In memory of professor Bonaventura Ruperti, the 'Prophet of Japan'

Ca’ Foscari mourns the death of Bonaventura Ruperti, full professor of Japanese Language and Literature at the Department of Asian and North African Studies.

'The prophet of Japan', as ​​his students affectionately called him, passed away in the afternoon of 5 January.

He cultivated a great passion for Japanese theatre, becoming an internationally recognized scholar of the highest level with over 100 publications on the topic. He was well-esteemed not only by his academic peers, but also by the most prominent masters of Japanese performative arts.

He led many different research projects in Japan, including the most recent “The body in the Japanese Performing Arts: Death and Life, Puppets and Artificial Bodies” at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies (Nichibunken) in Kyōto.

The Japanese scientific community has always held him in high regard, as attested by the career awards received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan: in 2017, professor Ruperti received a commendation for his achievements in promoting Japanese culture in Italy and in 2020 he was awarded the Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon of the Order of the Rising Sun.

His intellectual rigour and honesty, as well as a strong respect for institutions, have always motivated his efforts at every level, in the many positions he held since he first arrived at Ca’ Foscari in 1992. His contribution to Japanese studies in Venice helped the whole study field grow and build international recognition, and his many alumni all over the world are a testament to his legacy.

Ca’ Foscari remembers him with the words of his colleagues at the Department of Asian and North African Studies: “He was always generous, sensitive and capable of listening to people, ready to help in every situation. He always had a warm smile and he knew how to encourage everyone to overcome any difficulties.
All foreign language assistants remember him with affection and gratitude for his constant trust in their work, forever sharing his strong belief in human sciences as an instrument of peace.

As a man of peace and harmony, he will always remain an example to follow in everyday life. He knew how to instil his refined passion in his students, who he led in the learning of the Japanese language from the very first year. His affection towards the students was always reciprocated and he was often included in many student initiatives. He had a contagious love for life, beauty and the arts”.

In one of his last interviews - on the occasion of the award received on 14 July 2021 - when asked about the difficult times brought on by the pandemic in Italy and Japan, he quoted a famous poem by Izumi Shikibu:

Out of the darkness
Onto the dark path
I must enter—
Shine in the distance
Moon over the mountain’s crest

The funeral will be held on 9 January 2023 at 2.45 p.m. in the Duomo di Vicenza

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JAPANESE VERSION

訃報
ヴェネツィア・カフォスカリ大学
ボナヴェントゥーラ・ルペルティ先生

アジア・北アフリカ研究学科所属の日本語・日本文学教授、ボナヴェントゥーラ・ルペルティ先生が１月５日にご逝去されました。
ボナヴェントゥーラ・ルペルティ先生は学生時代よりカフォスカリ大学に在籍し、研究・教育に専念されて多くの学生たちから親愛を込めて「日本の預言者」(Profeta del Giappone)と呼ばれ慕われてきました。
先生は日本の伝統芸能への情熱を培われ、七冊の専門書のほか百を超える論文を執筆、学者として国際的にも揺るぎない信望を得ていました。学会のみならず、日本芸能の高名な演者の方々からも信頼を受けておられました。

ルペルティ先生は日本においてもさまざまな共同研究の代表をつとめられました。最近の研究では京都の国際日本文化研究センター（日文研）の共同プロジェクト『日本の舞台芸術における身体–死と生、人形と人工体』があります。
日本の学会における高い評価はその受賞歴にもみられ、2017年にはイタリアにおける日本研究の推進の功績により外務大臣表彰、2020年には日伊の学術交流の促進及び関係強化に寄与した功績により旭日中綬章を授与されました。
大学のもつ役割への強い責任感、知的活動における厳密さと誠実さを常に意識し、1992年に大学教員となって以来、数多くの学内職務にも力を注いできました。ヴェネツィアにおいて日本研究が発展し、国際的にも評価を得ることができたのはその賜物といえます。また、世界の各地で先生の数多くの愛弟子たちが研究を続けています。

カフォスカリ大学は、アジア・北アフリカ学科の教員また研究者の言葉をここにあげることでルペルティ先生の姿を心に留めたいと思います。
「いつでも寛大、誰に対しても心から向き合って話に耳を傾け、どんな状況のときにも助けを惜しまない。その明るい笑顔で、どんな困難でも乗り越えられるようみなを励ましてくれた」「いつでも信頼をもって見守ってくれたことに心から感謝している。人文学は平和に貢献するという先生の強い信念は忘れない」（日本語母語講師一同）「先生は新入生を対象とする日本語教育にも携わり、その洗練された情熱を学生たちに伝えてきた。学生たちからも慕われ、学生主体の多くの活動にも関わった。先生の人生、美、芸術への喜びに満ちた愛情に誰もが感化された」

2021年7月14日、旭日中綬章受章の際のスピーチでイタリアまた日本におけるコロナ禍の厳しい状況に触れ、ルペルティ先生は愛する和泉式部の名高い歌を引いて結びの言葉とされました。

暗きより暗き道にぞ入りぬべき
遥かに照らせ山の端の月