This book addresses aspects of the poetry of José Watanabe neglected in previous studies by connecting multiple academic areas: rhetoric analysis and cultural studies. Specifically, the book explores the narrative construction of "Japaneseness" in the poetic works and the figure of Watanabe; analyses the unique lexical, syntactic, figurative, symbolic, pragmatic and rhythmic uses of literary tools characteristic of his poetry; examines how and why the exploration of sensibilities and moods of ephemerality and ineffableness offers a new way of looking at his poetry as an aesthetic space that invites the reader to experience, perceive, and feel his words.The trans/interdisciplinary nature of the book intends to promote a dialogue and exchange of ideas across academic fields previously neglected in studies on Watanabe’s poetry. Written by researchers based in Japan, it offers a unique perspective of Japanese cultural phenomenon unavailable in previous studies on Watanabe. The ultimate goal of the book is to shed light on how Japan continues to be seen by the West through essentialist notions and stereotypical representations, as well as to highlight the fact that the literary quality of Watanabe’s poetic artistry does not reside in it being “Japanese” and can be appreciated without resorting to essentialist categorizations based on positive Japanese stereotypes. weiterlesen