Kujō Takeko 九條武子 and the World of the Muyuuge 無憂華

Abstract

This paper is a report and consideration of research on the book Muyuuge 無憂華 written by Kujō Takeko 九條武子 （1887-1928）, a prominent female Buddhist who was active from the Taishō to the early Shōwa period. This fact notwithstanding, her famous work Muyuuge has not been studied so far, and basic information is missing. Investigation reveals that the Muyuuge serialized in newspapers was not completely reprinted in the book Muyuge. In addition, the content was basically Buddhist, and consequently after the war, the binding was completely different. In the Muyuge, Kujō does not assert her own faith, but expresses the faith of her heart through her favorite sentences, waka poems, lyrics, calligraphy, and photographs. A study suggests that Okamoto Kanoko 岡本かの子 （1889-1939） succeeded Kujō in this fusion of culture and religion, and it is necessary to examine whether the two are directly related.