The structure of iki

Abstract

How is the phenomenon of iki structured?1 How can we make clear the structure of iki and grasp its being? There is no doubt that iki has certain meaning; neither is there any question that iki exists as a word in the Japanese language. Can we then state that the word iki is found universally, in all languages? We must first look into this question; and if it turns out that what is meant by iki exists only in the Japanese language, then it follows that iki bears a specific ethnicity. If that is the case, what methodological approach should we take to treat this meaning, with its specific ethnicity, or, alternatively, its specific cultural being? Before we embark on the analysis of the structure of iki, we must answer some preliminary questions. © 2004 by University of Hawai'i Press. All rights reserved.