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

by E. Taylor Atkins

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, identity and meaning in Japanese history.

E. Taylor Atkins shows how Japan is one of the earliest sites for the development of mass-produced, market-oriented cultural products consumed by urban middle and working classes. The best-known traditional arts and culture of Japan- no theater, monochrome ink painting, court literature, poetry and indigenous music-inhabited a world distinct from that of urban commoners, who fashioned their own expressive forms and laid the groundwork for today's 'gross national cool.' Popular culture was pivotal in the rise of Japanese nationalism, imperialism, militarism, postwar democracy and economic development.

Offering historiographical and analytical frameworks for understanding its subject, A History of Popular Culture in Japan synthesizes the latest scholarship from a variety of disciplines. It is a vital resource for students of Japanese cultural history wishing to gain a deeper understanding of Japan's contributions to global cultural heritage.

Genres: Japan, History, Nonfiction, Asia, Cultural, Japanese History

288 pages, Paperback

First published October 19, 2017

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a lot of Japanese non-fiction, and this one stands out for two reasons: one, the scope of it was quite broad, and two, it's eminent readability despite being an academic work. Taking the time to dive into each era of Japanese history by means of its entertainments really made the time period come alive in new, fascinating ways, and I learned quite a lot from it. I would definitely recommend!

[Saya]

Otro libro que abandono porque no estoy en el mood. De hecho este año me está costando concentrarme en lecturas nuevas: o me atrapan mucho, o apenas me entero de lo que estoy leyendo. Y pese a que la premisa de este libro es interesantísima, no creo que el autor se explique lo suficientemente bien como para mantener mi atención. Igual necesito más contexto sobre bunraku y noh y kabuki para seguir el texto, porque sinceramente, me pierdo. De nuevo, igual es que no me concentro, pero es que de veras creo que el texto no está bien explicado, y el autor a veces te mete un tecnicismo y luego te mete claramente una opinión que ni me va ni me viene... No sé, quizá lo retome en otro momento o busque otro tipo de lecturas más centradas en cada tema específico.