Tanzaku

 

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.

 

 

Updated December 31, 2009

 

 

Jeffrey Angles
ジェフリー・アングルス

Associate Professor of
Japanese Literature, Language
and Translation Studies

Department of Foreign Languages
Western Michigan University

 

Contact Prof. Angles by e-mail

 

I will be on research leave from September 2009 until late August 2010.  During that time, I will be in Kyoto, Japan.  During that time, I will not be checking e-mail regularly.

 

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 AND MY WORK

·        Brief biography (DFL webpage)

·        Brief biography (Soga Center webpage)

·        Publications & Research Interests

·        Prof. Angles’ Facebook page

·        Films of Prof. Angles and the poet Ito Hiromi reading her work at WMU (2008)

·        Prof. Angles talking on NPR 
about Japan: A Traveler's Literary Companion

·        Info about the events Prof. Angles
organized for the Kennedy Center (2008)

 

ABOUT JAPANESE AT WMU

 

·        Syllabi for Courses

·        Japanese Language Program at WMU

·        Japanese Minor Program at WMU

·        The Japan Club (Student Group)

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

·        Soga Japan Center 
(Japanese Studies Center at WMU)

·        Global / International Studies Major
(Japanese studies major possible)

·        Supplemental Dialogues for Genki

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

·        Minor in World Literature at WMU

 

ABOUT JAPAN & JAPANESE CULTURE

 

·        Japanese Literature Resources on the Web

·        Finding a Work of Japanese Literature

·        Japan-Related News on the Web

·        Japanese Art and Culture on the Web

·        Learning Japanese Online

·        Online Dictionaries

·        Teaching in Japan

·        Japanese Search Engines

 

INTERNET RESOURCES FOR WMU

 

·        WebCT-Vista/Blackboard Login

·        GoWMU portal

·        Naxos Music Library

·        Advice on Applying to Graduate Schools