Аңдатпа
The purpose of this article is to examine the changes in the role and place of women in Japanese culture from ancient times to the present day. The article analyzes how cultural, social, and historical factors have shaped the perception of women in Japanese society and how these changes manifest themselves in the context of globalization and contemporary Japanese culture. The objectives of the study are to examine traditional ideas about the role of women in Japanese society (in particular, during the Edo period and before it), exploring their relationship with Confucian views; to assess how Western influences and the modernization processes of the Meiji era (1868–1912) changed the role of women in Japanese culture; and to consider the role of women in Japan in the 20th and 21st centuries, taking into account changing socio-economic conditions and changing social norms. This article uses the methods of historical analysis, comparative analysis, and content analysis to study the images of women in Japanese cultural artifacts (literature, art, cinema, etc.). Empirical data were collected from historical texts, contemporary research, and observations of current social trends and cultural production. The novelty of the work lies in its comprehensive approach, which includes both historical and contemporary contexts in the analysis of changes in the role of women in Japanese culture. Particular attention is paid to the changes taking place in Japanese society in recent decades, as well as the influence of popular culture on the perception of the role of women in modern Japanese society. The results of the study revealed that the traditional role of women in Japanese culture was greatly limited by social and religious norms, which was manifested in the expectations of the role of a housewife, wife, and mother. However, the modernization of Japan, as well as the influence of Western values, significantly changed this picture, opening up new opportunities for women in education, labor, and politics, which was reflected in the 20th and 21st centuries, when women in Japan faced new challenges related to feminism and gender equality. The article demonstrates the complexity and multifaceted nature of the changes taking place in the role and place of women in Japanese culture.