The State of Knowledge About Japanese Paintings and Prints in Thailand: A Survey of Journals of Japanese Studies and Academic Books

Abstract

This article explores the current state of knowledge about Japanese arts before the contemporary era, particularly Japanese painting and prints, as found in academic journals and scholarly books on Japanese studies in Thailand. It also analyzes the factors contributing to these trends. The data were collected in two parts: first, research articles and scholarly papers from the JSN Journal, the Thammasat Journal of Japanese Studies, and proceedings from the Japanese Studies Association of Thailand (JSAT) conferences between 2019 and 2023; and second, academic books sourced from the libraries of Chulalongkorn University, Thammasat University, Chiang Mai University, and Silpakorn University.

The results were that between 2019 and 2023, there were no research papers on Japanese painting or prints in the surveyed journals. In terms of Thai scholarly books, knowledge of Japanese arts, especially Japanese painting and prints, began to appear around 1960 and has increased since the late 1990s. However, knowledge about Japanese artists and their works remains limited to prominent figures, such as Hokusai, Hiroshige, and Sesshuu. This trend may be influenced by the Western interest in Japanese culture since the nineteenth century and the Western-based art education system in Thailand, which relies on English-language sources for information on Japanese artistic imagery. Consequently, the knowledge is confined within Western academic frameworks, and the scope of study remains narrow.