Asaji Nose (能勢朝次)
Nose ASAJI (April 1, 1894-February 25, 1955) was a Japanese Noh researcher and expert on Japanese literature. He was born in Yamaguni Village, Kita Kuwada County, Kyoto Prefecture. He graduated from the department of Japanese literature, Kyoto Imperial University in 1923. He became a professor of Otani University in 1924. Later, he became a teacher in Kyoto Imperial University, Tokyo Higher Normal School, Tokyo Bunri University, Tokyo University of Education, etc. and became the president of Nara Gakugei University in 1954.
He was specialized in studies of medieval Japanese literature and Kinsei Bungaku (Japanese Edo period literature), and rose to the top of his profession by a method that used plenty of historical materials analytically especially in the field of Noh and by exceptional originality. His main work is "Nogaku Genryu Ko"(The origin of Noh play) published in 1938, which consists of two parts: "Sarugaku in the Heian period" and "Sarugaku in the Kamakura Yoshino period" along with an appendix "Dengakuko", and describes the history of Noh from creation of Noh to the end of the Sengoku period (the period of warring states). He received the Japan Academy Award for this achievement in 1940. In addition, he wrote books, such as "Zeami jyu-roku bushu hyoshaku"(the comment on "Zeami jyu-roku bushu") and "Yugen ron"(opinion about the beauty represented through Noh play).