Have you ever heard the rumor that Spanish is easy when it comes to choosing a second foreign language at university? It is true that Spanish is familiar to Japanese from a phonetic point of view, and in this sense it is easy for beginners. But is that the only reason why it is considered easy? In this lecture we will try to put the "Spanish is easy" rumors into context, not from a linguistic point of view, but from a cultural-historical perspective on the importance of the Spanish language and the study of Spanish thought and culture in Japan since the Meiji era (1868-1912). We will consider together the asymmetry in the intellectual status of languages, ideas and cultures of different regions in the modern world, and the importance of the study of foreign languages and cultures for us.

NOTE:
- This lecture was conducted only in Japanese.