Open Talk: Did Heian-Period Infants Tell ‘Monogatari’?
We welcome Dr. Saki Koizumi, An Assistant Professor at Waseda University, who will explore how ‘monogatari’ was perceived by the people in Heian period.
How was the term ‘monogatari’ used in Japan approximately a thousand years ago? Examining examples of usage from the Heian period reveals that the term ‘monogatari’ refers not only to written texts, but also to people’s verbal interactions. Notably, there are expressions in which infants under one year of age—who are not yet expected to understand language—are described as telling ‘monogatari.’ Furthermore, these expressions appear to be employed in a manner distinct from infant speech. Such examples offer insight into how ‘monogatari’ was understood at that time.
In this lecture, she will examine the depictions of infants telling ‘monogatari’ in Heian period literary works (monogatari bungaku), particularly Genji monogatari, to explore how ‘monogatari’ was perceived by the people of that time.
- Day & Time：January 30th, 2026 (Friday), 14:00-15:00
- Venue：Lab (2nd floor of WIHL)
- Language：Japanese
- Participation：Free
- Participants：Students, Faculty and Public
- Presented by the Yanai Initiative for Globalizing Japanese Humanities, with support from the Waseda International House of Literature
Lecture
Saki KOIZUMI
An Assistant Professor (non-tenure-track) at Waseda University, Tokyo. She received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Literature from Waseda University. Her research focuses on literary works from the Heian period, particularly the ‘monogatari’ genre, with a special focus on Genji monogatari. Her major publications include “‘Monogatari’ in the Tenarai Chapter of Genji monogatari: Kīnokami and Hikarukimi” (Bungaku, Gogaku, Vol. 233, December 2021), and “The Nature of ‘Monogatari’ in Monogatari Bungaku: Reconsideration of Its Meaning and Its Relation to Synonyms” (Kodai Chūsei Bungaku Ronkō, Vol. 47, October 2022). She is the recipient of the 54th Waseda University Japanese Literature Society (Kubota Utsuho) Award (2022).
Facilitator
Yanai Initiative Committee Member: Erika OHKI
Contact
Yanai Initiative for Globalizing Japanese Humanities: [email protected]
