Select ONE of the following questions, think about it deeply, gather your notes and readings, think about it deeply again, and then compose and well-structured, well-written, and well-argued essay of 1000-1250 words (about 4-5 pages typed and double-spaced with one-inch margins in a 12-point font). Consider this exercise a more formal writing than the PopThoughts, more like those good ol’ 5-paragraph essays you learned to do in high school (but try to write more than 5 paragraphs of reasonable length!) Do simple and abbreviated in-line citations of sources, for example: “Ichikawa Danjûrô pioneered the aragoto style of Kabuki acting along the lines of so-called ‘street knights’ who roamed Edo.” (Nishiyama, p. 213). In all cases, you should draw widely on any and all relevant primary and secondary sources.

1) We know that Edo was, demographically speaking, a “male” city and that the Tokugawa government insisted on a strict status system of warrior-cultivator-artisan-merchant, but which of these two aspects of Edo Japan — gender or social status — do you think was more important in the birth and growth of the popular culture in Edo that we have examined so far and why? Think widely and creatively on this question, and then sway me with your argument.

2) From the material we’ve encountered thus far, select three items that can be discussed in the context of the “culture of play” introduced in the August 31 lecture “Edo Culturescapes: Society, Body, and Play.” Justify your selections as examples of “play” and then make a case for their serious study in a college history course. What do we learn from such material? Why or why not is it worth learning?

3) Debate yourself: present an argument in favor of the notion that popular culture in Edo (studied thus far in this course) had a liberating aspect for its participants. Then argue the opposite—that it was, in its own way, a form of social control. Be sure to illustrate your points with concrete examples drawn from the material.