Howard Hibbett

Who is Howard Hibbett?

Howard Hibbett （b. 1920）is a translator and professor emeritus of Japanese literature at Harvard University. He held the Victor S. Thomas Professorship in Japanese Literature.

Hibbett began his studies of Japanese as a sophomore at Harvard College 1942 before working as a language specialist for the US Army in 1942-46. After graduating from Harvard College in 1947, he went on to receive his Ph.D., also from Harvard, in 1950. He taught at UCLA before returning to Harvard as a professor in 1958. He was Director of the Edwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies from 1985 through 1988.

Seven Japanese Tales, published in 1963, helped introduce the English-speaking world to Jun'ichirō Tanizaki and Japanese literature.

His publications include studies and translations of Edo and modern literature. He is particularly known for his translations of Tanizaki and works on Japanese language teaching.