Marianna Lazar

マリアンナ・ラーザール

she/her
Marianna Lazar
Current Position

Senior Lecturer, Károli Gáspár University

Disciplines
History Archaeology Cultural Studies Art History
Research Interests

cultural history of ancient Japan (3-8th century), Four Gods belief, Kofun period archaeology, decorated tumuli, burial mounds, East Asian cultural relations (3-8th c.), Onmyōdō practices

Research Languages

English, Japanese, Hungarian, Chinese

Current Location

Budapest , Hungary

About Me

I am a historian of ancient Japan and currently a senior lecturer at Károli Gáspár University, Department of Japanese Studies (Budapest, Hungary). My research focuses on ancient Japanese cultural history and archaeology (3-8th century), and I am particularly interested in Chinese and Korean influences on Japanese burial traditions and burial art. I have been also working on an interdisciplinary research on the "Four Gods belief" (四神思想) for a long time, examining its origin and development in East Asia, focusing in particular on its artistic, cultural, social and political-ideological development in ancient, medieval, early-modern and modern Japan. I have published in both English, Japanese and Hungarian as a researcher and translator.

Education

PhD, Cultural History, Ryukoku University, Kyoto, Japan, 2018

MA, Japanese Studies, Japanese History major, Károli Gáspár University, Budapest, Hungary, 2013

Research student, MA, Art History, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan, 2013

BA, Japanese Studies, Károli Gáspár University, Budapest, Hungary, 2010

Selected Publications
  • Ancient Chinese and Korean influences on Japanese Tomb Murals. Annals of Dimitrie Cantemir Christian University 20:1. (2021) pp. 48-68. 

  • Examining the Tradition of the Four Gods Belief in Japan: Focusing on the role of Ceremonial Banners. Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, Fifth Series. (The Asiatic Society of Japan, 2025) 1-26 p. In press.

  • Archaeology and Onmyōdō: Human-shaped ritual objects associated with purification rites and curses. Embodied Entanglements: Gender, Identity, and the Corporeal in Asia. (Palacký University Olomouc, 2025) pp. 311 - 334. In press.

  • Study on the development of ancient Japanese turtle motifs. Annals of Dimitrie Cantemir Christian University. Vol. 21:1 (2022) pp. 164-180.

  • (Unpublished PhD dissertation) 東アジアにおける四神思想の変遷-日本の四神思想を中心に Examining the tradition of the "Four Gods"-belief in East Asia: Focusing on the Japanese tradition of the "Four Gods"-belief (Ryukoku University, 2018)

  • A study on wall paintings of mural tombs - as seen in the Takamatsuzuka and Kitora tomb. Higashi ajia bijutsu koryushiron. (Chuo koron bijutsu shuppan, 2013) pp. 385-397.

  • The Wall Paintings of the Takamatsuzuka and Kitora Tomb – from the Viewpoint of Art History. Higashi ajia bijutsu koryushiron. (Chuo koron bijutsu shuppan, 2013) pp. 344-350.

  • Ancient Coins of Japan.Távol-Keleti Tanulmányok/ Journal of East Asian Cultures 2022/1. (2022) pp. 45–61. 

  • Nihon no kingendai ni okeru saireiyou shijin boko no ichikosatsu: Edo kara hiromatta shijin boko ni tsuite 日本の近現代における祭礼用四神鉾の一考察江戸から広まった四神鉾について. Minzokugaku no Shatei 民俗学の射程 (Koyo Shobo, 2022) pp. 137 - 145.

  • A study on the relationship between Japanese aristocracy and the four gods belief in medieval and pre-modern times. Annals of Dimitrie Cantemir Christian University. 18/1. (2019) pp. 87-109.

Selected Courses Taught
  • Introduction to Japanese archaeology, Károli Gáspár University, 2018-2024
  • Ancient Japan-Korea relations, Károli Gáspár University, 2018-2024
  • Japanese art history, Károli Gáspár University, 2017-2024
  • Japanese cultural history, Károli Gáspár University, 2018-2024
  • East Asian cultures, Károli Gáspár University, 2018-2024
Selected Grants
  • MEXT Research Scholarship at Kobe University, 2012-2013
  • MEXT PhD Scholarship at Ryukoku University, 2013-2016
Memberships & Affiliations
  • European Association for Japanese Studies
  • The Asiatic Society of Japan
  • Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Contact For
General Contact
Mentoring
Networking
Providing an Expert Opinion
Research Collaborations
Serving on Boards/Committees
Speaking Opportunities
Social Media
Last Updated

2/2/2025