LITERARY JOURNALS

Japan is replete with a variety of literary journals (bungei zasshi), both scholarly and popular, that publish poetry, essays, lyrics, book reviews, and literary criticism. The earliest literary journals emerged in the Meiji period from coterie magazines shared among writers. Other journals emerged from the early newspapers, which printed installments of new serialized fiction. During the early decades of the 20th century, specialty journals, such as Kodan kurabu (Kodan Club) for the masses and Akai Tori (Red Bird) for children, were produced by major publishing houses and achieved long runs and financial success.Some current Japanese literary journals include Bungei shunju (Literary Chronicle), Bungakkai (Literary World), and Waseda bungaku (Waseda Literature). Articles in literary journals range widely in topic and include the fine arts, music, philosophy, manga, travel, cuisine, and ideology. Journal sales have dropped in recent years, so some journals are often sold as specialty books.

See also AOZORA; CHUO KORON; HAIKU; HAKUBUNKAN; MYOJO; SHIGARAMI ZOSHI; SHIRAKABA; TANKA.