Paula Martínez Sirés

Associate Professor

Hispanic Studies

This paper explores the inverse translations that Wakamatsu Shizuko published in The Japan Evangelist. Iwamoto Kashi (1864-1896), also known as Wakamatsu Shizuko, was a prominent translator during Meiji Japan. While her Japanese translations of English literature and her use of genbun itchi in works like Wasuregatami (The memento, 1890) have been addressed, less attention has been given to her writings and translations in English. With a strong command of English thanks to her Western-style education, Shizuko also authored essays on women’s education and Japanese culture and translated Japanese literature into English.
This analysis thus focuses on her English rendition of Kaga no Chiyo’s haiku, The Beautiful Fleur-de-lis! (1895). Drawing on descriptive translation studies and paratextual analysis, it investigates her translation process and ideological positioning. By examining Shizuko’s writing style during her inverse translation phase, this study also aims to refine her translator’s profile, highlighting her voice and translational identity as a translingual woman in Meiji Japan. Finally, by cross-referencing her translations with essays from The Japan Evangelist, this study considers whether her English translations were intended to present an idealized version of Japanese culture for an English-speaking audience. This analysis provides new insights into Shizuko’s role as a cultural mediator and her contributions to Japan’s engagement with the West.

Paper presented at the BAJS 2025 50th Anniversary Conference, held at Cardiff University, Wales, UK, September 3-5, 2025