Japan started the modernization after the resstoration in the meiji period. (1868-1912) Despite the treads of progress and westernization, it appeared that Japanese women's role and status were still restricted by social rules and remained the same... as in the Edo period. This article will study how literary works in this period reflects the image of Japanese women through three major works : The Thirteenth Night by Higuchi Ichiyo, Wild Geese by Mori Ogai and Disheveled Hair by Yosano Akiko

. This apparently differs from the male characters portrayed in works by other writers in the same period, which mostly focus on the male characters only. It can also be seen that the male characters in Doppo’s works are different from the image of the patriarchal... system (家父長制) during the Meiji Period, when the men hold the authority in the family. It can be summarized then that this creation of the male characters is unique in Doppo’s works.

The Showa period in Japan began from 1926. During the 60 years of this period, Japan had experienced many significant incidents. One of the most remarkable events was the second World War. In Black Rain by Ibuse Masuji tells the story about Japanese

The study of Neo-Confucianism in Kyokutei Bakin's Nansosatomihakkenden aims to examine the Yomihon (Reading Book) which is one of the famous genres of novels in Edo period. Nansosatomihakkenden (Satomi and the eight dogs) is a fantasy story telling... in Neo-Confucianism. Neo-Confucianism is an important philosophy in the Edo period: not only was it famous among scholars, but Shogun Ieyasu himself also urged his people to learn about it. Neo-Confucianism still emphasized the role of the individual as a

from women in the Meiji period. In this period, it was natural for women to cling to the traditional concept of “A good wife and a wise mother” (良妻賢母). Besides, this leads to the new interpretation that Jonanshows the subject of the role reversal

of Otani, the male protagonist.Occupation-wise,Sat-chan and Aki-chan are“barmaids”,and their occupation plays an important role in this novel. The Villon`s wife presents a positive image of the “barmaid” even though during that period in