The Gender Consciousness of Akiko Yosano in Midaregami

Akiko Yosano’s first poetry collection, Midaregami （1901）, challenges traditional values and conventions, offering a positive portrayal of women’s selfhood and bodies, making her expressions from a female perspective and her awareness of gender issues noteworthy. Through depictions of “breasts” and “hair,” Yosano seeks the liberation of women’s bodies and emotions, demonstrating a stance of resistance against existing social and cultural authorities. Her work redefines women's bodies not as sexual objects but as subjects, symbolizing beauty and freedom.Furthermore, Yosano emphasizes the female perspective, infusing her work with empathy for lower-class women and a strong desire to address social inequalities. Going beyond themes of love and self-indulgence, she portrays powerful female figures who affirm their agency and challenge feudal values. Yosano's work advocates for women’s independent awareness of their bodies.