The 2026 USC Kambun Workshop will be held July 21 (Tuesday) through August 14 (Friday). The Workshop will focus on the journal Meigetsuki of Fujiwara no Teika (1162-1241), a famous poet of the Kamakura period. Teika’s mastery of waka continued to influence literature for centuries after his death, and his knowledge of poetry brought him great influence during his life. Teika also worked to improve his family’s political fortunes at court, cultivating a relationship with Go Toba and competing fiercely with rivals for both royal and shogunal esteem. His journal gives us a valuable look at elite medieval life. Selections from the journal will focus on education, women, and dynamics at court in the age of dual aristocratic and warrior rule.
Dr. Sachiko Kawai will lead the Workshop with Dr. Emily Warren. Guest lecturers will also attend to deepen our understanding of the text.
The 2026 Workshop will be free to participants this year thanks to generous support from the USC Project for Premodern Studies.