Koya Hirose Koya Hirose

Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, Miyagi University of Education *Profile is at the time of the award.

2026IncubateHumanities & Sociology

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Research topics: Reconsidering “Japanology” based on materials related to Japanese art in France, with a focus on the Léon de Rosny Collection in Lille

Keyword

Summary: Léon de Rosny (1837–1914), the founder of “Japanology” in France, bequeathed his vast personal library to the Lille Public Library. While researchers from both Japan and France have previously examined this collection from various perspectives, his materials related to Japanese art have not yet been sufficiently investigated or analyzed. This study examines Rosny’s collection of materials related to Japanese art and explores its significance within the context of his writings and scholarly activities. By comparing these findings with other materials related to Japanese art in France, referencing the context of Japonisme, and situating them within the intellectual networks surrounding “Japan” in contemporary France, the study aims to clarify how the framework of “Japan” was perceived from an external perspective in France. Through this research and analysis, we will trace the evolution of the academic field of “Japanese Studies” from its inception and propose a framework for today’s interdisciplinary and international “Japanese Studies.”

Message

I am greatly pleased and honored to have received the Inamori Research Grant, which will enable me to advance my research. My research began in the fields of modern Japanese literature and comparative literature, and in recent years I have been conducting discourse analysis on modern Japanese art. The subject of this study, Léon de Lonny, is one of the founders of “Japanology,” yet remains a figure with many unexplored aspects. While this is a challenging project, I hope to relativize the framework of “Japan” from an external perspective and capture the fluidity of that concept.