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First introduced to Japan in the late 19th century, the concept of physical virginity soon became a pivotal site within discourse on sexual morality, national strength, and modern feminine ideals. Used by Japanese authors as a highly malleable symbol of both positive and negative aspects of Japanese society in transition, virginity provides a window onto contentious debates between writers, medical professionals, and educators over the proper direction for pure Japanese literature and the sexual behavior of the Japanese citizen. In this book I examine the anxiety-laden and frequently contradictory literary representations of the male and female virgin in Japanese fiction, essays, and film from the 1880s through the 1930s.

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Jennifer Cullen is an adjunct professor of Japanese Film and Popular Culture at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.

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