One must ask oneself how can readers dive into the world of the Tale of Genji and into the world of Mishima with the impression that they are entering one and the same culture – a culture that would seem to reflect a mentality which has endured over centuries. One could perhaps argue that this question concerns Western readers and not Japanese culture in itself, which could in no way be held responsible for any assumption we may have about it. It seems to me, however, that such an attitude is...