Mori Ogai: The Surgeon Who Shaped Japanese Literature
In the pantheon of modern Japanese literature, two giants stand tall above the rest during the tumultuous Meiji era: Natsume Soseki and Mori Ogai. While Soseki is often remembered for his introspection, Mori Ogai was a man of distinct duality—a high-ranking Army Surgeon General by day and a revolutionary novelist and translator by night. His life bridged the gap between the feudal past of the samurai and the rapid Westernization of the 20th century.
For travelers exploring Japan’s cultural depths, understanding Ogai offers a fascinating lens into the intellectual struggle of modern Japan. This guide explores his origins, his literary legend, and how you can walk in his footsteps today.
Origins: From Samurai Lineage to Berlin
Mori Ogai was born Mori Rintaro in 1862 in the remote castle town of Tsuwano (modern-day Shimane Prefecture). Born into a family of hereditary doctors to the daimyo (feudal lord), his path was carved out early. He was a child prodigy, mastering Confucian classics and Dutch before learning German, the language of medicine at the time.
Following the Meiji Restoration, the capital moved to Tokyo, and so did young Ogai. He graduated from medical school at a remarkably young age and enlisted in the Imperial Japanese Army. Recognizing his brilliance, the Army sent him to Germany from 1884 to 1888 to study hygiene and military medicine.
This period in Europe was the crucible that forged Mori Ogai. Immersed in European philosophy, literature, and the romanticism of the era, he returned to Japan not just as a doctor, but as a man bearing the torch of Western individualism and literary aestheticism. This clash between his rigid military duty and his artistic soul would define his entire career.
The Literary Legend
The “legend” of Mori Ogai is rooted in his ability to revolutionize the Japanese language itself. Upon returning from Germany, he didn’t just practice medicine; he launched literary journals and engaged in fierce debates about the future of Japanese culture.
His first major work, The Dancing Girl (Maihime), is legendary for introducing a modern, romantic autobiographical style to Japan. It tells the tragic story of a Japanese student in Berlin who falls in love with a German dancer, Elise, only to abandon her for the sake of his career back home. This story mirrored Ogai’s own life—a German woman did indeed follow him to Japan, only to be turned away by his family, a heart-wrenching incident that haunted his writing.
Ogai is also a legend for his historical fiction. Later in life, after the death of Emperor Meiji and the suicide of General Nogi Maresuke, Ogai turned to the past. He wrote stoic, precise historical narratives like The Abe Family and Sansho the Bailiff, exploring the samurai code of ethics (bushido) and the conflict between loyalty and self-will. He is credited with modernizing the written Japanese language, moving it away from classical styles to the vernacular used in speech today.
Modern Culture: Anime and Awards
While Mori Ogai died in 1922, his presence in modern Japanese culture remains vibrant. In academic circles, the “struggle between duty and humanity” (giri and ninjo) that he explored is still a central theme in Japanese sociology.
However, for younger generations, Mori Ogai has found a surprising new life through pop culture. He appears as a major character in the smash-hit anime and manga series Bungo Stray Dogs. In the series, characters are named after famous authors and possess superpowers based on their book titles. The character Mori Ogai is the boss of the Port Mafia, and his ability is named “Vita Sexualis” (after his banned erotic novel). This portrayal has sparked a massive resurgence of interest in his original works among young readers.
Furthermore, the Yanesen area of Tokyo, where he lived, celebrates him as a local hero, preserving the atmosphere of the literati lifestyle of the early 1900s.
Traveler’s Tips: Walking in Ogai’s Footsteps
If you are a literature lover visiting Tokyo, a pilgrimage to the Bunkyo Ward is essential. Here is how to experience Mori Ogai’s world:
- Mori Ogai Memorial Museum: Located in Sendagi, this museum is built on the site of his former residence, “Kanchoro.” While the original house burned down, the museum preserves the garden gate and the foundation stones of the famous “Three Window Room” where he wrote his masterpieces. The museum offers excellent exhibits on his manuscripts and letters (mostly in Japanese, but with English pamphlets).
- The Yanesen Neighborhood: Sendagi, along with Yanaka and Nezu, forms the “Yanesen” area. It is one of the few parts of Tokyo that survived WWII bombings. You can walk the narrow streets he walked and visit nearby Nezu Shrine, which appears in the works of his contemporaries.
- Tsuwano (Shimane Prefecture): For the dedicated traveler, a trip to his birthplace in Tsuwano—often called the “Little Kyoto of San-in”—is rewarding. You can visit his remarkably preserved childhood home and a dedicated museum next door.
Practical Advice
- Access: To reach the Memorial Museum, take the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line to Sendagi Station. It is a 5-minute uphill walk.
- Best Time to Visit: Visit in autumn. The changing leaves in the museum garden reflect the somber, reflective beauty found in Ogai’s later historical works.
Sources & Further Reading
To truly understand the depth of Mori Ogai, one should engage with both his fiction and the historical context of his era.
- Primary Works: The Wild Geese (Gan), The Dancing Girl (Maihime), and Vita Sexualis.
- Historical Context: For background on the mythological and historical foundations Ogai studied and later deconstructed, referencing the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki is useful to understand the samurai ethics he analyzed.
- Biography: Mori Ogai and the Modernization of Japanese Culture by Richard John Bowring.