December 27, 2023
On Saturday, December 16, the symposium "Mantaro Kubota and the Present Day," funded by the Mantaro Kubota Memorial Fund, was held at the North Hall on Mita Campus. (Organized by: Faculty of Letters, Mantaro Kubota Memorial Fund Committee; Co-organized by: Keio University Art and Letters Society)
In 1962, Keio University received a donation of the copyrights of Mantaro Kubota, who was a multifaceted figure active as a haiku poet, writer, playwright, and director, and who made significant contributions to the Faculty of Letters and "Mita Bungaku." This led to the establishment of the Mantaro Kubota Memorial Fund. The Mantaro Kubota Memorial Fund Committee has since managed his copyrighted works and has been conducting projects such as offering courses on themes like literature and theater.
In October 2023, the memorial issue "Mantaro Kubota and the Present Day: Beyond Nostalgia" was published as a culmination of his past achievements, a record of his enduring influence on the present day, and the projects undertaken by this fund. This symposium was held to commemorate its publication.
On the day of the event, keynote speeches were delivered by guests from various fields related to the arts, such as haiku, dramatic literature, and theater, and a staged reading of Mantaro Kubota's work by Keio students was presented.
Welcoming a large audience, the event provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on the great achievements of Mantaro Kubota and to once again experience the power of art that resonates with the present day.
Photo: Takeshi Kishi