continued............ Early modern literature in Japan was written in the largely peaceful Tokugawa period, and so thus experienced relative growth. One of the most significant contributions made from this period was the creation of the Haiku, which would forever play a part of the Japanese culture and experience world wide acceptance and interest towards other cultures. The Meiji period brought westernization and a re-opening to western intellect. The introduction of European Literature brought free verse into the poetic repertoire and became widely used for longer works embodying new intellectual themes. The Vargas 6 accomplishments were huge, Japan developed a new stage of colloquial literature, adopted Western literary concepts and techniques, introduced Realism, and Romanticism was adopted to fit their own culture, but kept the European themes and concepts. All these changes in their literature was the outcome of the Japanese government opening up to Western intellect and commercing with them. Although changes in any society does indeed influence its literature, we shouldn’t forget the effects literature has on society itself. In Japan literature played a role in changing the Japanese culture, by the means of acquiring modern concepts and intellect from the West. Through time the Japanese gradually took in Western thought, but adopted it to fit their cultural values without changing the concepts that came with them. As a result in their choice to Westernize, Japan’s culture is reflected from their literature due to their writings of nature,ethical values, people, and society. As more and more numbers of Japanese writers were converting to many methods of Western literary practices, they, slowly but gradually, incorporated them into the Japanese literature we see today. Vargas 7 Works Cited . "History of Japan's Literature." The web kanzaki. N.p., 1995. Web. 9 May 2012. <Http://www.knazaki.com/jinfo/jliterature.html>. Leo, Tolstoy. How Much Land Does a Man Need?. Evanston: McDougal Littell Inc., 2002. . http://lotusgreenfotos.blogspot.com. N.p., 2007. Web. 10 May 2012. Niyama, Taiki, and Caroline Tsai. "The Meiji period (1868-1912)." Japan Cultural Profile. Japan Foundation, 5 Oc. Web. 10 May 2012. <http://www.culturalprofiles.net/japan/Directories/Japan_Cultural_Profile/-13234.html>. "Reconfiguring Romanticism (22): Yosano Akiko, Two Poems with Commentary." http://poemsandpoetics.blogspot.com. N.p., n. d. 0. Web. 10 May 2012. http://wutheringexpectations.blogspot.com. N.p., n. d. 0. Web. 10 May 2012. it's a little messed up since I pasted it, but please enjoy it and criticize!