Book introduction

　This is a book version of the first doctoral dissertation written in Japan on Nikos Kazanzakis and contemporary Greek literature. It discusses the relationship between the literature of Nikos Kazantzakis and the Eastern world, from Japan, China, Russia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Pontus, and clarifies the relationship between his view of the Orient and Kazantzakis’ view of Greece. Kazanzakis is a unique writer, as many Western intellectuals have customarily been averse to Eastern influences and traces of (ancient) Greece. In this article, I discuss Nikos Kazanzakis’ view of the Orient and compare Kazanzakis’ view of Greece with that of other Greeks, revealing the peculiarities of his Greekness. In particular, this is a rare study of Nikos Kazanzakis and the oriental world that actually uses Chinese, Russian, and Japanese sources, providing a new perspective on Nikos Kazanzakis and contemporary Greek literature.