紀要論文

The cross-cultural view toward the West in Okakura's The Book of Tea

eng

13491954

https://doi.org/10.15002/00003955

法政大学大学院　国際日本学インスティテュート専攻委員会

6

114

99

2009-03-18

Version of Record

This article examines Okakura Kakuzo’s perception of the relationship between Asia and the West and Japan and the West in his The Book of Tea (茶の本). Okakura Kakuzo (岡倉覚三, 1862-1913) is one of the most important and international scholars in modern Japan and The Book of Tea is not only his masterpiece but also became a classic of modern English literature. In the first chapter of this book Okakura compares the cultures of Asia to that of the West and examines their relationships. According to Okakura, the East and the West should not stand in opposition, but cooperate in order to deal with their own shortcomings. In other word, escaping from situations such as where the existence of another continent is denied, all countries reach a stage where harmony is maintained through the necessity of mutual respect for the other. Such a kind of view is an almost multicultural one in our present age and it is quite characteristic of Okakura’s cross-cultural understanding. To clear this point we used the concept of “the ethnographic triad” by Kuwayama Takami (桑山敬己, 1955- ) and compared The book of Tea and The Bushidō, The Soul of Japan (武士道, 1899) written by Nitobe Inazō (新渡戸稲造, 1862-1933). As a result what was cleared is that Nitobe presents western countries as absolutely advanced in contrast with Japan which he sees as absolutely inferior in The Bushidō. On the other hand Okakura wanted to his concept to Westerners that Japanese culture is equal, not just compatible with Western civilisation. And it is also suggested that a view such as this one by Okakura is adequate for our present age, when antagonisms between the East and the West are covered up, and the gap between North and South or between South and South in economic strength and power continues to assume serious proportions.

Article

AA12030252