Faculty & Research

Brief profile：

Arima received her M.A. and PhD degrees from the School of Human Sciences, Osaka University, Japan, in 1983 and 2003, respectively. She was a technical officer of Osaka University, an associate professor at Poole Gakuin University, before taking up her present post in 2000. As an author and co-author, she has published books, papers in Japanese and other international scientific journals. Her research interests are in Group Processes and Collective Intelligence.

"Psychology of Group and Collective Intelligence"(Springer Nature, https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-84698-5?sap-outbound-id=3509CBB3BBA515BE16E78E752AB1C8B79474FEF9)

Overview：

Collective intelligence refers to a phenomenon in which intelligence (adaptability to the environment) is more significant than the sum of individuals appears in a group. We can see the collective intelligence created by humans in various scenarios as a phenomenon synthesizing a combination of individual recognition, group cooperation, and distributed processing networks. In the past, crowds that caused phenomena such that economic bubbles and crowd avalanches were considered foolish. However, presently, evolving internet-related technology has overturned that idea. For example, it has been proven that it is more "intelligent" to aggregate many people's solutions than to write the rules in a program when trying to find answers for translations and search items. The intelligence brought by the crowd has been accepted as a surprise and actively studied as collective intelligence, or “the wisdom of the crowd." 
People can be less intelligent or more intelligent, depending on the conditions around them. This book aims to integrate research on collective intelligence that highlights the "wisdom of the crowd" and research on group processes that exaggerate the "madness of the crowd." 
This book first overviews psychological research related to individual cognition (Chap. 1) and groups (Chap. 2) and summarizes research on collective behavior (Chap. 3). In the first three chapters, I introduce cognitive level, group level, and structure level factors. In the latter three chapters, I summarize research on collective intelligence (Chap. 4) and collective intelligence related to organizations (Chap. 5) and, finally, introduce research  on collective intelligence on the Internet (Chap. 6).

Brief profile：

Ikeda graduated from Kyoto University of Education in 2012 with a degree in Social Studies Education. He worked as a clerical worker at a private company, a teacher at a public elementary school, and a teacher at an elementary school affiliated with a university of education before assuming his current position. His research interests include social studies education, value judgment and decision making, intuition, and lessons theory. His major books and articles include Atarashii kyōshokukyōikukōza Kyōkakyōikuhen Shotō shakaikakyōiku” (New Teaching Education Course, Textbook Education Edition, Elementary Social Studies Education) (2018, Minerva Shobo), ”Shōgakkō shakaika ni okeru Heuristic shikō no kōka−Polya no shikō model wo katsuyōshita jugyōbunseki” (Effects of Heuristic Conception in Elementary Social Studies: Lesson Analysis utilizing Mind Model of Polya) (Society for Social Studies Subject Education, Journal of Social Studies Subject Education, No. 31, 2019, pp. 51-60), etc.

”Shōgakkō shakaika ni okeru heuristic shikō no kōka−Polya no shikō model wo katsuyōshita jugyōbunseki” (Effects of Heuristic Conception in Elementary Social Studies: Lesson analysis utilizing mind model of polya) (Society for Social Subjects Education, Journal of Social Subjects Education, No. 31, 2019, pp. 51-60)

Abstract：

This study clarified the effects of “flash (leap)” in social studies lessons and its necessity in social studies education. Previous research on social studies education has examined “logic” using induction and deduction. However, “flash (leaps)” is thought of as “subjective guesses and assumptions” and “speculative expectations,” but there has been insufficient research on the background of these flash and their effects. Moreover, without “subjective guesses and assumptions,” we cannot recognize the relationships between facts, and without “speculative expectations,” it becomes difficult to exercise creativity. Therefore, in this study, I proceeded with the following steps. (1) Define “flash (leap).” (2) Using the thought model of the mathematician Polya, I presented a method for examining the effects of “flash (leap)” in elementary school social studies discussion (inquiry process) lessons. (3) Lesson analysis based on lesson records of elementary school social studies discussions (inquiry process) was conducted to demonstrate the effects of “flash (leap).” In (1), I called it “flash (leap)” “heuristic conception” and defined it as “a conception with an effective leap based on empirical rules. In (2) and (3), I clarified that heuristic conception shows the following four characteristics in the process of inquiry in discussion. (1) Heuristic conception successfully connects items that do not seem to be connected at first glance. (2) It deepens the meaning of previously learned items. (3) It is an opportunity for students to form many opinions. (4) It is a question that broadens students’ worldviews.

Brief profile：

Okamoto completed his doctoral studies at Osaka University’s Graduate School of Human Sciences in 1993. He worked as an assistant in the Graduate School of Language and Culture at Osaka University, a research support promoter at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies, and a lecturer in the Faculty of Law at Kyoto Gakuen University before assuming his current position. His research interests include communication theory and the sociology of knowledge. His publications include Communication Shakaigaku Nyūmon (Introduction to Communication Sociology, co-authored, 2010, Sekai Shiso-sha), “Satoyama no kōki-kindai: hitobito no kankeisei to bunka-tayōsei” ("Satoyama in Late Modernity: Human relations and cultural diversity", Journal of Human Cultural Studies 33: 97-112, 2014), and “Yoron-chōsa ni okeru shutai no kōchiku” ("The Construction of the Subject in Public Opinion Polls",  Journal of Human Cultural Studies 40: 95-103, 2018).

" Satoyama in Late Modernity: Human relations and cultural diversity " (Journal of Human Cultural Studies 33: 97-112, 2014)
 

Abstract：

This paper attempts to clarify satoyama (secondary nature that people have historically coexisted with and utilized in agriculture, forestry, etc.) in Japan today in relation to the society of late modernity, also known as radicalized modernity (Giddens 1994). In particular, I focused on the following two points: (1) community and (2) the diversification of people's understanding of satoyama. I attempted to understand existing research on satoyama from these perspectives in addition to my own fieldwork in Nantan City in Kyoto Prefecture.
(1) Community: Gerard Delanti discusses the nature of community in late modernity and says that it has become more fluid and open (Delanti 2003). I argued that the Japanese satoyama community has not only the characteristics of a traditional community but also the same characteristics that Delanti describes.
(2) Diversification of the understanding of satoyama: radicalized modernity brought about cultural diversity. This also applies to satoyama in Japan. Satoyama have long attracted attention for their biodiversity, but they also generate cultural diversity. Both the people who live in satoyama and those who visit them for tourism have a more diverse understanding of satoyama than they did in the past. For example, over the past decade, people have been consciously choosing more scenic assets rather than waiting for them to be produced naturally. This fact can be understood as a thorough reflexive monitoring characteristic of modernity. In addition, just as outsiders play a role in environmental movements by bringing a broader perspective as well as introducing new perspectives, today’s fluidity of communities is also related to the diversification of understanding.

Brief profile：

Ogawa finished the Graduate School of Letters at Kyoto University in 1984 with doctoral coursework completion in sociology; he holds a Master of Arts degree. His research interests include poverty and social disparities, monarchies, and monetary theory. His major books and articles include The Sociology of the Honour System (2009, Koyo-Shobo) and "Prohibition of Interest and the Modern Monetary Theory" (Journal of Human Cultural Studies No. 46, 4-25).

“Prohibition of Interest and the Modern Monetary Theory” (Journal of Human Cultural Studies No. 46, 4-25)
 

Abstract：

It seems natural to gain interest on a loan, but as long as this is allowed, we cannot decrease economic differences and halt economic growth. When lenders are permitted to gain interest on loans, a worker cannot take all of what he has earned if he has borrowed money from others. He must pay interest to those who lent money to him. Thus, the economic difference between lenders and borrowers will inevitably become larger. And a company manager who borrows money from others must produce more profit than the previous year if he wants to make the same amount of profit as that year because he must pay interest to the lenders. However, even if this idea is right, it is not feasible because no one will lend money if they cannot gain interest on the loan.

The Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) argues that the sovereign state can issue money by itself. If this is correct, it becomes possible for the state to lend money with no interest. In many countries, money is generally issued by central banks. Central banks are private companies and lend money with interest, but when the state itself issues money, it can lend money with no interest.

Brief profile：

Kaji graduated from the Graduate School of Letters at Kyoto University after completing doctoral coursework in 2004, and was awarded a doctorate in literature from the same institution in 2008. He worked as an assistant professor at the Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University and as an associate professor in the Faculty of Humanities, Kyoto Gakuen University before assuming his current position. His research field is the Edo period in Japanese history, and his main research themes include the culture of books, images of emperors, and the brothels of Gion. His major papers include Edo jidai kyoyōbunka no naka no tenno and kugezo (Images of Tenno and his court nobles in the educated culture in the Edo Period) , Nihonshi kenkyu (Journal of Japanese History) , 571, 2010, Oumi hakkei shiika no denpa to juyō (A Study on the Diffusion and Reception of Chinese and Japanese Poetry of the "Eight Views of Omi) Shirin (The journal of history) , 96-2, 2013, and Edo jidai tenaraidokoro ni okeru tanabata matsuri no hirogari to shomotsubunka (The Spread of the Tanabata Festival at private elementary schools and the Culture of Books in the Edo-Period) included in Bunkashi no naka no kokakutenno (Emperor Kōkaku in Cultural History) edited by Iikura yoichi and Morita teiko , Tokyo:Bensei Publishing, 2018.

“Edo jidai kōki no gion to isshofutsu yōshi musume” (A Study of Gion and the Adopted Daughters who were Separated from their Parents for Life in the Late Edo Period), Shirin (The journal of history), 104-1, 2021.

This study focuses on the girls who came to live in Gion, a prosperous brothel district in Kyoto in the late Edo period, under the contract of Isshōfutsū yōshi(adoption with lifelong separation from biological parents), and clarifies a part of their lives, as well as the political position and social roles that Gion occupied within Kyoto. After pointing out the lack of research based on historical documents, the first section provides the historical development of Gion’s brothels. Concerning the administrative responses of the shogunate and the town magistrate's office to Gion, studies of which have previously focused on the aspect of controlling public morals, I clarified through detailed investigation that measures based on economic policies were also at play.

In the second section, to shed light on the reality of the lifelong adoption contract, I examined various documents related to the contract itself, geisha bōkō shōmon (the geisha apprenticeship certificate) and Yūjo bōkō shōmon (The prostitute apprenticeship certificate), documents related to the town magistrate, and other documents related to Gion; mainly from the Gion-chō documents owned by the Kyoto University Museum, and introduced over a hundred cases of adopted girls, most of whom came to Gion when they were before age of ten and were from the class of home renters living in the city or outskirts of Kyoto.

In the third section, I explored what became of the girls who had come to Gion. Specifically, I examined historical material such as the geisha apprenticeship certificate and the prostitute apprenticeship certificate, uncovering cases of women who left Gion because of illness, transfer to other areas, or marriage, and also of women who continued to live in Gion after their service ended. The geisha and prostitutes of Gion were adopted as girls from lower-class families who had received charity from the shogunate or wealthy merchants during Kyoto's economic decline at the time, and some who remained in Gion became managers of the chaya businesses where they had been adopted, in turn becoming givers of charity.

Brief profile：

Kimizuka completed his doctorate in Communication Studies at the Graduate School of Letters, Seijo University in 1988 and also holds a Master of Arts degree. He worked as a research producer at the PIA Institute for the Arts, a director at the Institute for the Arts, a visiting researcher at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies, and a professor at the Faculty of Humanities at Kyoto Gakuen University before assuming his current position. His research interests include advertising and public relations theory, sociology of art, and social history of music. His publications include Senkyoku no Shakaishi (A Social History of Musical Selection) (2018, Nihon Hyōronsha), Bunka to shiteno Komāsharu (TV Commercials as Culture) (2007, Sekai Shiso-sha) edited by Yamada Shōji, and Imēji Henshū (Image Editing) (2003, Musashino Art University Press) edited by Wakabayashi Naoki and Shirao Ryūtaro. He is a supervising editor of the culture magazine Urban Nature.

Senkyoku no shakaishi—Yōgaku-kabure no keifu (A Social History of Musical Selection: A genealogy of western music fascination) (2018, Nihon Hyōronsha)
 

Overview：

Through studying examples from various places and media, this book reveals how the act of musical selection, as performed by musicians, record producers, music selectors, DJs, and broadcasting stations, has influenced the spread of music in society, the creation and performance of musical works, and the activities and musical tastes of listeners in modern and contemporary Japan.

Since the Meiji period, the development of music in Japan has been heavily dependent on the propagation of Western music, including classical music, religious music, folk songs, and popular music, and this has also shaped listeners’ tastes. This book examines the chabuya (the term believed to have derived from the English term “chop house”) upscale dancehall-brothels that developed in Yokohama during the Meiji period (1868-1912), the clubs of the occupation forces in Japan after World War II, and the live music halls for American soldiers during the Vietnam War as the "contact zones" (Burke, 2009) with other cultures, places where the act of musical selection could have played a role in the propagation of Western music in modern and contemporary Japan. As for media that promoted the spread of Western music, this book addresses the soldier comfort-purpose records known as V-discs that were brought in by the U.S. military, as well as the Far East Network (FEN) shortwave radio broadcasts for U.S. military personnel in the Western Pacific region.

Recent decades have seen the sophistication of musical time-space design by musical selection tailored to the activities of listeners and consumers, while the spread of hip-hop and night clubbing since the 1980s has led to the evolution of the musical selection techniques of club DJs (turntablists). At the same time, background music (BGM), including cable radio, in commercial establishments such as restaurants and supermarkets has included various genres such as jazz, R&B, folk rock, and Brazilian music; departing from the boundaries of conventional BGM, such as easy listening, to create moods suitable for the activities in each place in a sophisticated manner. This study discusses how contemporary musical selection has developed as sets of comprehensive techniques using occasional music to control tastes, emotions, and activities.

Brief profile：

Sato completed his doctoral coursework at the Graduate School of Sociology at the University of Tokyo in 1987 and was awarded a doctorate in literature from Tohoku University in 1997. He served as an associate professor in the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Yokohama City University and a professor in the Graduate School of Arts and Letters at Tohoku University before assuming his current position. His research interests include social capital theory, social inequality theory, and social change theory. His major publications include Jinsei chūki no kaiso kozo (The Structure of Social Stratification in the Middle-stage of Life) (2021, University of Tokyo Press), Sosharu kyapitaru to shakai (Social Capital and Society) (2018, Minerva Shobo), and "Who Supports Redistributive Policies in Contemporary Japan?" (International Sociology 29(4): 302-323, 2014).

Sōsharu kyapitaru seisei no rironteki bunseki: Mikuro, mezzo, makuro reberu no sōgōrenkan ni chakumoku shite (A Theoretical Study of the Emergence of the Mechanisms of Social Capital: Focusing on interaction between micro, meso, and macro levels) (2019, Shakaigaku Nenpo Vol. 48, pp. 85-93) 
 

Abstract：

The purpose of this paper is to elucidate social capital-generating mechanisms by focusing on the interconnection between three levels: individuals, groups, and society. The problems concerning social capital can be roughly divided into three areas: (1) definition and conceptualization, (2) clarification of the generation process, and (3) analysis of the effects (Portes 1998). While much research has been accumulated on (1) and (3), research on (2) has not progressed as significantly. This is due to the fact that social capital is a byproduct, as Coleman (1988) notes. Taking the above into account, in this paper, I analyzed (1) the process by which higher-level mechanisms promote lower-level social capital and (2) the process by which lower-level social capital promotes higher-level social capital. An example of process (1) is that the norms, values, and social systems of general society foster trust and reciprocity among people. An example of process (2) is that, as Putnam (1993) notes, in a society in which intermediate groups are active, people can build social capital at the social level beyond those groups. By analyzing these two processes simultaneously, I find that there is a virtuous cycle process in which social capital increases at all levels but also a vicious cycle process in which social capital decreases at all levels.

Brief profile：

Tanaka received her doctorate in education from Kyoto University in 2011. She was a lecturer at the Faculty of Clinical Psychology, Kyoto Bunkyo University, and an associate professor at the Faculty of Human Environments, University of Human Environments, before assuming her current position. She is a clinical psychologist and a licensed psychologist. Her research interests include (1) research on psychotherapy and psychological assessment using imagery such as tales and drawings, and (2) research on psychological support for people living with chronic diseases such as diabetes and HIV. Her major publications include "Clinical Psychology of Tales" (2016, Sōgensha), "An Attempt at Psychoclinical Understanding of Diabetic Living: Through 'Tales' Expressed in Sandplay and Drawing" (2011, Articles of Sandplay Therapy, 24-1).

" Clinical Psychology of Tales" (2016, Sōgensha)
 

Overview：

In psychological discussions about stories and narratives, there is a tendency to emphasize that they have the plots to connect several events to each other and make sense of those events. However, in clinical psychological practice, tales told through imagery such as play therapy, drawing, dreams, daydreams, and sandplay are fragmentary and do not necessarily have a plot, while they often reflect important psychological issues for the clients. Therefore, the purpose of this book can be divided into three main categories:
(1) To organize the discussion on the concept of stories and narratives in clinical psychology and discuss the meaning of tales that contains a contradiction, ambiguity, and ridiculousness in the field of clinical psychological practice.
(2) To discuss the effects of having tales on the clients based on story creation and daydreaming research.
(3) From the interview process with people living with type 1 diabetes and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a psychological clinical setting, to discuss what kind of tales they have in their lives.
The meaning of tales in psychotherapy was examined through these three themes.

Brief profile：

Tezuka completed her doctoral studies coursework at Osaka University’s Graduate School of Letters. She worked as an assistant in the Department of Japanese Studies in the Faculty of Letters at Osaka University, visiting scholar at the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and associate professor and professor in the Faculty of Humanities at Kyoto Gakuen University before assuming her current position. Her research fields are cultural anthropology and folklore. As a researcher of folklore, she has conducted research on the historical transitions of water transportation on the Ōi River which supports the culture and economy of Kyoto, and has managed a project to reproduce the traditional rafts (a fifty-meter long series of twelve connected rafts) of the Ōi River, in cooperation with a local NPO. Her research in cultural anthropology includes a study on the reciprocal singing rituals of the Zhuang people in China. Her major books and edited volumes include Chugoku kosei chiwan zoku utagaki chosa kiroku  [Records of a Survey of the Singing Rituals of the Zhuang People in Guangxi, China ］(Taishukan Shoten, 2002) and Kyō no ikada [Rafts of Kyoto: The Hozu River as a Commons］(Nakanishiya Shuppan, 2016, edited by Tezuka Keiko et al.).

Chiwan zoku no kakeai uta ni okeru koe to moji  [Voice and Script in the Reciprocal Singing Rituals of the Zhuang People］(Asia Yugaku 254, Bensei Shuppan, 2021)

Abstract：

The Zhuang people are known for their improvisational, reciprocal singing at their song festivals. Moreover, the Zhuang people write songs and prayers using Chinese characters in combination with the ancient Zhuang script, which is based on ancient Chinese characters.

It is said that voice cultures and writing cultures have divergent characteristics. In a place such as a Zhuang community, where the culture of voice is strong, in what way do voice and writing coexist in linguistic expression? Through a case study of "narrative songs" and "figurative songs" sung by the Zhuang people, I considered this question and came to the conclusion outlined below.

The narrative songs have been handed down in the form of written text. However, they are meant to be performed vocally. They have been handed down not only through the written tradition but also through the process of transferring from script to voice and from voice to script.

Figurative songs are rarely handed down in written form. However, figurative songs have acquired new ways of expression through the singers’ reading and writing experiences. Thus, figurative songs are also not entirely isolated from the world of written language. It can be said, therefore, that the songs of the Zhuang people have been polished and developed by this movement back and forth between voice and script.

Brief profile：

Naito received his Ph.D. in Environmental and Resource Economics from Oregon State University in 1997. Since then, he has served as associate professor and professor in the Faculty of Economics of Kyoto Gakuen University (now known as Kyoto University of Advanced Science), and is currently a professor in the Faculty of Humanities. His major publications include Mangrove Ecosystems of Asia: Current Status, Challenges and Management Strategies (Springer, 2013); “The History and Present State of the Local Co-management Fishery in Kyotango City, Kyoto Prefecture” (The Doshisha University Economic Review 63(3): 91–133, 2011); and “Assessment of Japanese Recycling Policies for Home Electric Appliance: Cost-effectiveness Analysis and Socioeconomic and Technological Implications” (Environmental Development 6: 21–33, 2013).

“The Relationship Between Mangrove Deforestation and Economic Development in Thailand” 
(Mangrove Ecosystems of Asia: Current Status, Challenges and Management Strategies, pp. 273–294, Springer, 2013.)
 

Abstract：

Mangroves in Thailand have been steadily deforested from 1961 to 1996 and has been reduced to about half of the original area. The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, however, posits that economic development eventually reverses resource degradation. This hypothesis is examined using pooled data on mangrove loss and Gross Provincial Product (GPP) from 23 provinces in Thailand in various years between 1975 and 2004. The empirical results show strong evidence of an EKC relationship between mangrove loss and GPP. In addition, since shrimp farming is considered to be one of the main causes of mangrove deforestation, the relationship between shrimp farming and mangrove loss is examined. Shrimp farming is found to significantly affect the extent of mangrove deforestation. The development of extensive and semi-intensive shrimp farming techniques quickens mangrove deforestation, but intensive shrimp farming, which developed during the 1990s, reduces mangrove loss.

Brief profile：

Hiroshi Maruta was born in 1958 and completed a Ph.D. in Japanese Language and Literature from Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Letters in 1999. After working as an assistant professor at Himeji Dokkyo University, he took the current post. His research interests include the history of Japanese language, especially the “books printed in Japan by the Jesuits (hereafter abbreviated as Jesuit Documents).” His major papers include Hakuraku to bakuro (Hakuraku and Bakuro) in Kokugo goishino kenkyu (2005, 24), Kinsei ni okeru hogensho no mikata ni tsuite (On the View of “Dialect Books” in the Early Modern Period) in Kindaigo kenkyu (2019, 21), and Rodorigesu hen nihondaibunten ni okeru nihonjin no kanyo ni tsuite (On the Involvement of the Japanese in Rodriguez's Nihon Daibunten) in Kokugo kokubun (1994, Vol. 63, No. 7, pp. 32-48).

Rodorigesu hen nihondaibunten ni okeru nihonjin no kanyo ni tsuite (On the Involvement of the Japanese in Rodriguez's Nihon Daibunten) (Kokugo kokubun, 1994, Vol. 63, No. 7, pp. 32-48).
 

Abstract：

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the formation process of “Jesuit Documents” compiled by Jesuit missionaries who visited Japan at the end of the Muromachi period, including “Nihon Daibunten.” The merits of Jesuits Documents are twofold: they reveal 1) the missionary's objective observation of the Japanese language as a foreigner; and 2) the missionary's study of the Japanese language with a high level of grammatical knowledge, including Latin grammar, which did not exist in Japan at the time. However, among the Jesuits Documents, there are documents written only by the Japanese. The “Nippo-jisho” contains a high level of knowledge about Japan and the Japanese language that could not have been acquired in just a few years of living in Japan. In light of this, I analyzed the identity of the example sentences from the “Goseibai-shikimoku” and the “Rongo” that are cited in the “Nihon-Daibunten,” and found that some of these sentences are from manuscripts that are difficult to obtain unless you are related to the Kiyohara family. The fact that the Jesuits kept such a manuscript, which was distributed only to people of a certain status, inevitably means that a Japanese person of considerable education was involved in the production of the Jesuit Documents.

Most of the Jesuit Documents were written in the Portuguese alphabet. Hence, it is likely that the person who took such an initiative was a missionary. However, regardless of whether they were written in the Portuguese or Portuguese alphabet, the process of converting Latin or Portuguese into Japanese and vice versa had to be carried out. Thus, the only people who could mediate with educated Japanese must have been the young Japanese who learned Latin and Portuguese in the Jesuit College and Seminary; they must have played an active role. In this paper, I propose a re-examination of the Jesuit Documents (that have been evaluated as foreign documents), from the viewpoint of domestic documents.

Brief profile：

Yama was educated in clinical psychology and depth psychology at Kyoto University, where she received her PhD. She is also engaged in clinical work as a psychotherapist based on Jungian principles. Before assuming her current position, she was a full-time lecturer at Seian University of Art and Design, later assuming the titles of assistant professor and professor. From 2008 to 2009 she was a visiting researcher at Essex University, and later at Harvard University in 2015. Her research interests are in images, words and artworks; and the inner workings of the creative process. Through narratives, stories, paintings and other artworks, and dreams, she approaches the depths of the psyche and explores the psychological meaning of these expressions. Based on international and comparative cultural studies of these forms of expression, she conducts research on Japanese culture, the Japanese psyche, and the state of consciousness of people in contemporary society. 

Her major publications include Kotoba no fukami e [To the Depths of Words] (2003, Seishin Shobō), Kazuki yasuo: Kuro no souzou [Yasuo Kozuki: The creation of black] (2016, Tōmi Shobō), Murakami haruki, Houhou to shiteno shōsetsu, [Haruki Murakami, Novel as a Method](2019, Shin-yo-sha), and her main articles include "Ego Consciousness in the Japanese Psyche: Culture, myth and disaster”, Journal of Analytical Psychology, 2013 and "Descending into the Indeterminate State between the Determinate. International Journal of Jungian Studies, 2020,". She has also translated many books related to Jungian psychology. She is active internationally, regularly holding seminars in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and Taiwan.

Murakami haruki, houhou to shite no shōsetsu: Kioku no kosou e, [Haruki Murakami, Novel as a Method: A descent into the depths of memory] (2019, Shin-yo-sha)
 

Overview：

In this Book, she discusses the creative process of Haruki Murakami from the perspective of depth psychology and finds in it a similarity to the "work of the psyche" in psychotherapy. Murakami descends into the depths of his psyche, stays there, enters his inner chaos and darkness, and waits for the "story" to start telling itself spontaneously. Murakami says that to write a novel, one needs to see the unhealthy, distorted, and dark sides of one's soul. This is not only a lonely but also a dangerous task. She mentions, "From my experience in psychotherapy, I know how difficult, dangerous and frightening this “work of the psyche,” that is, facing one's inner self, can be. People who see me for psychotherapy also have to face their inner world in the process of treatment. They have a psychotherapist as a “companion.” However, Murakami has devoted himself to this lonely task for extended periods of time and has created something creative (i.e., a story) out of it. It takes concentration, persistence, and physical strength to carry out such work. Murakami has cultivated these abilities by living a regular and healthy life every day, and through running, he has maintained a dialogue with his own body. Over his long career he has established his own creative method. Murakami's creative activities also lead to his emotional salvation. Thus, it seems that the stories Murakami tells resonate with what lies deep in the hearts (I would like to call it "soul") of his many disparate worldwide readers.

Brief profile：

In 1999, Yamamoto completed her doctoral studies from the Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies at Kyoto University and was awarded a doctorate in Human and Environmental Studies. She served as a professor in the Department of History, Folklore, and Japanese Language and Culture in the Faculty of Humanities at Kyoto Gakuen University before assuming her current position. Her research interests include Heian-period literature, the cultural history of the Heian-period, and the social history of the Heian-period. Her major publications include Murasaki Shikibu Shū-Ron (On Murasaki Shikibu Shū) (Izumi Shoin, 2005), Murasaki Shikibu Nikki and the Society of the Imperial Nobility (Izumi Shoin, 2016), Murasaki Shikibu Nikki with Modern Translation (Kadokawa Sophia Bunko, 2010), and "The Emergence of 'New Historical Reading': A Reading of Works in relation to Period, Society, and History: On the Shakuzen-ji section of the Pillow Book” (March 2021 issue of Kokugo to Kokubungaku, pp. 62-76). Her general-interest book, The Time of the Tale of Genji: The Story of Emperor Ichijo and His Wives (Asahi Shimbun, 2007), won the 29th Suntory Prize for Arts and Letters.

Murasaki Shikibu Nikki and the Society of the Imperial Nobility
(Sole author, Academic Papers. Izumi Shoin, August 2016, p. 366)

Overview：

Murasaki Shikibu started to write The Tale of Genji as an amateur writer and was selected to become a courtesan at the imperial court. The diary she wrote during her time there is entitled Murasaki Shikibu Nikki. This book first examines the meaning and purpose of writing this work and then elucidates the complex aspects of the values of aristocratic society in the mid-Heian-period that can be seen from this work, especially the way women's labor and cultural refinement were regarded. In this sense, this book is centered on  the author of The Tale of Genji, gender, and the history of ancient Japanese social thought.

This book comprises four parts. The first part, "The Characteristics of Murasaki Shikibu Nikki," provides the diary. The second part, "Murasaki Shikibu Nikki and the Society of the Imperial Nobility," discusses the people and individual events appearing in Murasaki Shikibu Nikki in a three-dimensional manner, relying on historical documents. In the third part, "The Arguments of Murasaki Shikibu Nikki," Murasaki Shikibu's arguments are clarified from various perspectives based on the theory of courtesans and theory of cultural refinement from Chinese poetry. Thus, the book shows that Murasaki Shikibu lived her "role" proactively while being aware of her position as a social being within the political situation at the time, and that in order to write the highly cultured Tale of Genji, she had to overcome difficulties related to a situation in which the education of women was aggressively avoided because of the situation in the inner palace reserved for women. Based on the previous three parts, the fourth part, "The Development of Murasaki Shikibu Nikki," proposes a "two-stage development theory" regarding the current Murasaki Shikibu Nikki.

Brief profile：

Yukihiro graduated from the Faculty of Education at Nagoya University in 1988, and left the doctoral course of the same institution’s Graduate School of Education in 1991. Before assuming his current position, he worked as an assistant professor at the Faculty of Letters, Hokkaido University, and an associate professor at the Faculty of Humanities, Kyoto Gakuen University. His research interests include psychometrics, cognitive psychology, and psychological research methods, including developing psychological scales and tests, research using experimental methods, and statistical methods in psychological research.

“Nihongoban Vineland-II tekioukoudou shakudo no kaihatu – Tekioukoudou shakudo no sokuteiseido no kento. (Development of the Japanese version of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, Second Edition: Accuracy evaluation of the adaptive behavior scales.)” (2013, Seishinigaku(Psychiatry), Vol. 55, pp. 627–635)

Abstract：

As a part of the research on the standardization of the Japanese version of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition, which is widely used in welfare, education, and medical care, we evaluated the measurement accuracy of the Adaptive Behavior Scales. In the present study, the accuracy of measurement based on test theory was examined for the Adaptive Behavior Scale, which assesses the development of adaptive behavior in general life through four domains and 11 subscales: communication, daily living skills, social skills, and motor skills. The internal consistency showed that all subscales were sufficiently reliable. Furthermore, analyses using item response theory indicated the range of traits for which the scales could accurately assess the status of adaptation based on the amount of test information that each subscale possessed. Furthermore, the age range in which each subscale can sensitively capture the target adaptive behavior was clarified by examining the standard level of each subscale. The results showed that this scale could be used to assess a wide range of age groups from infants to the elderly, but also that it does not provide sufficient information in the adult age group of the general population. However, in assessing people with disabilities, the scale can provide a high level of data even in the adult age range, depending on the level of adaptation.

Brief profile：

Iino received a Master's degree in pedagogy from the Graduate School of Education, Kyoto University in 2002. She was an assistant lecturer at Kyoto Gakuen University from 2006 until taking up the position of associate professor in 2009. Besides her academic qualifications, Iino is a certified clinical psychologist (Japan Clinical Psychologist Qualification Association, 2003) and Certified Public Psychologist (2019). Her research interests are based on her experience in clinical psychology, in particular, how vulnerable individuals experience the world, and how they walk through the individualization process based on their experience in psycho-clinical practice. She has also researched psychological testing methodologies such as the Rorschach method, the sense of self through the body,and understanding and supporting diabetic patients from a psychoclinical perspective.

Her main articles include "The Role and Function of the Assessor's Clinical Imagery Experience in the Rorschach Method" (2008, Clinical Imagery Experience in Psychological Clinics, Sogensha, pp. 413-429) and "'Ordinary' Realities and Psychological Clinicians' Fictions -From the experience of the Rorschach method” (2020, Clinical Case Studies in Creation, Vol. 12, pp. 127–135).

"An Examination of Individuals' Foundational Experience Styles from the Implicit Responses of the Earliest Memory Interview and the Rorschach Method.” Individual differences in the basic style of experience in terms of earliest memory and shading responses in the Rorschach　(2009, Journal of Clinical Psychology, Vol. 27, No. 4, pp. 456–467)

Abstract：

In this study, we conducted an exploratory investigation of foundational experiential styles to prepare individuals for how they position themselves in the world. To capture such a mode of experience, we conducted an interview asking about the earliest memories and a survey of a non-clinical group using the Rorschach shading response. Indices were set up focusing on the formal aspects of the experiences recounted in the interviews. Further, the relationships between these and the implicit responses and the Multiple Mood Scale were analyzed. The results showed that the presence of an external perspective on the scene of memory, including self-image, and the fact that meaning was attached to the partial elements of memory without naming the whole memory, were related to the high degree of differentiation of the shading response. Additionally, viewing the memory scene only from an internal perspective was associated with higher scores on the "I was startled" item of the Multiple Mood Scale. Finally, a fundamental experience style with two poles corresponding to the degree of differentiation of the shadow response was postulated and discussed regarding differences in individuals’ basic sense of security and nature when objectifying the world.

Brief profile：

Uematsu graduated from Nara University of Education’s Graduate School of Education in 1998 with a master's degree in educational psychology and took up a position with the Kyoto Prefectural Government the same year. For 22 years, as a child psychologist and child welfare officer at the Prefecture’s Child Consultation Center, he provided family support, mainly in response to child abuse. He assumed his current position in 2020.
Uematsu’s research interests include psychometric assessment, support for abused children and their parents, and support for supporters. Some of his major publications include “Intervention of Truant Children Using a Systems Theory Perspective: Using a father-son, mother-son joint sand tray (Journal of Family Psychology, 32(2), 95-107, 2019)” and “On Issues Related to the Szondi Test: With a Focus on Ethical Issues (Reports from the Faculty of Clinical Psychology, 12, 125–138, 2020)”.

“Intervention of Truant Children Using a Systems Theory Perspective: Using a father-son, mother-son joint sand tray” (Journal of Family Psychology, 32(2), 95–107, 2019)
 

Abstract：

In this paper, as an intervention method for truant children using a systems theory perspective, the author introduced the sand tray, which has relatively lower resistance from children to resist and allows therapists to function actively. In particular, the mother-child (father-child) joint sand tray is highly effective in helping to clarify the participant’s communication gap and intervene in their personal relationships. 

The procedure consisted of three steps. First, there was a stage for the child to create freely by themselves. Next, there is a stage of collaboration between the parent and child, and finally, a joint sand tray stage in which the child (or mother) takes the initiative, and the mother (or child) creates the sand tray under the intervention of the therapist. Through this method, the child regained their agency and resumed attending school after breaking out of the vicious cycle of mother-child close contact. This was achieved through discussions with the father at home and changes in the ways in which the mother, who had gained some agency, responded to her child. However, simultaneous participation of both parents was not realized, and the procedures dealing with the family system as a whole could not be fully implemented. Furthermore, it was found that interventions in the mother-child and father-child subsystem alone were sufficiently effective.

Brief profile：

After graduating from the Department of Human Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences, Osaka University in 2002, Kambara worked for several companies before being awarded a doctorate in literature from Kansai University’s Graduate School of Psychology in 2013. After that, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Nara Women's National University before assuming her current position. Her research interests include the influence of bodily sensations on thinking and judgment (embodiment), happiness, and social reality. Additionally, she has edited and published several books and articles, including "Yondewakaru Shakai-shinrigaku（Reading and Understanding Social Psychology）" (Saiensu-sha, 2020), "Effects of Illusion Experience on Moderating Excessive Bias Perception toward Others with Conflicting Attitudes" (The Japanese Journal of Psychology, 92, 12–20, 2021), "Effects of Experiencing Visual Illusions and Susceptibility to Biases in One's Social Judgments." (Perceptual and Motor Skills, SAGE Open, 1–6, 2017), among others.

"Effects of Experiencing Visual Illusions on Susceptibility to Biases in Opponent's Social Judgments" (Japanese Journal of Psychology, 92,12–20, 2021)
 

Abstract：

Evidence shows that people tend to view opponents as biased. Recent theoretical studies showed that this tendency occurs due to naïve realism. People tend to be overconfident about their objectivity. They believe they see the world as it truly is (see naïve realism: Ross & Ward, 1995) ─ hence, they assume that people who have a different view must be biased (Pronin et al., 2004). This study examines the effect of encountering clear demonstrations that personal sensory perceptions are not necessarily accurate on the perception of opponents' bias in their social judgment through exposure to visual illusions. A total of 87 participants were grouped by whether or not they experienced visual illusions. Participants who experienced visual illusions rated opponents as having fewer biases in their social judgments. This suggested that a person's overconfidence in their own perception ─ "I see the world as it exactly is" ─ might be one of the causes of people's negative perception of opponents.

Brief profile：

Koyama completed his doctoral coursework in Education at Kyoto University in 2011 and was awarded a doctorate in Education in 2019. He assumed his current position after working as a full-time lecturer at Kagawa University Health Center. His research interests include clinical psychological studies and art therapies. His major publications and papers include Shinririnnsyō ni okeru <watashi>toiu shiten no imi (The Meaning of the Perspective of Living as 'I' in Psychological Clinical Practice) (dissertation submitted to Kyoto University in 2019), “Syutaiseisei wo manazasu kanten teiji no kokoromi” (Encounters with 'I' in Psychological Clinical Practice: Kyoto University Psychological Clinical Series Volume 10) (2014, Sōgensha, co-authored), and “Hattatsushōgai wo kakaeru kodomo no hahaoyamensetsu” (Interviews with Mothers of Children with Developmental Disabilities),  Kyoto University Psychological Clinical Series, Vol. 7 (2009, Sōgensha, co-authored).

"The Meaning of the Perspective of Living as 'I' in Psychological Clinical Practice" (dissertation submitted to Kyoto University in 2019)
 

Abstract：

This paper explores how the "I" is generated through psychotherapy and how therapists can contribute to it. The "I" referred to in this thesis is defined as "a subject who is in a phase of constant change as they recognize the world and the state of oneself and others while being deeply involved with others and the world."

First, this paper proposed two original perspectives of "movement around horizontality" and "movement around verticality" as a perspective to examine the creation of "I." "Horizontal movement" is "movement to relate to others and the world," and it is a perspective that captures the movement to engage with the world actively and relate to others, as well as the movement to sense and accept the influence of the world and others. " Vertical movement" is "movement to recognize the world and others." Further, in addition to the movement to others and the world at a distance, as if recognizing them from a bird's eye view, the movement to intuit directly during experience with others and the world is also examined from this viewpoint.

Next, we presented three case studies of autism, neurosis and a mother. Through interviews with them the paper examined the process of creating the "I" through these two perspectives. In the process, this paper concretely depicted the "I" that is in a new phase of "I", which has a close relationship with others and the world, and at the same time recognizes them. This new phase of I" was previously missing in the concepts of ego, Self, and modern subject. This paper also clarified that the generation of the "I" is not limited to a specific age or developmental stage but continues throughout life.

Finally, this paper examined the therapist's involvement in contributing to the creation of the "I." It was shown that the therapist might support the client's process of "I" by living a paradox in which the therapist immerses themselves in the passivity to the point that they could symbolically die, simultaneously actively deepening such passivity and grasping the situation from a bird's-eye view; that is, the therapist themselves re-generates the "I."

Brief profile：

After graduating from university, Sekiguchi worked in TV program production, magazine editing, and music event planning and management. He also worked at an art museum. Afterwards, he entered two graduate schools and became a university instructor. He currently holds master’s degrees in Sociology and Interdisciplinary Information Studies. He is the author of Intāfeisu: konpyūtā to taiji suru toki (Interface: A Time to Face Computers) and Media no burikorāju: tsukuru, asobu, kangaeru (Bricolage of Media: Making, Playing, Thinking).

Media no burikorāju: tsukuru, asobu, kangaeru (Bricolage of Media: Making, playing, thinking) (Tokyusha, 2008)
 

Overview：

The multifaceted existence/concept of "media" is one of the keywords that symbolize today's information society. However, although we are fully aware of its importance, it is not easy to stand face-to-face with it. Despite the fact that we can now be more actively involved in media, we remain passive bystanders and critics. In this book, I attempted to more practically examine the interface (i.e., the method of reconciliation, or the place of conflict) between media and society in an "open form" grounded in education settings. In Chapter 1, I first discussed the process of establishing the "Media ‘Create’ Workshop," which opens up "media" as a means and tool of communication that can be freely used by anyone in various styles, that is, as "media (= place of communication) ". I then reported on attempts of a new media education, such as classes and workshops to acquire communication skills (= media literacy) through "making experiences" and "playing experiences" rather than just one-way teaching of the meaning/roles or ways of operating media. In Chapter 2, I discussed "visual media", including the possibility of "media play" as an attempt to "dissimilate/transform" the rigid media situation. I discussed this in relation to the "student-produced commercial project" that was carried out as media literacy education in response to the current situation in which image production, which used to be the work of professionals, has become easier and more accessible to everyone as a communication activity such as "open/sharing" on the Internet and "DTV". In Chapter 3, based on the simple task of "placing letters", I clarified the significance of the act of "layout", that is, an act of communication in which "information (a message)" is selected, organized, arranged, and communicated (to the receiver) to convey an intention. In addition, I focused on the generally neglected or ignored "presence of absence" of margins and contemplated a thought/practice attempt of "media play" through DTP work, which has been facilitated by computers. In Chapter 4, I defined the term "design," which is usually used without much consideration, as "the visualization of logic = the everyday act of choosing and devising something to (efficiently) realize one's ‘thoughts/ideas.’" I then considered various "designs" in education settings, such as "classroom" and "equipment/tools/playground equipment", from the perspective of "bricolage", and again inquired into the possibilities and problems of education and media.

Brief profile：

Watanabe left the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Tsukuba in 2007 and was awarded a doctorate in literature from the same institution in 2013. He worked as a research associate at the School of Human Sciences, Waseda University, and as a chief curator at the Lake Biwa Museum in Shiga Prefecture before assuming his current position. His research fields are Japanese folklore and environmental folklore. His major publications include "New Issues in the Study of 'Bald Mountains'" (Journal of Living Folkore, No. 13, 2021), Medieval Self-Governing Villages Today: A Field Survey of the Site of Imabori Village, Omi Province (co-authored and co-edited, 2020, Lake Biwa Museum, Shiga), and The World of Obisha Documents: Kanto-Region Village Festivals and Records Thereof (co-authored and co-edited, 2018, Iwata Shoin).

Survey of tools used by "stonecutters" at the foot of Mt. Hira. Traditional and local knowledge of Eco-DRR at the foot of Hira Mountains. Kyoto: Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Eco-DRR Project. (Watanabe Keiichi and Mimasu Yurika, 2020)
 

Abstract：

I have been conducting fieldwork in traditional Japanese farming, mountainous, and fishing villages to study the relationship between natural resources and society as well as the beliefs and rituals formed in natural environments. I conduct my fieldwork primarily in Shiga Prefecture (formerly known as the Omi Province), which has a history of communities dating back to the Middle Ages. In recent years, I have been working on elucidating the history of resource management and disasters in areas facing Lake Biwa, one of the most ancient lakes in the world. This area is also unique in that it has attracted attention as a typical Japanese satoyama environment. The results of this research have been presented in papers and books as well as via local museum exhibitions, lectures, and workshops.

Based on the results of fieldwork in the foothills of the Hira Mountains in the Kosei area of Shiga Prefecture, this paper focuses on stonemason, craftsmen who use the mountains as a stage for their activities. A stonemason is a craftsman engaged in quarrying, transporting and processing stone materials from the mountains. Based on an interview with a stonemason born in 1926 and a survey of more than 1,000 tools remaining in his workshop, we examined the characteristics of stonemasons' techniques and tools for mountain resource utilization. Further, we discussed the interrelationship between the stonemasons’ activities and the natural environment.

For locals, the Hira Mountains were a source not only of blessings but also of disasters. The latter can be summed up in one word: sand. Excessive quarrying devastated the vegetation of the mountains, causing sand to flow from the rivers into lakes and damage the fields and houses during floods. Because stonecutting activities thus increased the risk of disaster in the community, the locals regulated the extraction of stone materials and created a resource management system for resource utilization that minimized the outflow of sand.

Based on the above findings, this paper clarified a historical relationship between the local community and sand that stands in contrast to the harmonious image of satoyama conventionally discussed.

Brief profile：

Kiba completed his doctoral coursework in education at the Graduate School of Humanities at Kwansei Gakuin University in 2007 and in 2012, he was awarded a doctorate in history from Kwansei Gakuin University. Before assuming his current position, he worked as a project researcher at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies, a part-time lecturer at Konan University, and a part-time lecturer at Shimane University. His research interests include the history of early modern Japanese culture, monster/yokai culture, and popular culture.
His major publications include Kaii wo Tsukuru: Nihon kinsei kaii bunkashi (Constructing the Mysterious: A cultural history of the mysterious in early modern japan) (2020, Bungaku Tsushin), “Character” no Taishu bunka-densho/geinou/sekai（The Popular Culture of “Characters”: Tradition, performing arts, and the world） (2021, Kadokawa, co-edited and co-authored), and "'Kowaimonomitasa' no Kinsei Bunkashi” (The Popular Culture of the Body, 2021, Kadokawa).

Kaii wo Tsukuru：Nihon kinsei kaii bunkashi  (Constructing the Mysterious: A cultural history of the mysterious in early modern japan) (2020, Bungaku Tsūshin)
 

Abstract：

This book discusses the activities of people and society in early modern Japan concerning kaii. In this book, kaii is defined as "a concept that refers to mysterious things and encompasses objects that are described as things such as mythical creatures, ghosts, and supernatural wonders.” Furthermore, I used the word "construct" to refer to the entire activity that includes not only the production of literature and art but also the recognition of certain things as kaii and the methods of dealing with them. I thus considered how people thought about, responded to, and expressed monsters, that is, how they “constructed” them through specific, individual cases.

Kaii in early modern Japan has been discussed mainly in terms of popular culture. In this book, however, I focused on subjects such as politics and academia, which have not been given much attention in conventional studies of kaii culture, to gain a three-dimensional and holistic understanding of the aspects of kaii in early modern Japanese society. To do this, I incorporated the results of research not only from history but also from Japanese literature, folklore, and art history.

The chapters of this book examine themes such as Confucianism, Chinese herbology, and the political thought of Japan in the early modern period, as well as language, painting, and society’s perception of monsters. Additionally, by tracing the historical changes of individual mythical creatures such as kappa and ubume, I discussed their cultural establishment and development and the interrelationship between scholarly research and folk culture. By synthesizing the conclusions of these chapters, I clarified the relationship between mythical creature or yokai and the lives of people in early modern Japan.

Brief profile：

Sasaki completed a doctoral program at the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology at the University of Tokyo in 2020. He assumed his current position after working as a teacher at a public high school in Saitama Prefecture. His research interests include the history of social thought, the history of local communities, and the history of men from the 1900s to 1930s. His major papers include Showa shoki shihōshō no tenkō yūhatsu seisaku to chiteki jōhō tōsei shihō kenryoku ni yoru yomi kaki no shōaku katei (Conversion-inducing Policy of the Ministry of Justice and Control of Knowledge Information in the Early Showa Period: The Process of Control of "Reading" and "Writing" by Judicial Power) in Rekishigaku kenkyū (the Journal of Historical Studies) No. 965, December 2017.

“Abe isoo no haishoron to kirisutokyo shinko 1899–1915 nen no ronsetsu o toshite” (Abe Isoo’s Position against Licensed Prostitution and his Christian Faith as Reflected in his Editorials (1899-1915))  (the Journal of Japanese Intellectual History, No. 53, 2021, pp. 137-154.)
 

Abstract：

 In this paper, I examine how the argument for the abolition of licensed prostitution was linked to the Christian faith in the mind of male intellectuals in early modern Japan by reviewing the essays of Isoo Abe (1865–1949).

Abe, the leading proponent of the abolition of licensed prostitution in Japan, argued that the abolition of the public prostitution system was essential in realizing humanity’s progress through the improvement of social morality, and it must be advocated for by the Christians who believe in the 
thorough implementation of a monogamous relationship between husband and wife. This argument was grounded in his Unitarian belief that civilization should be advanced through the realization of rational and progressive values expressed in the name of God. 

In 1900 and thereafter, Abe linked the above argument to the concept of shūyō (character building). Abe urged the youth of Japan to cultivate their minds and bodies and suppress their sexual desires through study and sports, and called on society to abolish geisha and prostitutes. Abe’s argument was also expressed in terms of the rescue of “good persons,” an idea that was the polar opposite of the faith in “other power.” 

Abe served as the vice president of Kakuseikai, an organization established in 1911 with the aim of abolishing prostitution. Within that group, Gunpei Yamamuro was an influential figure in the movement. Yamamuro was an advocate of a different view of Christianity than Abe. For this reason, if Abe had imposed his own religious beliefs on Kakuseikai, the movement would have fallen into disarray. Therefore, he rearranged his argument for the abolition of licensed prostitution as an argument for society to maintain a good appearance. As a result, at Kakuseikai, Abe’s argument for the abolition of licensed prostitution lost its religious element, and emphasis was placed only on the abolition of geisha and prostitutes.

Based on the above, I conclude that although the Christian faith played a significant role in the formation of the argument for the abolition of licensed prostitution in modern Japan, the religious element was not always at the forefront. 

Brief profile：

Takeuchi received her Ph.D. in Literature from Osaka University Graduate School of Literature in 2009, and worked as an assistant professor before assuming her current position. She specializes in art and design in Victorian Britain, and is interested in comparative art studies, including the history of artistic exchange between Japan and Britain, the history of design education, and design theory. Her major papers include "Design /Drawing: The Conceptual Formation on  “Design” in the Government School of Design" (Aesthetics, Vol. 71, No. 1, 2020) and "A Preliminary Study on Christopher Dresser's Japonisme: Japanese Books Formerly Belonging to Dresser " (Journal of the Japan Society of Design, No. 77, 2021).

 “Rethinking Christopher Dresser in the Context of Japonisme and Modernism” (Aesthetics, Vol. 69, No. 1, 2018, pp. 109-120)
 

Abstract：

This study re-examines the aspect of Japonisme in Christopher Dresser (1834-1904), an industrial designer, botanist, educator, and theorist  who was active in Britain in the late 19th century, based on his experiences in Japan. It focuses especially his perception of Japanese architecture and his philosophy  of architecture.

Dresser was one of the earliest admirers of Japanese crafts in Western Europe and a leading figure in Japonisme. He visited Japan in 1876 and traveled through the Kanto, Chubu, and Kansai regions with the permission of the Meiji emperor, and he gave advice to prominent statesmen such as Okubo Toshimichi and Sano Tsunetami who wanted to improve the quality of Japan's export crafts. In 1882, he published Japan: Its Architecture, Art, and Art Manufacturers. Dresser was particularly interested in the intricacy of the ornamentation of the shrines and temples he visited, in the rich decorativeness and color of the material surfaces, rather than in the architectural structures. His insights on Japanese architecture and the symbolism of its decorations had a wide-ranging impact on Western readers.

Previous studies have associated Dresser's Japonisme with his image as a "pioneer of modern design.” This is because the metalware he designed after returning from Japan had a functionalist appearance, embracing  simplicity and lack of decoration. To critically reexamine the previously unclarified relationship between Dresser's Japonisme and modernism, this study interprets his writings and the formation process of his design theory through  the keyword "architecture" (engineering-related construction ). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that Dresser’s interest in structure originated from his early days as a botanical researcher, and that decoration occupied an important position in his design activities. Thus his conception of Japonisme was different from modernism that aimed to innovate form and eliminate decorative additions.

Brief profile：

Harada received a doctorate in Psychology from Kyushu University in 2016. He worked as a researcher at the University of Tsukuba, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, and the Research Institute of National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities before assuming his current position. His research interests include elucidating visual cognitive characteristics and developing cognitive assistance technology using virtual reality. His main papers include: "Quantitative Evaluation of Visual Guidance Effects for 360-degree Directions" (Virtual Reality, in press), "The Effect of Task-irrelevant Spatial Contexts on 360-degree Attention" (PLOS ONE, 15, e023771), and "The Effect of Unusualness on the Functional Field of View in Unsafe Scenes" (Virtual Cognition, 28, 73–85, 2020). 

"Quantitative Evaluation of Visual Guidance Effects for 360-degree Directions" (Virtual Reality, in press)
 

Abstract：

This paper aimed to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of a design that guides the user's attention in a visuospatial manner. In recent years, virtual space contents have been introduced to learn and train professional skills. In these contents, it is useful to guide learners’ attention towards necessary information using attention-guidance designs such as a pointing arrows and 3D radar. However, few studies have quantitatively examined the effectiveness of attention-guidance designs in a 360-degree virtual space. To address this issue, this experiment conducted a target search task in a 360-degree space and measured the search times of a target as an indicator of guidance effectiveness. We found that the effectiveness of attention-guidance designs correlates with the location of the space to which attention is guided. For example, the designs which indicated the target location using 3D radar and arrows improved the search of a target presented behind the participant. Additionally, the designs which displayed the target position by animation or convergence diagram improved the search for a target presented in front of the participant. These results suggest that 3D radar and arrows are suitable for guiding the user's attention in a backward direction while animation and convergence diagrams are motor suitable for guiding the user's attention in a forward direction.

Brief profile：

Completed a Doctoral Program at Kyoto Prefectural University Graduate School of Letters in 2019 and received her PhD in Literature. Her research interests include Japanese and Chinese comparative literature, Chinese popular literature, and Japanese and Chinese studies. Her main papers include "Journal Hakku OKA and the Ming Law Research of the Kenengaku School in the 'Ming Law Translation Notes'" (Japanese and Chinese Language and Literature Studies, No. 18, November 2020) and "'Wakokusangen' Evaluation of the Short Stories Seen in the Collection: Taking the Preface of the Practitioner as a Clue" (Journal of Chinese Literature, Vol. 93, April 2020), among others.

Sawada Issai's Lecture on "Water Margin" (Journal of Japanese and Chinese Literature, Vol. 70, Oct. 2018, pp.250-264)

Abstract：

The Vernacular Literature "Water Margin" is widely popular not only in China but also in Japan, and has had a great influence on literature and language. In Japan, around the middle of the modern era, from the Kyoho to Horeki periods (1716-1764), the study of "Water Margin" was particularly active, and lectures on the book were held in various places. This paper attempts to approach the actual state of "Water Margin" research at the time by examining a reading by Sawada Issai, an example of such a reading.

A close examination of the extant lecture transcripts revealed various things, the most interesting of which is that the Japanese edition of "Water Margin" published in Japan was an essential text for those who attended "Water Margin" lectures at the time, suggesting the possibility that the book was originally published for the purpose of lectures. Although the Japanese edition is an important book that popularized the story of "Water Margin" in post-modern Japan, little has been known about the factors that led to the planned publication of the book. Until now, the reading of "Water Margin" has not been the subject of much research, but we believe that by pursuing this reality, we can find a new perspective on the acceptance of vernacular novels since the early modern period.

Brief profile：

Completed a Doctoral Program at Ritsumeikan University, Graduate School of Letters in 2010 and received his PhD in Literature. He was a Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), a Postdoctoral Fellow of the Kinugasa Research Organization of Ritsumeikan University, a Senior Researcher of the same organization, and an Associate Professor of the same organization before assuming his current position. His areas of expertise include early modern publishing history, early modern literature, cultural informatics, and digital humanities. His major publications include "Nishikawa Sukenobu, Shōtōku Hinagata: Eiin, Chūshaku, Kenkyū (Nishikawa Sukenobu, Shōtōku Hinagata: Facsimile, Annotation, Research)" (Rinsen Shoten, 2022, co-authored), "Kinsei Shuppan no Hangi Kenkyū (Study of Printing Woodblocks in Early Modern Publishing)" (Hōzōkan, 2013, single author), "Fūzoku-Kaiga no Bunka-gaku: Toshi wo Utsusu Media (Cultural Studies of Genre Painting: City Space Depicted by Media)" (Shibunkaku Shuppan, 2009, co-author).

 "The Study of Printing Woodblocks in Early Modern Publishing" (Hōzōkan, 2013)

Abstract：

As for printed copies, the existence of the publishing right was represented by a woodblock which was a fundamental device for publishing organizations between the 17th to 20th centuries. However, according to past studies, everyone is aware of the existence of woodblocks behind hanpon (book printed from woodblocks), but because the woodblocks were bulky black objects it was inconvenient and not widely used. This book is a basic study that attempts to bring the perspective and research materials of woodblocks into publication research which has been conducted mainly on hanpon and hanpon bibliography.

Chapter 1 refers to the significance of treating woodblocks as research materials, describes the practice of constructing woodblock digital archives to overcome the difficulty of handling woodblocks, and describes the actual digitization method and the web database as a research platform. In Chapter 2, we observe woodblocks accumulated on the foundation of Chapter 1, accumulate information that cannot be obtained from hanpon but only from woodblocks denoted as "woodblock bibliography," and propose that this information be reduced to hanpon bibliography, and then approach hanpon with a richer perspective. In Chapter 3, we will develop a method for estimating the composition of woodblocks from hanpon by focusing on the pattern of occurrence of multiple paper qualities and vertical dimensions of kyōkaku (a frame that surrounds the entire text or illustrations on each sheet) in a single hanpon. In Chapter 4, we refer to several extant records of the publication records written by hanmoto (woodblock makers, publishers) and argue for the need to get closer to the facts that occurred during the publication process. In Chapter 5, we extracted articles from publication records concerning shiraita (woodblocks after engraving and before inking) to reveal the fact that shiraita served as a mediation tool among hanmoto over pirated books. In Chapter 6, we conducted a comprehensive survey of the woodblocks, various books, and publication records for Ike no Taiga's “Shōkiken Bokuchiku-fu” (1760), and clarified the path of transfer of the woodblocks from the first edition to the present. Chapter 7 discusses maki-zuri, an ancient Japanese printing technique, focusing on the Kōya-ban woodblocks. In Chapter 8, It is speculated that the peculiar shape of the woodenblocks in the basic text of Shingon esoteric Buddhism, "Jikkan-shō (Ten Volume Chapter)" (1732), may be the result of an attempt to accommodate both fukurotoji (bag bound format) and detchōsō (glued book format), and from an examination of publication records, presume that the peculiar shape may also be due to a request from the temple.

Through these 8 chapters, we will clarify what woodblocks are and how woodblocks can be used as research material. In particular, he argues that the combination of the 3: woodblocks, hanpon, and publication records maximizes their utility as resources for publication research, and that these three should be the 3 pillars of future publication research.

Brief profile：

She received her Master's Degree in 1987 from Kyoto Women's University Graduate School of Letters. In 2013, she received her Doctor of Letters from Bukkyo University. Before assuming her current position, she was previously at the Kyoto City Archives of Historical Documents and the Hongan-ji Temple Historical Research Institute. Her research interests include ancient Japanese history, history of Japanese religion, history of Japanese faith, Japanese culture in the Asian world, and history of historiography. Her major published works include Politics and Buddhism in Ancient Japan (Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 2018), The World of Religious Beliefs in Japan (Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 2020), and Tracks in the Study of Japanese Religious History (Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 2020).

"Buddha Seated on the Imperial Throne" (Journal of the History of Buddhism, 65 (1), 2023)

Abstract：

Shintoism and Buddhism are important topics that characterize Japanese culture. Buddhism and Shinto beliefs developed in an intertwined manner over a long history, causing clashes and fusions, and formed the distinctive Japanese culture as we know it today. The "Tenjin faith" and "Goryo faith" also arose out of the idea of peace through the power of Buddhism to comfort and entertain the gods.

The Gosaie is a state ritual that originated in ancient Japan. It was a religious rite that was held at Daigoku-den, the main hall of the Imperial Palace, from the late 8th to the late 14th century, from the 8th to the 14th day of the first month of each year. Analyzing this ritual, we can see how the Shinto/Buddhism syncretism developed even in the Emperor's palace. At that time, Daigoku-den was the most important building in terms of national politics, and in the center of the building was a platform called "Takamikura", which the emperor would climb when he appeared on the throne at coronation ceremonies, New Year's visits, and other special ceremonies to display his power.

It was a rule to enshrine a statue of Buddha on "Takamikura" during the Gosaie, which was surprising. However, this important fact had not been studied prior to this paper. During the Gosaie, a high priest invited to the ceremony preached a sutra titled "Konkomyo saisho-o kyo" to the attendees while a deity called Rushanabutsu was seated on the throne and the emperor and nobles were seated around them. The influence of the repetition of this ritual led Buddhists serving the emperor in the 12th century to begin explaining that Rushana Buddha was the same as Amaterasu Omikami, the deity of the Ise Jingu shrine, which enshrines the spirits of the emperor's ancestors.

The Buddha image enshrined on the throne, the symbol of the emperorship, during the Gosaie was the Rushana Buddha, but in the eyes of those present, it had a different meaning than the Rushana Buddha in Buddhist doctrine. It was a way of enshrining, comforting, and treating the dead who had been defeated in political struggles, using Buddhist statues as their dependents. In this paper, she has shown that the repeated rituals of service for the dead raised the status of the dead and caused a religious fusion with the faith in Amaterasu Omikami of the Ise Jingu shrine.

The Syncretization of Shinto with Buddhism
The world of religious beliefs in Japan
Tracks in the study of Japanese religious history

Brief profile：

Completed his PhD in 2020 from the Graduate School of Sociology at Keio University. Received his PhD (Sociology) from Keio University in 2020. After working as a post-doctoral researcher at Shibaura Institute of Technology and as an Assistant Professor at The University of Tokyo, he assumed his current position. He studies communication in person or via mass media and social media from a mathematical sociological and computational social science perspective. His main published works and papers include "A Game Theoretic Study of Everyday Interaction: From the Point of View of A. Schutz's Theory of Social Action" (Annual Review of Economic Sociology, 2017) and "Encyclopedia of Mathematical Sociology" (2022, Maruzen Publishing).

ODANAKA Yu and NAKAI Yutaka, “Toward a Computational Social Scientific Analysis of Meaning: The Significance of the Topic Model in Sociology" (Theory and Methods, 34(2): 280-295, 2019)

Abstract：

This paper examines the sociological significance of the topic model, a natural language processing model that is increasingly being applied to sociology. A topic model is a model that uses machine learning to analyze the topics or set of words behind each document that makes up the text data. It allows for a summary of overall trends in the text data. It can also indicate the type and percentage of topics that generate each document.

A review of previous studies indicates that the topic model can address the issue of meaning in sociology, and that the relationship between the discussion of meaning and language needs to be reexamined in order to draw out the implications of the model. It was Schutz's theory of relevance that caught our attention. Schutz attempts to capture the linkage between the way people are interested and knowledge such as language through the concept of relevance. Through theoretical examination and analysis of the open-ended sections of the questionnaire survey, we have shown that the topic model is a model that can capture part of the system of relevance.

This suggests that the topic model has the potential to develop phenomenological sociology of knowledge mathematically and quantitatively. In the future, it will be necessary to clarify the nature of people's knowledge by using the model to collect data from the web.

Brief profile：

In 2014, Taniguchi completed his doctoral course under the Department of Psychology at Hokkaido University, where he earned his Ph.D. He worked as Research Fellow at the Center for Baby Science at Doshisha University, and as a lecturer for Osaka University of Comprehensive Children Education, before assuming his current position. His research interests include cognitive development, object recognition, and decision processing. His main publications include: “Task Difficulty Makes ‘No’ Response Different From ‘Yes’ Response in Detection of Fragmented Object Contours” (Perception, 47(9), 943 – 965, 2018), “Object Categorization Processing Differs According to Category Level: Comparing Visual Information Between the Basic and Superordinate Levels” (Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 2020), “The Categorization Of Objects With Uniform Texture at Superordinate And Living/Non-Living Levels in Infants: An Exploratory Study” (Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 2020).

“Task Difficulty Makes ‘No’ Response Different From ‘Yes’ Response in Detection of Fragmented Object Contours” (Perception, 47(9), 943 – 965, 2018)

Abstract：

Two-alternative force choice tasks are often used in object detection tasks, where detecting an object is regarded as a 'yes' response and not detecting an object is regarded as a 'no' response. In previous studies, the 'yes' and 'no' responses have been regarded as arising from the same processing. In this study, to investigate the processing involved in object detection in more detail, we manipulated the difficulty of the task and compared the correct response rates and reaction times for 'Yes' and 'No' responses. The results showed that the 'Yes' response showed stable performance regardless of task difficulty. On the other hand, performance of the 'No' response depended on the difficulty of the task, suggesting the existence of two processes: accurate 'No' responses and intuitive 'No' responses. The accurate 'No' response is thought to result from the rejection of the 'object is there' process, leading to an accurate judgement. The intuitive 'No' response occurs when there is insufficient information from vision, leading to fast but inaccurate judgements. These processes reduce false alarms in object detection and contribute to accurate judgements.

Brief profile：

Completed a Doctoral Program in Education, Graduate School of Education, Kyoto University in 2015. Before assuming his current position, he was an Assistant Professor for the Faculty of Health Science Department of Psychology at Kyoto Tachibana University. His research interests include psychotherapy in Japanese culture and mental health of international students. His major published works and articles include "Clinical Psychology of Playing with Dolls" (2017, Sogensha), "A Study on Hayao Kawai's 'Devoting All My Energy to Doing Nothing'" (Journal of Clinical Psychology 41(1):72-83, 2023), "A Case Study of an International Student Whose Study Abroad Led to Positive Identity Establishment" (Journal of Student Counseling 43(1):11-21, 2022), and "Sandplay and sandplay therapy from the perspective of 'built things'" (Journal of Sandplay Therapy 31(3), 27-38).

 "The Psycho-Clinical Practice of Playing with Dolls" (2017, Sogensha)
 

Abstract：

This study discusses the role of dolls used in sandplay therapy and play therapy from a psychotherapeutic perspective as well as from a cultural anthropological perspective as a characteristic way of using dolls in Japanese culture. Chapter 1 outlines how dolls have long been a familiar part of life in both the East and the West of western societies, and how they have been used for the purpose of healing. He then discussed its relevance to modern therapy. Chapter 2 discusses the symbolic meaning of dolls, not only as transitional objects that bring warmth and security, but also as beings that take the place of people's suffering and woundedness. Chapter 3 discusses the role of dolls in psychotherapy, in which they take on the suffering and wounds of the client's life, and how this may lead to the client's transformation. Chapter 4 examines the meaning of the concept of play in Japanese culture in relation to sandplay therapy, which is characteristic of Japanese psychotherapy and in which dolls are often used. It reveals that in Japanese culture, play has been viewed not simply as child's play, but in relation to a transcendent experience. In Chapter 5, based on the above theoretical discussion, the role that dolls actually have in psychotherapy is examined from a case study that focuses on the way dolls are used in actual psychotherapy, and in Chapter 6, the meaning that dolls have in modern Japan is discussed by examining films and animation works. Then, in Chapter 7, we revisited the significance of psychotherapy itself in terms of the role that the dolls play.