In this episode of The Books on Asia Podcast host Amy Chavez talks with author and translator Janine Beichman, whose translations include two books of poems compiled by Makoto Ōoka: Sleepless Tossing of the Planets: Selected Poems (Kurodohan, 2019) and Ori Ori no Uta: Poems for All Seasons (Tankoban, 2001). She has also penned two biographies: Masaoka Shiki: His Life and Works (Cheng & Tsui Co 2002) and Embracing the Firebird: Yosano Akiko and the Rebirth of the Female Voice in Modern Japanese Poetry (Univ. Hawaii Press, 2002). Just last week, she released a new translation called Well-Versed: Exploring Modern Japanese Haiku by Ozawa Minoru (Japan Library/JPIC).
Show Notes:
This episode starts out with Amy and Janine talking about Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902) and the poetic reforms that took place from 1868 during Japan’s transition from the Edo to the Meiji period. It was a time when Shiki (and his friend Natsume Sōseki), was influenced by Western literary styles and culture. These effects are reflected in Shiki’s haiku, tanka and prose. Beichman’s literary biography Masaoka Shiki: His Life and Works delves into Shiki’s influence on poetry, his invention of the tanka series and the publication of his poetic diaries. Janine also discusses the differences between haiku and tanka (waka) and their variations.
Janine then details her path to discovering feminist poet Yosano Akiko (1879-1942) and tells how she came to the decision to focus on this particular poet to write the literary biography: Embracing the Firebird: Yosano Akiko and the Birth of the Female Voice in Modern Japanese Poetry (Univ of Hawaii Press, 2002). Janine talks about Akiko and her relationship with nature in poetry and feminism. Beichman reads a poem from Yosano’s collection “Tangled Hair” included in her book.
All the Japanese original poems are in the back of the book, by chapter. You’ll find the index of first lines at the University of Hawaii Press indexes for Embracing the Firebird:
Next, Janine charts her relationship with poet Makoto Ooka, and how she started writing for his magazine which later led to him to ask her to translate a book of his poems. The book was originally published by Katydid Press and later Kurodohan released a second English edition called Beneath the Sleepless Tossing of the Planets. Read a review by Christopher Blasdel of Sleepless Tossing of the Planets here.
Janine also discusses how she chose which to poems to include in the anthology Ori Ori no Uta (Tankoban, 2001)
Lastly, Janine reveals her favorite Japanese poets and poetry books.
Unfortunately, Janine’s latest book wasn’t near release at the time of the podcast recording, but her latest endeavor is the translation of Well-Versed: Exploring Modern Japanese Haiku (Japan Library/JPIC, March 25, 2021). Read an excerpt.
The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press, publisher of fine books on Asia for over 30 years. Subscribe to the podcast here.
