Leiden University Student Repository

Kampman, David (2023)

Keeping the classics alive: how karuta contributed to the contemporary popularity of the Hyakunin Isshu

Master thesis | Asian Studies (60 EC) (MA)

In this thesis, I argue that, perhaps more than any other contributing factor, the card game known as Hyakunin Isshu karuta plays a major role in the popularity of the Hyakunin Isshu anthology today, and has done so ever since the conception of the game. Where the once-popular woodblock printed parodies and educational books that featured the poems inevitably fell out of fashion, karuta has seen attempts at modernization, standardization and national organization that secured not only its own survival into the twenty-first century, but that of the anthology as well. As there was very little research on this specific topic at the time of writing, I sought to answer this question: how has karuta, and the popularity thereof, concretely contributed to the popularity of the Hyakunin Isshu in the past 70 years?

Karuta

Hyakunin Isshu Karuta

Utagaruta

Hyakunin Isshu

One Hundred Poets

Chihayafuru

All-Japan Karuta Association

Author

Kampman, David

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

East Asian Studies

Supervisors

Smits, I.B.

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en