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Romanticism for the Nordic Region and Nationalism. Uchimura Kanzō, Settlement, and Ethnic Identities. Titles and Abstracts
- Basic Information
- Nakamaru Teiko, Tanaka Takuzo (ed.), Romanticism for the Nordic Region and Nationalism. Uchimura Kanzō, Settlement, and Ethnic Identities. Benseisha, 2025
- Part I. A Story of Denmark by Uchimura Kanzō* and Christianity
- Part II. Nationalism, Pacifism, and the Invisibility of Violence
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Chapter 1
Nakamaru Teiko, ‘Selma Lagerlöf’s Jerusalem: “Blood and Soil” Ideology, Religion, and Gender’
Selma Lagerlöf’s (1858–1940) Jerusalem (Part 1: 1901, Part 2: 1902) was highly acclaimed both domestically and internationally. Lagerlöf was renowned for being the first woman and Swede to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature (1909). Meanwhile, her work Jerusalem gained popularity in Germany in the context of the Heimatkunstbewegung (the movement for homeland arts) as well as the Blood and Soil Ideology. Recent studies have highlighted the work’s affinity with these ideologies. This chapter analyses the work’s depictions of gender, agriculture, and religion, focusing on the relationship between the work’s appeal and its ‘blood and soil’ elements.
Chapter 2
Nakamaru Teiko, Ishiga Osamu’s Conscription Refusal and Withdrawal: Anti-War Pacifism and the Translation of Lagerlöf’s Jerusalem
In July 1943, Ishiga Osamu (1910–1994) declared his refusal to join the military service and then withdrew this declaration in December of the same year. This chapter examines how Ishiga’s engagement with anti-war pacifism—shaped by his translation of Selma Lagerlöf’s Jerusalem, his Christian faith, and his involvement with Esperanto—informed both his act of refusal and subsequent retraction and investigates how his pacifism was unconsciously absorbed into the structures of Japan’s fascist wartime regime.
Chapter 3
Tanaka Takuzō, ‘Cultural Colonialism in Maurice Barrès: Concerning the Rhineland’
After World War I, while the Rhineland became crucial to France’s national defence, Maurice Barrès proposed building a statue of the Joan of Arc in Strasbourg. This monument symbolised Barrès’s attempt of integrating Rhineland into the French territory through cultural colonialism rather than military action.
Chapter 4
Tabuchi Munetaka, ‘N. F. S. Grundtvig as National Symbol: Denmark’s Nation-Building and “Folk” Ideology’
N. F. S. Grundtvig (1783–1872), a representative figure of nineteenth-century Denmark, is considered a national symbol till date. This is largely due to his development of the concept of ‘folk’ centred on National Romanticism and Christianity. This chapter addresses the content, reception, and ways of understanding Grundtvig’s legacy.
Chapter 5
Ozawa Minoru, ‘Runology in the Third Reich: The Trajectory of Helmut Arntz’
This chapter examines the development and characteristics of runology during the era of National Socialism through the works of runologist Helmut Arntz (1912–2007). At that time, he continually innovated runology while being conscious of another runologist Wolfgang Krause (1895–1970). His Handbook of Runology (1935/2nd ed. 1944), which served as a standard reference for runology in German-speaking areas even after the war, preserved traces of the symbolic studies that greatly fascinated both esoteric circles and academia.
Chapter 6
Stefanie von Schnurbein, ‘Norse Mythology, Far-Right Ideology, Gender and Sexuality: The Development of Germanic Neopaganism’*
Norse mythology has been characterised by certain traits, such as strength, aggressiveness, and health, forming a discourse that asserts the superiority of the ‘Germanic peoples’ and the ‘Aryan race’. This discourse has developed in a complementary manner to artistic works, scholarship, and neopaganism, which involve the worship of Norse mythology as a religious alternative to Christianity. Neopaganism has persisted since the postwar period and continues till date, but its development has been diverse, including trends that sustain and reinforce racism and gender discrimination and those that reject such tendencies.*This chapter is the complete translation of ‘Gender and Sexuality’ from Schnurbein’s English-language work Norse Revival (2016)
Chapter 7
Takahashi Minori, ‘How Militarization in Postwar Danish State Was Made Invisible: The UN, US/NATO, and Greenland’
In the postwar period, Denmark prioritised the use of the UN framework and its contributions to the US and NATO for national survival. The former was positioned as a stage for decolonization, with Denmark as the main actor, while the latter was positioned as a venue for strengthening national security, with the Danish state as the main actor. This chapter focuses on the dynamics of postwar Danish politics to highlight the foundations supporting the image of Denmark as a peaceful and happy country and reveals the aspects that were made invisible in this process.
*The familyname of this Japanese author is Uchimura. On this website, Japanese names are stated according to the Japanese name convention.
Chapter 1
Nakamaru Teiko, ‘Kanzō Uchimura’s A Story of Denmark: Background and Comparison with Henry Leach’s “Reclaiming the Heath” as the “Original text”’
Uchimura Kanzō’s (1861–1930) A Story of Denmark (1911) discusses Denmark’s national reconstruction through afforestation following its defeat in the Schleswig-Holstein War. It played a significant role in forming and developing the Japanese images of a ‘Nordic ideal’ and ‘peaceful agricultural Denmark’. This chapter outlines Danish and German Romanticism as the historical background of this development and compares Uchimura’s text with Henry Leach’s (1880–1970) ‘Reclaiming the Heath’ (1911), which Uchimura referenced.
Chapter 2
Nakamaru Teiko, ‘Folk High Schools and Manchurian-Mongolian Colonization: The Reception of Denmark by Katō Kanji and Kagawa Toyohiko’
Danish folk high schools were introduced into Japan during the Taishō era (1912–1926) under the name ‘Kokumin kōtō gakkō’ (National High Schools), contributing to the idealized image of Denmark. This chapter focuses on how both Katō Kanji (1884–1967), who promoted the colonization of Manchuria and Mongolia, and Kagawa Toyohiko (1888–1960), known for his pacifism, adopted these schools and used them as training centres for settlers to Manchuria and Mongolia. It also compares their respective approaches.
Chapter 3
Esben Petersen, ‘Utopia: A Dream of Denmark. Kagawa Toyohiko and his Visit to Denmark 1925’
This chapter examines the concept of ‘Denmark’ as a utopia proposed by twentieth-century Japanese Christians. Some Japanese Christians, such as Uchimura Kanzō (1861–1930) and Kagawa Toyohiko (1888–1960), reimagined ‘Denmark’ to suit the concept of a rural reconstruction of Japan and Manchuria’s countryside. However, their efforts were also connected to Japanese imperialism. This chapter explores how utopian ideas functioned as social criticism while potentially producing unexpected results in political contexts.
Chapter 4
Watanabe Kazutaka, ‘Empire and Japan in Uchimura Kanzō’s Thought: His View of Finland’
According to Uchimura Kanzō (1861–1930), Nordic countries were both an actual region and an ideal that modern Japan should strive for. Furthermore, they provided a new point of view for reflecting on the ideas concerning Japan, the West, and America. This chapter focuses on Finland in Uchimura’s Nordic explorations and analyses his thoughts on the Empire and Japan by examining his views on Finland.
Chapter 5
Nakamaru Teiko, ‘Takahashi Kenji’s Version of A Story of Denmark: The War Responsibility of Germanists and “Happy Scandinavia”’
After World War II, Uchimura Kanzō’s A Story of Denmark was widely received as a narrative of Denmark’s reconstruction after its defeat. Takahashi Kenji (1902–1998), a scholar of German literature, retold the story, modifying its theme from a story of Christian faith to a tale of postwar recovery while reframing Denmark’s character from ‘wealth’ to ‘happiness’. He also linked afforestation with Danish folk high schools. This chapter investigates Takahashi’s involvement with nationalism and Japanese imperialism during the wartime, his postwar transformation, and his retelling of A Story of Denmark.
Chapter 6
Akae Tatsuya, ‘The “New Japan” Vision of Non-Church Christianity: “Japanese Christianity” Project by Uchimura Kanzō’s Disciples’
Uchimura Kanzō (1861–1930) advocated ‘Non-Churchism’ in 1901 and ‘Japanese Christianity’ from 1920 onwards. Some of his disciples, such as Nanbara Shigeru (1889–1974) and Yanaihara Tadao (1893–1961), articulated the vision of Japanese ideals that combined these two slogans. This chapter examines the concept of ‘Japanese Christianity’ within the second generation of Non-Church Christians from the perspective of the ‘New Japan’ vision.
Chapter 7
Nakazono Shigeo, ‘The Rituals of Kakure Kirishitan/Hidden Christians: What they Preserved and What Role Clergy Played’
It is commonly understood that Christianity offers moral guidance through the doctrine, as Christianity in modern Japan followed this concept. However, Christianity in pre-modern Japan was different. This chapter examines how the Japanese accepted Christianity in the 16th century and preserved it under Christian prohibition. The faith in the 16th century was closely tied to the village and household communities and encompassed many rituals integrated into daily life and occupations. These practices were shaped under the guidance of the European missionaries.
*‘Kirishitan’ is the old Japanese transcription of ‘Christian’ and refers to the Christianity that was introduced in the second half of the 16th century and its believers.
Chapter 8
Kato Atsuko, ‘Kirishitan Drama in the Edo Period: “Nation,” “Ethnicity,” and “Blood Ties”’ Kabuki and jōruri plays in the Edo period depicted Kirishitans with ethnic and blood ties to neighbouring countries plotting to rebel against Japan. Presupposing the existence of ‘nation’ and ‘ethnicity’, these narratives helped to cultivate the Japanese perceptions of its neighbouring countries, such as China, Korea, and Ryukyu, which were all subsequently linked to the modern continental expansion.
Chapter 9
Kaneoka Rie, ‘Wilhelm Gundert: From German Missionary to Scholar of Japanese and Asian Studies’
Wilhelm Gundert (1880–1971), a German Japanologist, is known for his German translation of Uchimura Kanzō’s How I Became a Christian (originally in English 1895, German translation 1905). Gundert came to Japan as a missionary and was later engaged in Japanese and Asian studies. Recent research has often discussed his wartime involvement with National Socialism in Germany. However, this chapter focuses on his interest in Asian religious ideas and thoughts that were consistent across the prewar, wartime, and postwar periods.