DANCE 161 FIGURE 3.2: GENGOBEI BEING HANDED THE KEYS TO THE STOREHOUSE FULL OF TREASURES 169 FIGURE 3.3: GENGOBEI AND HACHIJŪRŌ PLAYING A DUET 175 FIGURE 3.4: GENGOBEI ENCOUNTING THE YOUTH 176 FIGURE 3.5: YONOSUKE SET SAIL FOR THE ISLAND OF WOMEN 177 FIGURE 3.6: OMAN PEEKING IN ON GENGOBEI 187 viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project would not have been possible without the generous support of the Fulbright Fellowship (IIE), UCLA Terasaki Center for Japanese Studies, Haruhisa Handa of Shinto Studies, Waseda University, and the Tadashi Yanai Initiative for Globalizing Japanese Humanities, each of which provided the many opportunities to further my research for this project. I would like to first thank my kabuki master, Sakata Tōjūrō IV for the countless hours he spent conversing with me as he prepared for his performances during my time in Tokyō as a research fellow for two years and to the late Bandō Mitsugorō X, who shared generations of acting interpretations. I am equally grateful to Nakamura Kazutarō, and to Nakamura Gannosuke, Nakamura Gansei, and Nakamura Ganyo, all of whom has always found the time out of their busy schedules to accommodate my needs, answer my questions, and give me the moral support needed to continue with my research. During my two years conducting research in Japan, I am thankful to Professor Takashi Nakajima at Waseda University who had taken me under his wings and guided me to not only focus on my particular interests, but to broaden my understanding of early modern literature in general and for the countless dinners and drinks after the seminars. In addition, I wish to thank Professor Ryūichi Kodama (Waseda University) and Professor Hideo Furuichi (Tokyō University) who constantly challenged me to expand my understanding of Japanese performing arts and introduced me to current trends in the research being conducted within the field. The countless seminars they had designed for me during my time in Tokyō will always be cherished. ix This project could not have been made possible without the support of both my UCLA senpais and kohais. I am so grateful to Caleb Carter who even away during his post-doctoral fellowship and later his appointment at Kyūshu University, still took time to always answer any questions that I may have. My kohais, Shih-Wei Sun, Mariko Takano, Danica Truscott, Raiyah Bint Al-Hussein, Kim McNelly, Eric Siercks, and Yasmine Krings who all kept me sane, gave me moral support, feedback, and who always came out for social gatherings, I thank you for being the best kohais anyone could wish for. I am also thankful to my family who was always there for me. My grandmother, although she did not see me complete this project, was and still is the inspiration behind my passions for the Japanese arts and literature, my parents and my siblings who never lost faith in me completing this project. Last but not least, I would like to thank my committee members. Professor William Bodiford who will always be an inspiration of the passionate teacher and mentor, taking interest in my side projects and pushing me forward with my studies. Professor Seiji Lippit who introduced me to the links between premodern and modern literature, expanding my interests in the evolution of Japanese performing arts into the contemporary ages. Professor Satoko Shimazaki who has taught, guided and shared her expertise in Japanese theater and performing arts. Finally, my main advisor Professor Torquil Duthie for whom I know this project, nor my progress as a graduate student, would have never been possible without his constant support, understanding, guidance, and patience. I am truly blessed with having the best mentors, department and colleagues that all have made this project possible. x VITA Education Master’s Degree Southern California University 2010 B.A. University of California, Los Angeles 2008 INVITED TALKS “Senjaku’s Gaze: Kabuki for the Modern Woman.” Department of Drama, Theatre and Dance of Royal Holloway 2nd Annual Symposium. Egham, England. May 2018. “From One Generation to the Next: Secret Transmissions in Staging The Maiden at Dōjōji Temple.” University of Southern California. March 2018. “Peaking Behind the Stripped Curtain: Producing a Kabuki Performance.” University of California, Los Angeles. January 2018. “Anime to Nihon kenkyū” (“Anime and Japanese Studies”). Key Note Speaker. Japanese Language Unified School Kyōdo System. September 2017. “The Gaze that Triggered the ‘Senjaku Boom.’” Association for Asian Performance. Las Vegas, NV. August 2017. “Traditional Japanese Theater and Theater Studies in a Global Age.” The Yanai Initiative for Japanese Performing Arts Program at UCLA. Los Angeles, Ca. May 2017. “From the Drawing Board to the Center Stage: A look into the crossover from manga to the Kabuki Theater: One Piece.” Key Note Speaker. California State University, San Bernardino. November 2016. xi “Exploring the Actor’s Analects of Kyōkanoko Musume Dōjōji” in Japanese. Waseda Theater and Film Conference at Waseda University. July 2015. “Viewing Kabuki from the Center Stage: An Examination of a Woman’s Sexuality in Kyōkanoko Musume Dōjōji.” Association of Asian Studies Conference. Chicago, IL. March 2015. “Viewing Japanese Culture through the Animated Eye: Japanese Culture and Anime. Key Note Speaker. Aurora Foundation at University of California, Irvine. May 2013. “Re-imagining the Japanese Cultural Identity through Anime.” Key Note Speaker.