50 years of Iranology in Japan
Japanese scholar stresses need to preserve Persian heritage
Hashem Rajabzadeh, a leading scholar of Persian language and literature at Osaka University of Foreign Studies, offered what he called a "clear picture" of the past, present and future of Iranian studies in Japan during a symposium at the Iranology Foundation in Tehran.
Rajabzadeh, who has spent more than five decades bridging cultures, said efforts to introduce Iranian heritage to Japanese audiences remain "unfinished business." The event, attended by researchers, professors and students, centered on his life's work in promoting Iranian culture and literature in Japan.
"Few have walked this road," he said, reflecting on his journey since 1973, when he moved to Japan and immersed himself in cultural and linguistic research. He emphasized the need to preserve and publicize neglected Persian texts.
Among his major contributions is the compilation and translation of Japanese travelogues about Iran, including the 19th-century “Sheila,” penned by the first Japanese diplomatic mission to Qajar-era Iran. He noted the book’s detailed account of Iran’s political and cultural fabric, but pointed out the need for a more polished edition for today’s readers.
Rajabzadeh also discussed the publication of Fazlollah Hamedani’s theological treatises, a project completed in collaboration with Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, head of Iran’s Academy of Persian Language and Literature.
He cited his regular research column “Cheshmeh-ye Khorshid” in journals such as Kelk and Bukhara, now slated for release as a book series. Though the first volume was printed ten years ago, half the thousand-copy run remains in storage due to distribution and paper shortages. Still, follow-up volumes are ready for press.
He pointed to long-standing Japanese-Iranian cooperation in archaeology, recalling projects at Persepolis and studies in the village of Kheyrabad.
Rajabzadeh praised the late Japanese Iranologist Uno for choosing Kheyrabad as a base for field research, producing ‘Kheyrabadnameh,’ a work now regarded as a benchmark in Iranian rural studies.
“Fifty years of research show how Marvdasht grew from a small village into a major city,” he said, adding that a Persian edition of those findings will soon be published.
When asked about Japanese readers’ familiarity with Persian classics, Rajabzadeh singled out Omar Khayyam as an exception. “No other Iranian poet has achieved that level of recognition in Japan,” he said.
He noted Japanese translations of ‘Shahnameh’ (under the title “Oshu”), as well as selections from Hafez and Rumi, though he admitted they were adapted to Japanese literary tastes rather than Persian ones. “Still, they’re valuable,” he said.
Rajabzadeh drew a line between art and literature, saying Japanese audiences have connected more deeply with Iranian visual arts — especially calligraphy and painting.
He mentioned students who had written theses on Persian calligraphy and highlighted the photo archive of Japanese photographer Banri Namikawa, whose images of Isfahan are now housed in a museum named after him in Japan.
On the institutional front, Rajabzadeh named the University of Tokyo of Foreign Studies and Osaka University as Japan’s leading centers for Iranology. Both schools have supported research and offered Persian language programs for decades.
Addressing a question about the influence of European thought on Japanese Iranology, he argued that while early scholars were “inspired” by Western models, the field has matured into a uniquely Eastern approach to Eastern studies.