The Ballad-Drama of Medieval Japan

The Ballad-Drama of Medieval Japan delves into the kowaka, a ballad-drama genre that flourished during Japan’s tumultuous Medieval Era, a period shaped by samurai culture and the heroic values of loyalty and chivalry. Emerging in the 16th century, kowaka captured the martial exploits and epic struggles of the early Medieval Era, including the famed Genji-Heike conflict. Despite its initial popularity among samurai, the kowaka faded into obscurity during the Edo Period, only to be rediscover...