Kofun Mania
Presented by Dr. Laura Miller, Ei'ichi Shibusawa-Seigo Arai Endowed Professor of Japanese Studies and Professor of History, University of Missouri-St. Louis
6-7 p.m., Thursday, July 27, 2023
Online
About the Event
Some history buffs in Japan are obsessed with ancient tombs called kofun, built from the third to the fifth centuries. This talk will briefly introduce their history before turning to the ways that fans devote time and economic resources to travel, tours, festivals, and media devoted to kofun. Some cute and novel kofun-themed goods and food items will also be discussed.
About the Speaker
Laura Miller is the Ei’ichi Shibusawa-Seigo Arai Endowed Professor of Japanese Studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis where she teaches courses on Japanese visual and material culture, ancient history, food culture, and yōkai. She has published more than ninety articles and book chapters on Japanese culture and language, and has authored or co-edited five books. Her forthcoming book is Occult Hunting and Supernatural Play in Japan (University of Hawai’i Press).
