Early Modern Japanese
| Early Modern Japanese | |
|---|---|
| 近世日本語 | |
| Region | Japan |
| Era | Evolved into Modern Japanese in the mid-19th century |
|
Early forms
|
|
| Hiragana, Katakana, and Han | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | – |
| Glottolog | None |
Early Modern Japanese (近世日本語 kinsei nihongo) is a stage of the Japanese language following Middle Japanese and preceding Modern Japanese. It is a period of transition in which the language sheds many of its medieval characteristics and becomes closer to its modern form.
The period spanned roughly 250 years extending from the 17th century through half of the 19th century. Politically, this generally corresponds with the Edo period.
At the beginning of the 17th century, the center of government moved to Edo from Kamigata under the control of the Tokugawa shogunate. Until the early Edo period, the Kamigata dialect, the ancestor of the modern Kansai dialect, was the most influential dialect. However, since the late Edo period, the Edo dialect, the ancestor of the modern Tokyo dialect, became the most influential dialect, during the time in which the country closed its borders to foreigners. Compared to the previous centuries, the Tokugawa rule brought about much stability. The newfound stability made the importance of the warrior class gradually fall, to be replaced by the merchant class. There was much economic growth, and new forms of artistic developments appeared such as Ukiyo-e, Kabuki, and Bunraku. This included new literary genres such as Ukiyozōshi, Sharebon (pleasure districts), Kokkeibon (commoners), and Ninjōbon developed. Major authors included Ihara Saikaku, Chikamatsu Monzaemon, Matsuo Bashō, Shikitei Sanba, and Santō Kyōden.
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