The journey in search of Ono no Komachi

Abstract

Ono no Komachi is a literary figure whose works and image have been present throughout time in multiple manifestations, linked not only with general culture but also with more quotidian affairs. The search for places that claim their authenticity as locations related to her life and legends reveals how culture and old traditions have become assimilated to those places. This assimilation is due to a profound appreciation of the artistic and esthetic values of the figure of Komachi. This has originated a movement of people that goes to visit these places. The name Komachi is being used as a commercial brand name for a new shinkansen to Akita, region that claims to be her birthplace. Through documentary research and field work, this study aims to prove the importance of the name Komachi in Japanese cultural history and its socio-cultural results in contemporary Japan, particularly in the region of Akita.