The Afterlife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi: Historical Fiction and Popular Culture in Japan

Popular representations of the past are everywhere in Japan, from cell phone charms to video games to manga (Japanese comics). Even young hipsters dress as their favorite historical figures in Japan. But how does this mass consumption of the past affect the way consumers think about history and what it means to be Japanese?

Furukawa’s book examines historical narratives and popular culture in Japan by exploring the consistent and evolving presence of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a 16th-century samurai leader.

Throughout the 20th- and 21st-century, Hideyoshi has continued to be an ever-present figure who changes with the needs of the current era, expanding our understanding of the powerful role that historical narratives play in Japan.

Furukawa teaches courses that consider how the narratives people create are subject to cultural, historical, and sociopolitical influences and that explore the ways in which language and stories are often used to curate our understanding of the environment and the world.