Actaully the Japan's unique way of readjusting foreign cultures to suit their interests and tastes is visible everywhere, not just in Kyoto.
These pics were taken in Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture. The area was indeed a very interesting place and I'd say it was a good example of Re-japanization of westernization. I'm not sure whether they were reconstructed or natural, but the streets and some stores were somewhat artificially traditional Japanese (at least not in a way Kyoto is!) There was a quite famous orgel museum where a variety of orgels was on display and for sale to attract visitors. The orgels aka music boxes were originally from Europe but they finally re-japanized the orgel too! I mean, look at the orgels with ornaments that are Japanese dolls in Kimono!!
3 comments:
Wow, interesting! The dolls you mention though kinda give me the creeps. When I was in Tokyo, we went to this virtual entertainment arcade.. and while in there, decided to go to this "horror" house attraction called:
ahem... THE HOUSE OF THE LIVING DOLLS! They basically came to life and tried to 'get us'^_^
Shiga must have been nice though. Have you noticed that "re-japanization" anywhere else on your travels?
Sach
Can you discuss and perhaps define "re-japanization of westernization?" I'd also like to hear more about the "artificially traditional Japanese."
as the pictures show, the idea of 're-japanization of westernization' is re-making the things, builidings, even concepts that were originally western with some kind of Japanese touch into them. And they have used the westernization as a tool to appeal their cultures and society to foreigners by re-japanizing the elements as well as to benefit the Japanese people from modernizing its society. I guess this can also be related to the 'artificially traditional Japanese', which describes the effort to create traditional Japanese cultures out of this modernized and westernized setting because foreigners coming to Japan are still looking for what seems traditionally Japanese!
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