Two cont’d: 0:00—A grave meeting. 6:06—Under the gingko tree. 10:26—The knocking at the gate. 15:46—The woman escapes. 16:34—Interlude.

Three. 17:43— Researcher & rogue. 23:15— Kō-San’s diary. 26:56—Hereditary transmission. 33:37—Japanese relations. 35:2608—Conclusion. 38:13—Dickensian childhood. 40:10—Dysfunctional marriage. 42:25—Bad karma. 44:34—Sōseki on the Russo-Japanese War. 55:05—Tasteless criticism. 1:04:14—The Japanese Spirit. 1:09:39—Closing.

Text: Natsume Sōseki, The Heredity of Taste. Translated by Sammy I. Tsunematsu. Boston: Tuttle, 2004.

Interlude: “Tasogare” (“Twilight”), performed by Soy Nakamura, Japanese Music for Koto and Shakuhachi, Toshiba Records, Internet Archive.

Illustration: Natsume Sōseki (1910), Wikimedia.

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Contact: jimjneilson@gmail.com

One. 0:00—Apology. 1:57— Sōseki’s reputation. 4:26—Writing The Heredity of Taste. 6:01—The dogs of war. 10:07: Banzai! 14:26—General Nogi. 17:17—The narrator. 18:40—Digressions. 22:27—Aaagh! 24:25—A true war story. 26:26—A question of tone. 30:00—Vitality & neurasthenia. 33:37—The best of Japan. 36:16—Interlude.

Two: 38:37—A lyrical passage. 41:09—Port Arthur. 43:01—Human bullets. 44:04—November 26, 1905. 47:15—A distant observer. 48:40—Dogs, ants, spiders, snakes, snails, & tadpoles. 50:13—Kō-San’s rise & fall. 52:23—The call of the war. 57:09—In the ditch. 1:02:37—The final tally. 1:04:06—Closing.

Text: Natsume Sōseki, The Heredity of Taste. Translated by Sammy I. Tsunematsu. Boston: Tuttle, 2004.

Interlude: “Battoutai,”Japanese Old Gunka (Military March) Collection, Internet Archive.

Illustration: Natsume Sōseki (1912), "Portraits of Modern Japanese Historical Figures," National Diet Library, Japan.

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Contact: jimjneilson@gmail.com

Chapters 17-20: 0:00—Girls’ school. 6:37—Byron’s character. 9:57—Shinoda’s sermon. 12:17—Workers’ meeting. 19:26—Interlude.

Chapters 21-23: 20:21—Umeko eyes Matsushima. 28:00—General Aritomo Yamagata. 30:41—Shutting down Shinoda. 31:27—Why war? 37:10—Imperialism. 44:09—Interlude.

Chapters 24-30: 45:05—Shinoda in Chichibu. 52:18—Comrade Azuma. 55:15—Society strikes back. 1:03:18—Political posturing. 1:06:30—Closing.

Text: Kinoshita, Naoe. Pillar of Fire. Translated by Kenneth Strong. London: George Allen & Unwin. 1972.

Interlude: Ensemble Nipponia, "Edo No Uta", performed by Minoru Miki and Ayako Handa, Soloists of the Ensemble Nipponia (1976, Nonesuch Records, H-72072, Internet Archive).

Illustration: Naoe Kinoshita, 1937 (Wikipedia).

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Contact: jimjneilson@gmail.com

Thanks to Professor David Ambaras and the students of HIS 573: Japan's Empire in Asia, 1868-1945, NCSU, Fall 2024.