The japanese remain unaware of their own culture’s value

Alongside American pop industry, the Japanese pop culture has been taking over the entire world in the past few years. Manga, anime, Harajuku girls, karaoke, Hello Kitty are just some of Japanese export products. The fast economic growth after the Cold War, in the late 1980s, set Japan on top of the world market and the West soon became interested in all segments of Japanese culture.

Could you explain the term “Cool Japan”, what does it actually represent and is it a national brand?

It is a term that includes a plethora of things, fashion, food… However, the emergence of the term is linked to anime and manga comics, as well as traditional culture, which is closely connected to the modern culture, and thus the expression “Cool Japan” came to existence. Japanese culture has become the object of worship all over the world, while Japanese themselves are unaware of just how popular and valuable it is.

Japanese pop culture is characterized by the idea of kawaii, i.e. the ideology of “grace” which is often identified with infantilism. Could you explain this term, why is it so popular and how much truth lies in the saying that this is one of the “soft power” methods of dominating the world market?

There is no definition for kawaii in Japan, but the term has become popular throughout the world and is used mostly by young girls to express their enthusiasm with something: a thing, an event. In English you have the term “cute”, in French “mignon,” but they are not equivalents of the term kawaii. It is a word one uses to express ones values, ones feelings toward something. I agree and am extremely happy that so many people claim this is soft power dominance, because Japan, as an island country, has completely liberal artisanal production. In creating these new products, that are today very popular in the market, we were not guided by the assumption this is something that will conquer the world, but it was a completely original product.

Could you explain what kind of impact does the West have on Japan and vice versa?

Japanese anime were actually invented by local authors who adored Disney. But the main difference between these two forms was money. America always had in mind the global market, while we were locally oriented. We still had to find ways to stand out in the world and anime, thus, became the most recognizable Japanese product. Fashion for young people is a part of this as well, since they often imitate anime. However, there is also the case of a Japanese fashion designer who is inspired by the world of Marie Antoinette and uses parts of clothing characteristic for that period, and the French regard her designs as an original Japanese product. One can say of the Japanese they are people who care about details and are really precise in everything they do.

In accordance with the popular Western notion of traditional Japan through its Zen gardens and tea ceremonies, this contemporary postmodern culture of Japan seems to be in great contrast with tradition. Is it really a rebellion or are there any links with tradition? How is tradition perceived nowadays?

Rebellion is definitely not present. Tradition is fully woven into contemporary culture, even young Japanese do not distinguish between traditional and modern Japan. Many prefer traditional dress. Westerners usually think there is a large gap between the two and anime, for example, were created during the seventies and are associated with tradition, but only through the Internet did they spread throughout the world.

Why do Westerners feel that pop culture is so sexualized and how do you explain such astonishment of the Westerners by the amount of explicit content, although in the Western world pornography became almost an integral part of all media?

In Japanese culture there are no taboos. People care less what other people think, they have always been focused only on one goal. Probably only one percent of Japanese culture is free of eroticism, but that part is accentuated. Perhaps the westerners find it strange erotic scenes are present in manga comics, but you must understand that in Japan animated films and comic books were not intended for children. Anime and manga were mainly made for adults.

Could we connect the phenomenon of hikikomori (the young people who retreat from the society for a long time into the sanctity of their own house) with the Japanese pop culture?

I think the phenomenon has absolutely nothing to do with pop culture.

Extremely acclaimed Japanese architects such as Tadao Ando, Kazuo Seyime or Nishizawa, artists like Murakami are highly recognized throughout the world and for the Westerners they have become synonymous with the Japanese culture. Are they perceived as extraordinary individuals in their own country as well?

I think Japanese people accept them, somewhat like the rest of the world, but of course they are not images of Japan but only exceptions. Our culture is very diverse.

Photographs: Laura Bosazzi (lecture), www.otakon.com (main photo)