Japanese poet and Buddhist writer
to give campus talk and reading

One of Japan’s foremost contemporary writers, Hiromi Itō, will give a talk on classical Buddhism and a reading from her work at Western Michigan University on Wednesday, February 22. Both events are open to the public free of charge.

Itō’s talk, “Classical Buddhism, Where To? A Contemporary Writer’s Perspective,” is planned for 2 to 3:40 p.m in Room 2028 of Brown Hall. She will speak about her recent books on the Heart Sutra, the Japanese Buddhist teacher, Shinran, and their influence on contemporary religious thought. Dr. Stephen Covell, chair of WMU’s Department of Comparative Religion, and Dr. Jeffrey Angles, associate professor in the Department of Foreign Languages and director of the Soga Japan Center, will join Itō for the discussion.

A bilingual poetry reading of her work will presented from  6:30 to 8 p.m. in Room 2028 of Brown Hall by Itō and Angles, English translator of her book, “Killing Kanoko” (Action Books, 2009), followed by an open discussion and a book signing. Itō’s books will be available for purchase at the reading.