(Memoirs of a Geisha)

The word Geisha literally translates to art person. The movie Memoirs of a Geisha reflects this both in its hauntingly beautiful imagery and its plotline. The story tells of a young girl who is torn from her family and sold to a Geisha house. After sometime at the Geisha House, the title character, Sayuri, is presented with the opportunity to become a Geisha. From here in the story erupts with poignant exoticism of the Geisha lifestyle, which is shown to be both glamorous and tragic. The epitome of this hyper-exotification is exemplified in Sayuri’s solo dance sequence in the movie. Both the outfit and the dance choreography succeed in magnifying the exotic allure her presence. The sense of magnification, further radiates ethereal aesthetics so as to tailor the visual representation of the Geisha world to an American audience. Also to be noted, this on-screen portrayal of this book is essentially further hyper exotification, as most of the dance choreography is imbued with western influence, so as to emphasize the mystifying aspects the Geisha . This is evidenced in the fact that the main character is differentiated from the other character by possessing blue eyes. The movie explains that she has “too much water in her eyes,” which means that she posses the ability to be both be it soft and delicate or powerful and destructive. These “superstitious” beliefs also lead into the exoticism aspect of the movie as well, which is essentially the essence of the film. Once again, illustrating an auto-exotic aspect in both imagery and plotline, this film creates a otherness, that does not relate to Japanese culture, but rather is tailored to an American culture, so as represent an “otherworldyness” aspect via visual aesthetics.

(The Dragon Lady)

The term “Dragon Lady”Refers to a stereotype of Asian women depicted both in Hollywood films and the mainstream American media. Their appearance is emphasized in their overly exotic visual representation. Some examples of this can be seen in such movies such as Memoirs of a Geisha, Kill Bill, and to Sin City. Though “Dragon Ladies” were originally introduced during the silent films of 1920s, their role has changed over the years, essentially dependent upon America’s racial imagery and stereotypes. Illustrations of the “Dragon Ladies” often a reflection of how mainstream American society views Asian American women, during any particular time. In that sense the image of the “Dragon Lady” was birthed out of phobia but became a philia in the subjective portrayal of East Asian Women. These stereotypical “femme fatales” are categorized by three major characteristics, they first appear to be extremely exotic in appearance, secondly they are portrayed as treacherous and scheming, thirdly they are seductive and highly sexualized. In this sense they relate to the metonymic aspect of Japnophila. In “fabricating” this image of Asian women to be either evil, scheming, or docile, the media is portraying a metonymic aspect of Japanophilia to stand for the whole of all East Asian women. In that sense the portrayal of the “Dragon Ladies” continues to be a prevalent stereotype that dictates the roles available to Asian American women. However, recent role for Asian American women on T.V. shows such as Lost and Battlestar Gallatica suggest that mainstream opinions about Asian Americans in general are changing.

(Ninja Sword)

A prop from my childhood . . . and high school years.

(Samurai Sushi Bar)

Kabuki, samurai, and sushi come together in this Japanophiliac T-shirt.

(Kung Fu . . . Dojo?)

And here I thought dojo was a Japanese word.

(Anime World)

Gundam, Naruto, Bleach, Yugi-o, Chobits. Just naming a few of the images seen from the outside does give us the idea that the store is in fact an 'Anime World'. I find it interesting though that Jack Sparrow stands tall at the entrance, and that mean looking airsoft guns shine on the back wall.

(J-cute Nails)

Located in a certain mall in Eagle Rock CA, The J-cute nails possibly represent the epitome of the spread of cuteness in our daily lifestyle. Quoting a classmate: "[the Japanese] have mastered the art of The Cute"

(Zen pots and cups)

Sitting on the shelves of a target store were these tea pots and cups. Last time I checked, I don't believe the equation Zen = Cubic was a particularly notable concept.

(Zen Vases)

Zen vases. They are simple, essential, symmetrical, and set up in a formation. Although rock formations in karesansui are in groups, those groups are not typically of four but three. Simple, essential, and symmetrical are American interpretations of what Zen is - disregarding the fact that Zen is a religion with a dogma. We would be hard pressed to sell Jewish vases and toothbrush holders in Japan - an idea recognized immediately for its profoundly incorrect application of the term - but we manage to do a good job of the reverse here in America. Some might say that American consumerism is a religion. If so, perhaps Zen has not been taken out of religious context after all.

(Zen Toothbrush Holder)

Zen - disregarding its actual definition - has come to mean anything taken down to its essential qualities/attributes/parts. This toothbrush holder is Zen because it is one clean color and two simple parts. The American appropriation of Zen has become an essential weapons system in the battle of the trendy versus the extravagant. The meaning of Zen has and has not been completely lost in that the original purpose is clearly out of sight and mind, but the realization of the beauty of things essential and simple is not. Is a Zen toothbrush holder a good thing? Hardly. Can it be prevented? No. Is there an up side? The question has multiple answers, all of which may be valid. Zen in its original form, however, has been lost.

(Pattern Recognition)

In 2003 William Gibson published his eighth novel, Pattern Recognition. The book has been labeled science-fiction, though the story line takes place in the recent, post 9/11 past. The plot follows a female protagonist, Cayce, who is hired by the advertising firm Blue Ant to appraise logos for its clients. Cayce, works "cool-seeker" on a freelance basis, wielding her hyper-sensitivity for esthetic at great profit in fashion and advertising industries. Her sensitivity is associated with an acute, allergic reaction to brand names and corporate logos; sight of the Michelin Man causes her intense nausea and vertigo.

In Pattern Recognition, William Gibson directly conjures Japan as Cayce travels to Tokyo on a job. From her hotel room, Cayce looks out over Tokyo and sees “a remarkably virtual-looking skyline, a floating jumble of electric Lego, studded with odd shapes you somehow wouldn’t see elsewhere”. This description of the modern Tokyo skyline elicits two common elements of 19th and early 20th century European (read Caucasian) imagining of Japan as a “floating world” and “existing in a different reality”. European portrayal of Japan as the “floating world”, explicitly cultivates the fantasy world of the Orient. This fantasy has often problematically informed popular understanding of Japan/Asia in the European context, as it stands in for direct experience and inextricably carries cultural bias. Gibson describes the ubiquitous presence of industrial and commercial imagery in Japan, and produces an image of Tokyo both mechanized and divorced from nature. As Cayce walks through the streets of Tokyo, she passes a road maintenance crew and watches as they cut through asphalt. She thinks to herself that “she’s never actually seen soil emerge from any incision they might make in the street, here: it’s as though there is nothing beneath the pavement but a clean, uniformly dense substrate of pipes and wiring.” The author and the reader selectively focus on the exotic elements of Tokyo, jointly producing the imagined, essentialized Japan; simultaneously exotic fantasy of the “floating world” and mechanized, super-modern, industrial landscape.

(Zen Chi Massager)

"In our busy schedules, taking time out is crucial in maintaining your health and energy levels. Whether it is exercise, meditation or simply eating correctly, we must do something. Time restraints make exercise routines difficult to maintain, but Zen Chi is able to solve the difficulty.All it takes is fifteen minutes morning and night to maintain the recommended thirty minutes of daily exercise, any additional form of exercise is an extra-added bonus! So why not try Zen Chi to gain benefits of regular exercise, easy and simple.Zen Chi is a unique non-impact exercise movement that stimulates venous and lymphatic return, as well as the digestive tract, all whilst lying down. Making it the easiest exercise routine. Just 15 minutes exercise a day will improve energy levels, body appearance and create an overwhelming sensation of well being.Exercise Made EasyThe beneficial effects of chi (energy) stimulating exercise usually related to martial arts, yoga and other strict disciplines, is now within reach. The Zen Chi Aerobic Massager combines modern technologies with the essential principles to produce a high quality massager, which will give you a vast range of health and beauty benefits.How Does It WorkLying with your feet in the Zen Chi cradle, simply set the timer for the desired length of exercise, this will start the exercise movement. Relax, clear your mind and you will feel your whole body rock from side to side as if you are being massaged all over. The more you relax the greater the sensation. The results of this non-impact exercise movement are excellent.Beneficial EffectsThe Zen Chi has a stimulating effect on venous and lymphatic circulation, as well as an incredible stimulus to the digestive tract, which boosts a sluggish metabolism and enhances digestion. The increased blood flow to the capillary banks in all extremities creates a marvellous tingling sensation, resulting in harmonising effects, which assists in relieving the symptoms of insomnia, nervous tension, as well as some circulatory problems.Zen Chi everything you want to beTo gain the benefits of regular exercise such as increased energy levels, a slimmer body, enhanced self confidence and that great sense of well being, order your Zen Chi Aerobic Massager nowPLEASE NOTE This item is not suitable for use during pregnancy."
- http://www.21stcentury.co.uk/gadgets/prezzybox/zen_chi_aerobic_massager.asp

Welcome to Japanese and Asian things as commodities because of the related images they conjure. The "effects" of this already questionable machine are... questionable. Coming at no surprise, Asia and Japan are immediately and inextricably linked with Chi and Zen, therefore making legitimate claims such as the latter. The moral is rather simple: if it's a commodity to be sold and it's "Zen" or "Chi", it's not Zen or Chi.

(Starbucks Green Tea Latte and Green Tea Liqueur)

This image clearly shows the appropriation of Japanese culture into American society (notice how they slapped the word ‘ZEN’ onto the bottle). The iced latte and liqueur are initially purely western-style drinks however it is taken to another level as it is influenced with the flavors of Japanese green tea, and are transformed into a hybrid-like drink of tea/coffee and tea/liqueur. These new hybrid drinks of east and west represent the concept of hybridity and interstitiality of Japanese immigrants, especially the second generation immigrants, because they are either rejected by both hegemonies, Japan and the United States, not belonging any of them, or they are associated with both hegemonies. It is the same case with the beverages; they remain in an interstitial state because they are not identified as solely Japanese or American, however, are associated to both cultures.

(John Tateishi)

John Tateishi is the author of "And Justice for All: An Oral History of the Japanese-American Detention Camps", which was first published in 1984. I first heard of this author when I read his book, but after further research, I discovered him to be a prominent figure in Japanese-American history.

In 1978, as National Redress Director of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), Tateishi spearheaded a national campaign to seek redress for Japanese Americans who were interned by the U.S. government for the duration of World War II. He succeeded in this effort, and the government issued formal apologies and monetary recompensation for former internees.

He is the author of one book and a contributing author to a second. "And Justice for All: An Oral History of the Japanese-American Detention Camps", consists of the transcribed accounts of thirty former internees. "Last Witnesses: Reflections on the Wartime Internment of Japanese Americans" was edited by Erica Harth. Tateishi contributed his own account to this work, which details the stories of former internees, their children, and non-Asian residents. His own account details the concern that Japanese-Americans are sometimes still considered enemies living within America.

Since 1999, Tateishi has been the National Executive Director of the JACL, and he continues to be an activist for the rights of Japanese Americans.

(Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans)

'Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans' was written by Ronald Takaki. I read this work my freshman year at Occidental College for the course Mutual Images of East and West. It is a detailed historical account of the continual waves of Asian immigrants to America, beginning in the 19th century with the influx of Chinese immigrants hoping for financial success in the gold rush.

Lured by tales of the 'gold mountain', Chinese immigrants came to California and found economic exploitation, forced isolation, racism, and violence. Most were forced into back-breaking labor in mines, railroad construction, and laundries due to discrimination.

Takaki's account continues on to the experiences of Japanese-Americans as migrant workers in the orchards and plantations of California and Hawaii. As a Japanese-American himself, Takaki has a unique perspective; he was raised in Hawaii, a descendent of cane plantation workers. He details the social and economic factors that led to the construction and growth of Little Tokyo in Los Angeles. As well, he addresses the internment of Japanese-Americans at the outset of World War II.

Most Americans are familiar with the history of European immigrants that entered America through Ellis Island, off the East coast. The title's "different shore" refers to the West Coast immigration station at Angel Island, off the coast of California, that most Asian-Americans passed through. In fact, many were detained there without notification of a date of release. Some, in fact, were deported back to their countries of origin for reasons they could not contest. Takaki includes haiku and poetry that Japanese immigrants carved into the walls of their barracks on the island, expressing disillusionment, loneliness, frustration, and hope.

The book then traces the history of Filipinos and East Indians in their American experiences, and as the timeline progresses, Takaki details the 'second wave' of Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian, and Hmong workers that started in the 1960s. The trajectory of all of these immigrant groups reveal the experience of economic exploitation, distrust, and mistreatment.

Takaki's work is very well organized, factually succinct, and highly readable. His inclusion of interviews with Asian-Americans allows the reader personalized perspectives into historical time. Anyone who is interested in the history of Japanese-Americans and other Asian American groups will find this work enriching.

(Zen Bakery)

This bread company uses the word "zen" in their name, and their story on their website is a silly, made up story saying that zen monks make muffins.

From the Zen Bakery website:

"The following is an actual transcipt of a dialogue between Sotaku, the original muffin monk, and Mutak, the official Monastery muffin taster monk in 1975.

"What should a Zen muffin be?" inquired Sotaku of Mutak.

"It would be delicious!" replied Mutak.

"Well of course!" scolded Sotaku, "But would it be nutritious? And vegan without refined sugar?"

"Yes, of course" agreed Mutak. "And yet, very simple - not many ingredients."

"And, would it be low in calories, fat and carbs?" asked Sotaku.

"Yes, all those and high in fiber. Don't forget the fiber" said Mutak. "But where and how could such a muffin ever exist?"

"Right here," said Sotaku, producing a package from behind his back. "I made them just this morning, and you may try one right now."

And so it began. The simple Blueberry Bran muffin, once discovered, adapted itself into the Blueberry Mango Cranberry muffin, the Apple Cranberry muffin, the Blueberry Raspberry Oat Bran muffin, and so on and so on. Sotaku produced an exuberance of muffins to the delight and entertainment of the entire monastery. Everything was wholesome, good for you and tasted especially wonderful.

In 1977, Zen Bakery outgrew the monastery and moved to West Los Angeles, where Sotaku, to this day, is still inventing new products."

(Miso Pretty)

Miso Pretty is a line of bath products by the company BlueQ that uses "asian inspired" packaging to market itself. On the packaging itself, it features Chinese characters along with words like "exotic". The images and characters portrayed are often a mix of influences from various different Asian countries, although the name "Miso Pretty" suggests a Japanese influence by using the word "miso," a Japanese food. Also, one of their products is a "bath sake," with sake being Japanese rice wine.

(Giant Robot, Urban Vinyl, and The System of Collecting)

'Giant Robot: Asian Pop Culture and Beyond" is a magazine that documents the movement of Asian music, movies, art and toys into American pop culture. Their latest issue features interviews with Chinese movie star Gong Li, the Japanese toy designer Mori Chack, and Korean-American ice cream entrepeneur Tai Kim, among many others.

What readers such as myself may be struck by while reading this magazine are the continual advertisements for toys. Most of these are small figurines from the Urban Vinyl movement; lately, 2-D graphic designers have been producing 3-D plastic models of their characters. The trend started in Hong Kong, with artist Michael Lau. However, the movement has spread beyond China to Japan, and now American graphic artists are designing their own vinyl figurines. While proponents of the movement claim that their creations are art objects, to the unaware consumer (like me), they look like toys. Specifically, they look like children's toys, but they are marketed for adult collectors.

These vinyl figures are featured throughout the pages of Giant Robot. Figures produced by artists from many countries are available on the Giant Robot website, and advertisements are many.

The interview with Toshio Sakai, founder of Cube-Works Co., was particularly telling regarding its products and marketing strategies. Sakai emphasizes that he sells toys, but not for children. The focus of is company is the adult market; they sell miniature robots, plush animals, and vinyl figurines, many of which are invented and produced in Japan. He does so because there is a growing market for these products in America.

The phenomenon of the adult collector of miniature vinyl figurines is reminiscent of the 1950's curio cabinet collector, but instead of glass birdhouses and imitation faberge eggs, think spheroid monsters with detailed personal histories and plastic milk cartons with smiling faces and horns.

Take, for example, the vinyl creation Treeson Urban of Hong Kong artist Bubi Au Yeung, a black egg-shaped creation with a branch sticking out of his side and a crying face. He comes with his own story: "he is a cute animal who lost his tree parents to loggers".

Endowing a plastic object with a semi-human biography speaks to Jean Baudrillard's work "The System of Collecting": he asserts that collection is the "reciprocal integration of object with person...it is essentially oneself that one collects" (62).

The collector's tendency to endow personal history upon each object is encouraged by the miniature monsters of the Urban Vinyl movement, and the japanophile that collects miniature monsters affirms his or her connection to Japan through the objects that he or she collects.

(ReDesign: Zen Master Bedroom)

In an episode of ReDesign, with Kenneth Brown, he redesigned an awkwardly proportioned master bedroom into a "zen" master suite.

"Every trace of the original room has vanished and in its place is a chic Asian-inspired look, created with interesting textures, warm woods and soft, neutral colors. Kenneth uses symmetry in the furniture and layout to create the balance so desperately needed in the room."

What about this room makes it "Asian"? And what does zen buddhism have to do with this space?

The Episode summary can be found here:
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_design_bedroom/article/0,1793,HGTV_3366_4155150,00.html

("Create a Zen Bathroom in 7 Simple Steps" from HGTV)

"If you need a respite from your busy life, consider transforming your bathroom into a personal refuge. Follow this simple seven-step path to create an authentic, Zen-inspired design."

This website from Home and Garden Television claims to have the answers to how to create your own "zen" bathroom through its seven simple steps, each of which is expanded upon its its own article:

- Keep the design simple
- Choose natural colors
- Use organic materials
- Layer the lighting
- Invest in a soaking tub
- Connect with nature
- Do more with less

Which brings up the question.. what does zen buddhism have to do with bathrooms?!

A link to the article can be found here:
http://design.hgtv.com/bath/SpecialFeatures_detail.aspx?id=13

(Maywa Denki's toys for adults: Enchanted Commodities and Japanophilia)

For my birthday, my friend presented me with a little yellow toy, packaged in a box covered in untranslated Japanese. She found it at Urban Outfitters in Pasadena and bought it for me because, as she said, "You like Japanese things, right?"
Is she right in thinking that if I like some things about Japan, that means I like everything Japanese?

Her assumption that my interest in Japanese history, a one-time visit to Osaka, and coursework in Asian studies would extend to plastic miniatures belies a faith in the quest for cultural authenticity of the Western Japanophile. The Japanophile's obsession with cultural authenticity is linked to consumer production and consumption. For example, the collector feels linked to Japan because he or she has purchased and possessed something produced there.

I was confused as how to approach this little toy. It has three magnets, one in its head, one in its bottom, and one at the end of its bobble arm. I'm still not sure what to do with it, so it sits on a ledge above my computer.

I found "Maywa Denki" stamped on its head, and after some research, found it to be a part of a series.
I happen to own 'Pet' (2nd in the picture), as it has a magnetic mouse that is detachable on its head.
The others in the series are Flower, King, Cart, Rocker, Pierrot, and Chair.

Maywa Denki is an art collective, performance and installation art production company, band, invention think-tank, as well as other things. The people who run it are celebrities in Japan, and their products are now available for purchase in the United States and other countries.

This toy fits within Anne Allison's parameters as described in her book "Millenial Monsters: Japanese Toys and the Global Imagination". It is cute, miniature, portable, and comes in a variety of styles and colors.

It is, as Anne Allison describes, a product that is marked Japanese due to its participation in "polymorphous perversity"; it calls upon desires that vary in direction and scope: the toy can be a pet, a friend, a constant companion, and yes, a toy.

As well, it is what Walter Benjamin deems an "enchanted commodity"; it encourages fantasy play and bonding between object and owner. It blurs the line between market and affective value.
This is a marketing strategy that Maywa Denki and other companies have utilized successfully to capture the imaginations and capital of Western Japanophiles.

(Sesshu Foster)

Sesshu Foster is a contemporary poet whose work focuses on the multifaceted identities of the people who live and work in Los Angeles. More specifically, his work examines how people of different ethnic backgrounds interact within the power structure of Los Angeles and how they affect the cultural composition of the city.

His collection of poems 'City Terrace Field Manual' explores the question of American identity in relation to ethnicity, class, and gender, with special attention paid to marginalized groups.

As a happa poet, meaning of mixed Anglo/Japanese descent, Foster often writes about the conflict that people of mixed cultural heritage experience. A fair selection of poems in this collection offer perspective into the lives of Japanese Americans.

His poems shed light on the internment of Japanese Americans at the outset of World War II; in one piece, he inserts sections of paperwork that internees were forced to fill out within his verse. He also writes about the affect of discrimination within the American job market that forced many Japanese-Americans into gardening due to the lack of other opportunities. As well, he provides perspectives of Japanese-American migrant workers in California.

Some of his pieces are semi-autobiographical, expressing resentment toward his Anglo father, who is representative of the power structure that complicates his son's self-definition.

Foster's 'City Terrace' includes poems that explore the lives of Angelenos of varying backgrounds, including Japanese-Americans and happas. His other works document the history of oppression, discrimination, and internal struggle that immigrants of all backgrounds have continually experienced in America.

Sesshu Foster's conception of American identity is articulated here:

"As happa, mixed Anglo/Japanese American, growing up in the mestizaje of Chicano barrios of East L.A. during the Vietnam War, one of the first things I had to recognize was that my identity was not “ethnic,” per se, that is, my identity is not cultural (or sub-cultural — as the hyphen between ethnic-and-American, such as Italian-American or Armenian-American or Arab-American would suggest), it is historical and political. That is to say, my ID is American — my diverse heritage is that of America; this heterogeneous character to each of our identities goes back to Manifest Destiny, to the frontier and the genocide of American Indians, to an expanding American empire through the contemporary era of SFFTA, CAFTA and globalization today."

Interview with Sesshu Foster, author of 'Atomik Aztex'(2006) and 'City Terrace Field Manual' (2000)
Excerpted from a conversation with Mike Kelleher, The Buffalo Literary Center

Link: http://www.citylights.com/pub/inter.foster.html

Anyone who has interest in the cultural melange that is Los Angeles should look into the works of Sesshu Foster, who currently writes and resides in L.A.

(Modern boys and mobile girls)

Science-fiction author William Gibson regularly summons the image of Japan in his novels. This essay is the product of a British journal's interview with Gibson, and focuses on Gibson's explanation of his fascination with Japan.

(Neuromancer)

In 1984 William Gibson published his first book, Neuromancer, which was received with widespread literary acclaim. The book garnered the Hugo, Nebula and Philip K. Dick Awards, sweeping the scene of science fiction that year. The book is associated with the genre of cyber-punk literature; It was here that William Gibson coined the term "cyberspace".

In this book, the author paints a vision of a vibrant, dystopic future, replete with advanced technologies, transnational identities, and a post-state existence. The supremacy of information as currency is a major theme developed in the book.

Gibson incorporates the image of Japan into much of the novel. The Japan he imagines is not characterized as the traditional nation-state, but as a collection of cultural emanations experienced through the world dominance of Japanese corporations and technologies, and the global ubiquity of Japanese technological and cultural products.

Anxiety and interest of 1980s America regarding Japan is reflected in the future world portrayed in Neuromancer. In the context of a post-modern quasi-stateless universe, however, Gibson’s vision does not translate as Japanophobic, but rather as an optimistic and technophilic extrapolation of contemporary circumstances.

(Asian Model)

In the third picture presented, a young, white male is pictured reading through an Asian model magazine. This picture aims to show a recent trend in current American pop culture and media—the exoticization of Asian women.

(Ask A Ninja)

www.askaninja.com

The website encourages the exoticism of Japan by playing toward the sterotypes of dealing with ninjas. It combines the sterotypes of the Japanese as the "warrior" and the "sage." The ninja is played by a caucasian man who dressed up in black attire who answers questions that people send him.

(Zen Tea)

The image is a picture of a tea package with the phrase "Zen in Black." The phrase appropriates the effects of Zen Buddhism to the consumption of the tea, playing off of Japanophilia.

(Caucasian Man in Kimono)

Here is a portrait of a caucasian man wearing a kimono and holding a long laddle. It brings up questions regarding Japanophila and appropriation of the Japanese culture.

(AsianAvenue)

Taken from the AsianAvenue website, http://www.asianavenue.com/tour/new_member/welcome.html

(On "Japan-ofying" Art)

Vincent van Gogh’s Self-portrait as a bonze, from 1888, is an extremely interesting piece that I have seen before but never focused on. I was even unaware of its title and the obvious reference to Buddhism in it. Tsukasa Kōdera cites Pierre Loti’s Madame Chrysanthème as the novel that led to van Gogh’s interest in bonzes (Catalogue of the Van Gogh Museum’s Collection of Japanese Prints, 32). Bonzes came to embody van Gogh’s various “artistic, religious and even existential ideals” through their appearance, lifestyle, and occupation (38). Interestingly, to paint himself as a bonze, van Gogh depicted himself with a shaven head and “slanted” eyes (32). When I first came across these details, I was surprised that an artist would use an element with such racist connotations in his work. However, van Gogh lived in a time where mainstream Western society did not see anything wrong with such behavior. This leads me to the question of whether van Gogh’s decision to incorporate particular features into his portrait is acceptable or in fact racist. Van Gogh’s clear admiration for Japanese art steers me away from assuming that this was a decision influenced by racist ideas. While van Gogh did have a skewed perception of Japan, it seems to me that he used “obvious” characteristics of a Japanese bonze to physically link himself to the ideals that he felt the bonze stood for, since these were principles he believed in. In a way, van Gogh’s Self-portrait as a bonze symbolizes how drastically, yet almost secretly, Japanese art influenced the Impressionist movement and the greater Western society of the 19th century. Unless one is aware of the modifications van Gogh made to himself, one would not know that these features were not van Gogh’s own. Nonetheless, that Japanese influence should manifest itself on van Gogh physically is still a little startling, and a unique way to convey identity.

(The Japanese Inspirations of Impressionism)

My favorite van Gogh paintings have always been those which feature obvious Japanese influences in terms of subject matter (Branches of an almond tree in blossom –pictured here, Oiran, etc). Until recently, I did not seriously question why it was that these particular pieces appealed to me the most. However, a class reading addressing the powerful influence of Japanese art on the Impressionist movement caused me to revisit this issue. Upon first thought, I decided that it was that I find Japanese-inspired subjects, such as an almond tree or a woman in kimono, attractive and that (Western) Impressionist techniques portray these subjects particularly beautifully. However, I have discovered that the Western interest in Japanese style during the 19th century, called Japonisme, revolutionized what we call the Impressionist movement. Those characteristics we typically associate with it, such as the angle from which a scene is painted, the use of brushstrokes, and color, are in fact also inspired by Japanese art. Tsukasa Kōdera, in an article in the Catalogue of the Van Gogh Museum’s Collection of Japanese Prints, aptly states that “by taking the form of copy after totally different works [Japanese works], he [Vincent van Gogh] could create a new style more freely” than if he had been copying Western models (17). This is because as a Western artist it was difficult to create a radically new style if inspired only by the Western art tradition. Approaching art from an entirely new, Japanese perspective allowed van Gogh to understand those elements of his painting which actually limited his ability to paint how he sought to most, which was “with a sort of passion” (The Letters of Vincent van Gogh to His Brother and Others, abridged by Elfreda Powell, 198). I used to think that while Impressionism presented the art world with a radical change, it nonetheless emerged from the Western tradition. However, Japanese art and technique deserves much credit for inspiring the most famous of the Impressionists like van Gogh, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, and Paul Cézanne, to name only a few.

(Chappelle Appears)

Dave Chappelle then appears on the left shoulder of LaLa, while eating from a To-Go container with chopsticks, as Yoshi's conscience.

(Weezer's Single "El Scorcho")

The image of a Japanese woman on the CD Sleeve for "El Scorcho."

(Strong Bad Receives E-Mail)

Strong Bad first receives an email from a fan and in that email he is asked a question.

(Cyborg Cosplayer)

A cyborg cosplayer at Anime Boston 2006, an anime convention held annually in Boston, Massachusetts. Photograph by 'Shley Wartonick.

(Orientalism as a Marketing Device)

This image is the cover of a package of perfume oil I recently received as a gift. The name of the scent is “fuji flower.” Based on the listed ingredients, this name is most likely intended to associate the product with the intoxicating Orient rather than the actual fragrance of the fuji flower. Fortunately, I believe the friend gave me the oil because it smelled pleasant and not because the packaging was attractive. Nonetheless, this image has always bothered me due to its sexist and orientalist design and implications.

First of all, the woman’s silhouette is reminiscent of Barbie’s disproportional figure. The impossibly thin waist, large breasts, pointy knees, and head bent unnaturally backwards provide a powerful example of the objectified female body. In fact, were it not for the drooping sleeve, I would have assumed that this woman is naked.

While that description is off-putting enough, the image becomes more complicated when elements of the “exotic Asian beauty” are added to the mix. This woman wears clogs, possibly a kimono or qipao, holds a fan, and has done her hair with chopsticks. To “japanocize” the image further, the woman is placed against a background of flower blossoms and butterflies. The designer of this image should be complimented for incorporating quite an array of East Asian stereotypes into a single picture. In his article “On Collecting Art and Culture,” James Clifford notes that Western collectors of foreign cultural goods find “intrinsic interest and beauty in objects from a past time” (145). This image confirms Clifford’s point: pairing the woman with clothing and goods associated with Japan’s past makes the image more exotic, and exciting to the Western eye, than a woman in a modern-day outfit.

The fact that this woman is “pocket-sized” –the box is matchstick-sized- also reinforces an orientalist understanding of Japan. Christine Guth uses an observation by Susan Stewart in her book Longfellow’s Tattoos: Tourism, Collecting, and Japan to argue that “diminutive size ‘frequently served as the realm of the cultural other’” (94). Whoever purchases this oil can literally hold the woman on the box in their hand. She happens to be a mysterious Japanese beauty whose perfume will make you slip into a dream of an “other” woman and her strange but unforgettable ways.

(Karate in America)

Many kids growing up in America are taken to Karate class. Karate teaches disciple, self-respect and self-defense. But how has Karate been transformed from a method of protecting oneself in pre-modern East Asia to a class where mothers take their children at the local mail. This past semester I have decided to take Karate at Occidental College for many reasons. Once I enter the dance studio, which acts as our dojo, I am suppose to bow and before we start training we have to sit in a traditional Japanese manner and meditate. We then do seemingly normal Karate training. At the end of the class we also sit in a line and meditate and repeat after the sensei Japanese phrases of honor and self-respects. I do no believe that this style of Karate training has been domesticated or Americanized, however, most of the students in the class could be categorized as Caucasian. Therefore, concepts of fetishism for or collecting of Japanese culture must be considered. For myself taking Karate could be another way for me to collect another aspect of Japanese culture. James Clifford’s essay “On Collecting Art and Culture” speaks to this concept of collecting culture as a way to defining oneself to the other. Karate might be a method for defining oneself in society by training for a sport that the connected with the exotic.

(Japanophilia in Furniture (literally))

A lamp base featuring a geisha sold at Urban Outfitters.
Urban Outfitters also carries the label Harajuku Lovers.

(Gwen Stefani and the Harajuku Girls)

The Harajuku girls are a troupe of four singer/dancers, who were given names by Gwen Stefani, an American pop star. Their names are “Love,” “Angel,” “Music,” and “Baby,” named after Stefani’s clothing line and music album.

(Mew - Shiroi Kuchibiruno Izanai (White Lips Kissed) (Japanese Version))

The song, “Shiroi Kuchibiruno Izanai” by Mew, a Danish indie rock band, quite clearly epitomizes Japanophilia. While clear motives behind the band’s decision to write and sing a song in Japanese are merely speculative, many things can be said about the overall gesture. First, Mew translates the song title as “White Lips Kissed,” suggesting a mere translation of their English-language song of the same name. However, the lyrics themselves do not correspond, and the Japanese “version” becomes a separate song with the same melody. Secondly, the decision to write and sing in Japanese is interesting in itself. The band obviously holds a great affection for Japanese culture, at least enough to welcome the challenge of creating a song in the singer’s non-native language. Even more unconventional and fascinating is the kind of role reversal of music and language in Japan and Western nations. That is to say, while many indie rock bands in Japan often incorporate English in varying degrees in their songs, it is in this uncommon example that an English-speaking music group is incorporating Japanese. Because of this, Japan is infused with both beauty (in the lyrics and style of the song) and “coolness” (in the nod of approval from a “hip” rock band).

(Famima - Food)

A picture of the food display at the convenience store, Famima!!

(Famima!!)

Famima!! is a chain of convenience stores owned by FamilyMart of Japan. Famima!! is a unique kind of convenience store that carries deli-style foods, grocery items, snacks, magazines, and more. Food-wise, they offer bento boxes, sushi, rice balls, pasta, and panini, among others. The store itself is indelibly hip, with a sleek design and gourmet foods (both Japanese and American). Currently, the handful of stores are only located in California.

(Karate Scrapbooking)

I saw this item at an arts and crafts supply store, Michael's. It's interesting how the karate-master image has become a cultural phenomenon in the United States. To give it a scrapbook outfit that can be transferred onto any person's picture suggests the ease of appropriating another culture and making it a part of one's own identity.

(Miniature Japanese Garden For Sale)

This is a picture of one of the products that was being sold in a store in Little Tokyo.

(Rock Structrue within Japanese Village Plaza)

This is a picture of the rock structure within the Japanese Village Plaza in Little Tokyo.

(Koyasan Temple plaque)

This is a picture of the Koyasan Temple plaque that is located along the sidewalk. It was only after noticing the plaque did I then realized that there was a temple located further along the corner of the road.

(Koyasan Temple)

This is a picture of the Koyasan Buddhist Temple in Little Tokyo. It doesn't capture the main entrance of the temple, rather the plants, greenery and statues situated to the right of the temple main entrance.

(Japanese Rubber Stamp Set)

I saw this rubber stamp set at Michael's, an arts and crafts supply store. I found it interesting that they did not offer any other nation-themed stamp sets, although it may just be an inventory issue. Yet I think it's important to note the stamps as metonyms for Japan, and the ease of appropriating Japanese culture as "exotic," reproducible decorations for various artistic purposes.

(Sushi Etiquette Video)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pIb6ZSqal64

This video would likely be called racist if produced by an American or European, but its producers are Japanese comedians. The video reappropriates Western Japanophilia. It takes a popular Japanese product, sushi, that, while exceptionally Westernized in renditions such as California rolls, is still taken by many Westerners to represent authentic Japanese culture, and explains the etiquette around sushi consumption in a Japanese context. The video imitates the way Western documentaries focus on every little detail of the experience, from the way one enters the establishment to the way one takes a seat and orders. It particularly makes fun of the way Westerners exoticize Japanese etiquette: the actors make exaggerated bows to each other, phrases are repeated excessive numbers of times, and little graphs are repeatedly used to show exactly how to position one’s hands or head. The video also references Western fixation with samurai culture by positing the practice of women pouring beer for men as “the Samurai way.”

In watching this video, a Westerner is confronted with the fact that many Western depictions of Japanese culture are exceptionally exoticizing and often try to read too much into cultural nuances. For example, in one scene, the narrator explains how one is supposed to hold up a different number of fingers to show how many people are in the party. This explanation clearly shows the Western viewer that some actions do operate across cultural boundaries and that Western focus on etiquette can be excessive. In another scene, the narrator explains that, upon exiting the restaurant, one is supposed to eat extra salt from the bowl next to the door. While few Westerners probably believe this to be accurate, this scene confronts the Western viewer with the possibility that some of his or her other assumptions about Japanese culture may be this absurd.

On the other hand, a Japanese viewer is faced with the possibility that Japanese self-exoticization contributes to Western exoticization of Japan. In the scene with the salt bowl outside the door, the Japanese viewer is forced to realize that, while to him or her, the salt bowl’s use is obvious, it is not obvious to foreigners. The idea that the salt is there to be eaten is absurd even to the Western viewer, but it confronts the Japanese viewer with the question as to why outsiders might think such absurd things about his or her culture. Also, the exaggerated bowing and excessive attention to detail, while humorous, also subtly questions the Japanese viewer about how he or she as a Japanese, as well as Japanese society as a whole, presents itself through media and politics.

(Paper Lanterns on Amazon.com)

On Amazon.com, one can buy a “Kimono Girl Paper Lantern – Red” for under US$10. The most Japanese aspect about this product is the kimono. The producer is an American company, Wrapables. The fact of the matter is, one could easily market this lantern simply as Asian paper lanterns (as some other sites do, i.e. www.asianideas.com). Yet the lantern is marketed as a Japanese lantern, and clearly the Japanese “cultural odor,” as Koichi Iwabuchi calls it in his book, Recentering Globalization, is important to American consumers, else it would simply be marketed as a lantern, aesthetically pleasing and perhaps with an Asian flavor, but not specifically Japanese. The Japanese “cultural odor” of this particular lantern, is, of course, enhanced by the fact that it is a Kimono Girl lantern. This title plays into two of the West’s most intense fascinations with the exotic other Japan: fashion and sexuality. The kimono, so elaborate and radically different than any style of dress in the West, has long been a symbol of Japan, an object that garnered immediate recognition by most Westerners as innately Japanese. The specification that the figure on the lantern is wearing a kimono adds not only to the “cultural odor” of the lantern, but also to its perceived authenticity. If the lantern were marketed simply as an Asian lantern, and no mention was made as to the exact origin of the figure or the clothing, many Westerners would feel that the lantern was not Asian enough, lacking a recognizable symbol of Asianness. The kimono provides this symbol. The girl also appeals to the Japanophilia of the West. With unmistakably Asian features, the girl on the lantern plays into the Western feminization and sexualization of Japan. Westerners have long been fascinated with the idea of the geisha. By placing the figure on the lantern and labeling it as a girl, the producers/marketers feed this fixation with the mystical, exotic Oriental woman. In this sense, perhaps, it is less the Japanese “cultural odor” than the Asian “cultural odor” that is important. Whether it’s Japanese or Asian, however, the main point is that this “cultural odor” is clearly important in getting Americans to consume the lantern, and that establishing this “cultural odor” is done by playing to particular aspects of American fascination with Japan.

(Japanese Language Website)

http://www.cjvlang.com/index.html

This website is supposed to give, according to the creator, “an armchair excursion into three fascinating languages of the Orient.” The site focuses on Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese, and discusses at length the three languages in relation to Harry Potter, Le Petit Prince, days of the week, and bird names. The creator endeavors to make the exotic more familiar, to make Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese as accessible as the romance languages.

The concept of Japan as the exotic Other is very clearly illustrated on this website. Even though the site is intended to make Japan more familiar, that very intention implies that there is something so exotic about Japan that it takes a special endeavor to make it more understandable. The language on the front page is exceptionally exoticizing, referring to Asia as the Orient, and to Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese as exotic languages. Further, the journey through these languages will be, according to the creator, a “thrill of discovering the unexpected.” Upon entering the section about days of the week, the language continues to strike me as exoticizing and contrary to the creator’s stated intent to make these languages more familiar. The words “alien,” “strange,” and “primitive” stand out immediately upon looking at the page, and though the creator is trying to disprove these ideas, the fact that he uses them at all immediately puts the viewer in a certain sort of mindset before even reading the actual content. The sense one gets is that, no matter how hard one tries to make Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese more familiar, there will always be something mysterious and unknown about them. Ultimately, by creating this website to try and familiarize these languages, ‘Bathrobe’ makes them more exotic.

(Tokyo Wako)

Tokyo Wako is located at several places in Southern California, and this picture is the one in Pasadena. The entrance door of the restaurant is made out of wood, which contains a round window representing the sun, and a mountain of salt placed on the side. In the restaurant I found two Japanophilic objects. First, all of the waitresses there dress in a yukata. The way they dress the yukata is very loose, and some girls have the yukata too short. They also wear the geta as part of the uniform but they wear regular socks, not tabi. The yukata or any kind of kimono should not be worn loosely and the geta should not been worn with a tabi or in this case, socks. As the restaurant represents Japan, this form of act will influence the American perspective. Secondly, Tokyo Wako is known for Tepan Grill and Sushi. This does not apply solely for Tokyo Wako but generally Japanese restaurants in America seem to favor the combination of two or more different meals; within the variety of meals one has to be sushi. This tells me how Westerners strongly link the images of sushi and Japan. Nevertheless, the fact that they combine two or more different styles of meals in one restaurant itself is an incorrect representation of Japan.

(Traditional Japanse Art on a Mousepad?)

During the summer of 2006 I attended the 58th Japan-America Student Conference. This Conference brought together 72 students from all around the United States, Japan and Korea together to discuss contemporary economic, political and social issues. The Conference also provides a diplomatic training space between young Japanese and American scholars. One part of this diplomatic culture between the United States and Japan is the practice of giving gifts. Toward the end of the conference a Japanese girl who had brought a surplus supply of presents decided to give one to me. As customary I did not open the present until much later. She had given me a mouse pad with a traditional Japanese print. When I first admired this present it seemed like a typical gift that anyone Japanese person would give to an American. However, after a year of studying pre-modern Japanese history, art and Japanophila my opinions toward the gift began to vary. While I was reading Timon Screech’s book entitled Sex and the Floating World I came across a picture on page 174 that was the same as my mouse pad. He states that trinkets like popins, the object the woman is blowing on, were for off-work moments when drinking and lovemaking abounded. He continues by deconstructing images such as this one in relation to phallic symbols and how they relate to the floating world. Now, looking at this picture again as an erotic image from the Edo period challenges my original conception of this simple utilitarian object.
Anne Allison’s book entitled Millennial Monsters presents a common theme of commodity fetishism for Japanese goods. Although this object was a gift, many utilitarian items that could be found in many souvenir shops throughout Japan are purchasable due to the high demand from tourists for Japan-like objects. Theoretical concepts such as commodity fetishism made me, as a white American male, to reconsider the reasons why I own Japanese goods. I often think that Edward Said would point and laugh at me calling me an Orientalist for owning a mouse pad with traditional “Asian” art however; coming to a better understanding for my desire to academically and personally collect “Japan” makes me feel less bound by the categorization of a traditional Orientalist.

(Samurai Jack)

I have been a fan of Samurai Jack ever since I first saw an episode on Cartoon Network many years ago. However, after I began to contemplate the personal conception about Japanophila I began to consider if Samurai Jack could be categorized as a commodity culture associated with Japan. Samurai Jack first premiered on Cartoon Network on August 10th, 2001. The story begins with the resurrection of the antagonist, Aku. The voice of Aku is played by the famous Japanese actor Mako who earned an Oscar nomination in 1967. Aku is a shape shifting demon whose only goal is world domination. This seems rather typically in an action cartoon however, I think Aku differentiates himself from typical “bad guys” characters because of his appearance. Aku’s facial characteristics somewhat resemble ancient Japanese demons, especially the demon which was called Oni.
The complexities of the Samurai Jack character are illustrated during the premiere episode. During the first scene Jack’s father, the emperor of a Japan-like country explains the epic story of how a magical sword had cast the evil Aku back to the shadows. After Aku returned however Jack’s father could not reach the sword and he is captured and enslaved by Aku. Jack, who is saved by his mother, travels throughout the world to become the greatest warrior in the world. According to an interview conducted with the show’s creator Genndy Tarkakovsky, he tried to stay true to the “way of the warrior” for Jack’s character. After considering this statement I connected the theoretical framework presented in Chapter Five of Christine M.E. Guth’s book Longfellow’s Tattoos entitled Domesticating Japan with Jack. He always speaks of honor and righteousness and is a master swordsman. His qualities are made to embody traditional Japan which is collected and domesticated for an American audience. Similar to the desire to acquire ancient Japanese lacquer, ceramics and bronzes Jack is being collected as a metonym for the way Americans want to perceive the Samurai

(Queen Amidala's Kimono)

This image is Natalie Portman as Queen Amidala in Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Her dress is clearly a mutation of a kimono with its long sleeves, V-neck, and flowing fabric, all topped off by the most obvious reference of all, an obi sash. Not only that, but George Lucas readily admits that the Queens ritualistic white face paint with red dots on the cheeks and lips was inspired by Kabuki makeup (as was Darth Maul’s makeup). What does it imply when a non-Japanese character played by a non-Japanese actor or actress visibly dresses in Japanese style? Japanophilia. Perhaps not on the part of Natalie Portman who only wore the outfit but certainly on the part of Lucas and his collaborators. George Lucas admits to idealizing Japan as the exoticized “other” and encouraging his creative team, even in 1976, to look for inspiration from Japan in creating alien worlds. Queen Amidala is the leader of a romanticized culture called the Naboo, and various Asian styles are incorporated into the atmosphere. (Lucas also said that he wanted the Naboo throne room to resemble Imperial China). The trouble is, is that the Naboo culture becomes a conglomerate of high culture taken from Earth and reappropriated in the Star Wars Universe with no context.

This image is owned by LucasFilm and is used here courtesy of BlueHarvest.net.

(Asian Women in Advertising)

There is a trend of capitalizing on sexual stereotypes and racial exoticization in advertising that can be seen in the Corona Beer ads in addition to this Skyy Vodka ad.

The woman in the Skyy ad may or may not be Japanese, as she is wearing traditional Chinese dress, but as the the stereotype would suggest, she is serving the master, in this case a beautiful Nordic blond woman.

Both women are sexually appealing, the blond woman is disrobed and ready for a massage and cocktail while the Asian woman is wearing a form-fitting, short cheongsam dress. The blond's breasts are exposed and her bottom is barely covered by a towel. While fully clothed, the Asian woman's body is put on display as well, even her face is elaborately made up (for someone else's gaze).

Even though there is no obvious sexual exploitation of either women within the context of the ad, the ad itself serves to sell a product and must be looked at to do so. Therefore, the women in the ad are not free of the male gaze and sexualization by male consumers. The Asian woman, again, is docile and subservient and plays her role perfectly.

(Violence Against Asian Women Part II)

Corona Beer has in the past used a 2-part ad series that features a young naked Japanese woman in the throes of sexual passion. But is it pleasure or pain she is experiencing as the tagline proclaims: Grind It In Deeper.

(Violence Against Asian Women)

Corona Beer has in the past used a 2-part ad series that features a young naked Japanese woman in the throes of sexual passion. But is it pleasure or pain she is experiencing as the tagline proclaims: Grind It In Deeper.

(My dad always wanted a Hapa child)

My father is a former American military man and was stationed in Hawaii for several years. He saw the half Caucasian, half Asian children on the islands and wanted one for himself. A few years later, he was stationed in Japan and met my mother. They fell in love and after 2 years of wedded bliss, my father finally had his own Hapa baby.