The Faculty of Comparative Culture contains only one department―the Department of Comparative Culture, but that is composed of three courses: Course in Asian Culture, Course in American Culture and Course in European Culture ― which cover the huge range of territory described below.
This course focuses on China, but also deals with India, the Korean Peninsula, and Northeast Asia. The course's study and research themes include kanji (Chinese characters), Confucianism, Buddhism, modern Asian thought, recent and current Chinese history, Chinese painting, Chinese pottery, Chinese writing, contemporary Chinese literature, Islamic culture, colonial issues, and Japan-China relations, etc. Through the study of this wide variety of topics, which shed light upon the predominant features of Asian culture, students learn about Asian culture as well as deepen their consciousness of Japanese culture.
This course mainly covers North America. The course's study and research themes include American literature, Puritanism, pragmatism, racial issues, American politics and economics, counterculture, the mass media, Japan-America relations, multinational business, and mass consumption society, etc. By studying these topics, students learn about American culture as well as deepen their consciousness of Japanese culture.
This course covers mainly the cultural sphere of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. The course's study and research themes include the culture, art, history, and climate of these areas, Greek thought and Christianity, European integration, Mediterranean civilization and European cities, Habsburg culture, Japan-Europe relations, and European literature. By studying this wide variety of topics, students learn about European culture as well as deepen their consciousness of Japanese culture.