A History of Popular Culture in Japan: From the Seventeenth Century to the Present

ISBN-13: 9781350195936 / Angielski / Twarda / 2022 / 408 str.

Dr. E. Taylor Atkins

Opis

The phenomenon of 'Cool Japan' is one of the distinctive features of global popular culture of the millennial age. A History of Popular Culture in Japan provides the first historical and analytical overview of popular culture in Japan from its origins in the 17th century to the present day, using it to explore broader themes of conflict, power and meaning in Japanese history. E. Taylor Atkins shows how Japan was one of the earliest sites for the development of mass-produced, market-oriented cultural products consumed by urban middle and working classes. From traditional monochrome ink painting, court literature and poetry to anime, manga and J-Pop, popular culture was pivotal in the rise of Japanese nationalism, imperialism, militarism and economic development, and to the present day plays a central role in Japanese identity. With updated historiography throughout, this fully revised second edition features: - A new chapter on popular culture in the Edo period - An expanded section on pre-Tokugawa culture - More discussion on recent pop culture phenomena such as TV game shows, cuteness and J-Pop - 10 new images - A new glossary of terms including kanji This improved edition is a vital resource for students of Japanese cultural history wishing to gain a deeper understanding of Japan’s contributions to global cultural heritage.

Spis treści

List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction 1 The worst which has been thought and said? Defining popular culture 2 Floating worlds—the birth of popular culture in Japan 3 A whole new world—cultural exchanges with East Asia and Europe 4 Naughty and nice—early modern Japan’s culture wars 5 Popular culture as subject and object of Meiji modernization 6 Cultural living—cosmopolitan modernism in imperial Japan 7 Entertaining empire—popular culture as a “technology of imperialism” 8 “Our spirit against their steel”—mobilizing culture for war 9 Democracy, monstrosity, and pensive prosperity—postwar pop 10 Millennial Japan as dream factory Afterword—Contemplating cool Notes References Index