Abstract

Shibusawa Tatsuhiko (1928–1987) occupies a unique space in post-war Japanese culture. He is perhaps best known as the translator of works by Marquis de Sade, but is also credited as a widely learned critic who introduced and popularized many notions pertaining to Western art and history, especially surrealism and the occult. It is safe to say that butoh pioneer Hijikata Tatsumi (1928–1986) had a great respect for this decadent scholar of his own generation.