Tanzaku (Poem-Card) 

by SANTŌ Kyōden* (1761-1816)

Ink on Paper (See signature)

Collection of Jeffrey Angles

 

鬼瓦栖につともかたつぶり

角を自慢に身をぞたのみそ

 

            京伝筆

 

Little snail making your home 

In the demon-tile*

So proud of your horns

Do not rely on them 

Too much to protect you!

 

            [Santō] Kyōden

 

*SANTŌ Kyōden (1761-1816) was a popular writer of gesaku fiction in late-eighteenth century Edo.  He wrote in many genres of popular fiction, including kibyōshi (satiric picture books), sharebon (witty books about fashion), kokkeibon (comic fiction), hanashibon (humorous books), gōkan (bound picture books), and yomihon (reading books). He also was known as an illustrator, artist, poet, and collector of antiques.

 

*Demon-tiles (onigawara) are large decorated tiles in the shape of demons placed at the edges of roofs.  They usually have two prominent horns. 

Jeffrey Angles

Assistant Professor of
Japanese Literature & Language

Department of Foreign Languages
 
Western Michigan University  

 

Contact Prof. Angles by e-mail

Office: 518 Sprau Tower

Department of Foreign Languages

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5338

TEL: (269) 387-3044

FAX: (269) 387-6333

 

ABOUT ME

Brief biography (DFL webpage)

Brief biography (Soga Center webpage)

Publications & Research Interests

 Click here to hear Prof. Angles talking on NPR 
about Japan: A Traveler's Literary Companion

Click for info about the events Prof. Angles has
organized for the Kennedy Center (Feb 2008)

 

ABOUT JAPANESE AT WESTERN 

Syllabi for Courses

Japanese Language Program at WMU

Japanese Minor Program at WMU

See Lists of Current and Past Japanese classes
(Search Course Offerings by Term)

Global / International Studies Major at WMU
(Japanese studies major possible)

Supplemental Dialogues for the Textbook Genki

Soga Japan Center 
(Japanese Studies Center at WMU)

List of Japanese Studies Courses at WMU 
(Not All Count Toward Japanese Minor)

Minor in World Literature at WMU

WMU Study Abroad Programs in 
Japan and How to Pay for Them

 

ABOUT JAPAN & JAPANESE CULTURE

Japanese Literature Resources on the Web

Finding a Work of Japanese Literature to Read

Japan-Related News on the Web

Japanese Art and Culture on the Web

Learning Japanese Online

Online Dictionaries

Teaching in Japan 

Japanese Search Engines 

 

ESSENTIAL INTERNET RESOURCES FOR WMU

GoWMU portal

Naxos Music Library

 

Updated