Western Department of Italian Language and Literature

Italian literature has had a long history, right from the 13th and 14th- century poets, including Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio, to contemporary writers such as Calvino, Umberto Eco, and others. There are many poets and writers who have greatly influenced Western literature’s history. However, Italy has not been necessarily appreciated in Japan because of a traditional tendency to attribute more importance to other, more industrially developed European nations. Consequently, Italian studies in Japan have been limited to a relatively small research community, leaving a great expanse of Italian culture unexplored in the country. Our department is one of the few places where one can study Italian literature in Japan.

Students in our department pursue their research on various subjects that include not only orthodox topics such as poetry and novels but also librettos of opera, and political or historical works such as those of Machiavelli and other authors in an open and liberal atmosphere.Students can utilise the rich materials of the department that has the honour of being Japan’s oldest institution to train specialists in Italian literature.

The courses are held seminar style, and students are given instructions tailored to their individual needs and level of ability. This process helps the novices, who may be unfamiliar with Italian literature, conduct academic research smoothly. As noted above, the Italian studies community in Japan remains in a marginal position; hence, the department continually seeks motivated prospective students.

It is fascinating to discover the secrets of Italian geniuses from the Middle Ages to modern times by analysing their texts. Why don’t you join us in this challenging endeavour? To get the feel of what it is like to study in our department, please visit our website ITALOMANIA at https://italomaniakyoto.wixsite.com/-site. We welcome your visit.