I am a professor and researcher in Japanese Studies with over 20 years of academic experience, specializing in Japanese language, culture, and disability representation in manga and media.
Here you’ll find a collection of academic research, books, creative projects, thoughts, and inspirations that reflect who I am and what I love. Thanks for stopping by — feel free to explore and stay awhile!
Yoshiko Okuyama’s books explore how Japanese media—manga, film, and anime—reflect and reshape cultural understandings of disability, mental health, and mythology. From the personal narratives of Tōjisha Manga to the critical perspectives in Reframing Disability in Manga and the symbolic analysis in Japanese Mythology in Film, her work bridges scholarship and storytelling to illuminate the complex interplay between tradition, identity, and representation in contemporary Japan.
Join Yoshiko Okuyama, Ph.D., as she dives into the untold stories of Japan through the lenses of manga, mythology, disability, and spiritual tradition. Blending scholarly insight with engaging storytelling, each episode explores how lived experience, cultural memory, and popular media shape the way we understand identity, healing, and belief in Japanese society.
Dear Visitors, Thank you for stopping by yoyomao.org — I’m so glad you’re here! I’m Yoshiko Okuyama, a professor, author, and storyteller exploring the intersections of Japanese culture, mythology, disability, and media. Whether you’re interested in Tōjisha manga, Japanese film and anime, or spiritual traditions, this space is dedicated to sharing research, insights, and stories that connect lived…
Yoshiko Okuyama 