KIERKEGAARD AND MEIJI ERA

With regard to the relationship between Kierkegaard and Japanese thinking, we may generally distinguish three standpoints.The first is to ~onsider what influence Kierkegaard may have had upon the development of Japanese thinking or Japanese philosophy.This is to critically investigate Japanese thinking from the standpoint of Kierkegaard.The second is the reverse, which considers how Japanese ideas can contribute to an understanding of Kierkegaard, or to study and criticize Kierkegaard from a Japanese perspective.Finally, to synthesize these two method, we may consider both sides impartially, not using one to judge the other, but dealing with both on equal terms.This approach does not stop at interpretation, but deals with living issues in philosophy, ethics, and religion, bringing questions to us in a direct way, so that we become involved in the existential dilemma.In this article, we are to deal with Kierkegaard's relation to Japan.However, we will not explain why Japanese people study Kierkegaard.I Rather, we will discuss how Kierkegaard's thought came to be known in Japan during the Meiji Period (1868-1912), that is to say, we will do a little bit of Japanese intellectual history. 1 Kierkegaard's name was already known in Japan by the late 1880's.This was mainly through three routes: first, the introduction of the Danish philosopher, Harald H.0ffding; second, the introduction of Georg Brandes' aesthetic studies of Ibsen; third, the religious thought ofUchimura Kanzo.First, let's trace the route ofH0ffding.I My reasons for not discussing why are not unrelated to Uchimura's reasons for not discussing why he became a Christian.Cf.