Module manager: Dr Jieun Kim
Email: j.e.kim@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
| EAST3018 | Death in Japanese Society and Culture |
| EAST3355 | Death and Religion in Japan |
This module is approved as a discovery module
This module examines how death becomes a space for negotiating critical ethical, social, and existential questions in Japan. We explore the diverse ways people and institutions respond to the uncertainties surrounding death, loss, and what may come after. Special attention is given to forms of death that evoke complex public responses—such as suicides, disaster deaths, and lonely deaths (kodokushi)—and the ways these experiences are framed and understood within Japanese society and culture. The module also investigates contemporary shifts in end-of-life practices, looking at how individuals, families, and communities adapt to changing demands for alternative funerals and burial options in the context of super-aging. This exploration encourages us to critically reflect on how perspectives on death and dying intersect with broader concerns about social and moral order and ongoing efforts to reestablish meaning in changing times. Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.
To explore a variety of perspectives and evolving practices surrounding death and dying in Japan, highlighting cultural, social, and ethical dimensions.
To investigate key historical events, social shifts, policies, and practices that have shaped responses to death and dying within Japanese society and culture.
To examine how attitudes toward death and dying intersect with broader issues of social changes and moral values.
To analyse and critique existing academic approaches to the study of death and dying in Japan, fostering a nuanced understanding of the field’s diverse methodologies and insights.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of the diverse perspectives and evolving practices that shape attitudes toward death and dying in Japan.
2. Discuss the key events, social changes, policies, and cultural practices related to death and dying in Japan.
3. Analyse the ways in which cultural and social attitudes toward death and dying intersect with broader concerns about social order and moral values in Japan and beyond.
4. Appraise existing studies’ approaches to death and dying in Japanese society and culture.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
5. Communicate effectively.
6. Interpret and analyse information from a number of sources and perspectives to formulate new ideas and explanations.
7. Assess diverse perspectives in order to identify biases in one’s own reasoning and develop well-structured and evidence-based arguments.
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 11 | 1 | 11 |
| Seminar | 11 | 1 | 11 |
| Private study hours | 178 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 22 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Progress is monitored through performance in seminars. Once the essay assignment is set, students will also prepare an unassessed detailed outline. Feedback from this will help students work on the final essay.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Essay | 70 |
| Coursework | Reflective log | 30 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team