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Here there be Monsters
"Civilization and Monsters" is not a book for casual readers.It is nothing less than the author's dissertation put into book form, with all the readability implied by that.The language is thick and academic, and presented in the form of various defensible arguments as dissertations often are.This is a book only for serious scholars, people who want to study about the subject rather than learn about it, and would make a great reference text for those pursuing similar themes.

That being said, the information contained here is brilliant, and Gerald Figal clearly knows his stuff.The subject is a fascinating one, the transformation of Japanese folklore during the modernization of the Meiji period where legislation was made regarding the non-existence of traditional creatures such as the mountain-goblin tengu.The Japanese government was embarrassed and worried about the persistence of such beliefs, especially as Japan emerged as a modern nation, and worked to erase them and replace them with scientific thinking.

As could be expected, "Civilization and Monsters" goes heavily into the themes of Inoue Enryô, the so-called "Dr. Monster" whose seminal six-volume "A Study of Yôkai" attempted to cure Japan of it's ancient superstitions by showing how monsters were nothing more than psychology, and his counterpart Kunio Yanagita, whose "Tono Monogatari" was the foundation of serious folklore studies in Japan, as well as Minakata Kumagusu, the botanist who felt that there was still room for mystery in science, as seen by the ever-changing slime molds he so desired.Later authors such as Lafcadio Hearn are also touched upon, but they are more footnotes than focus.

This is a hard book to read in one sitting, because the information is so thick it can not easily be absorbed.The author assumes that readers will have a some-what solid foundation on the subject already, as this is a graduate level study book and not suitable for beginners.He also makes heavy use of Japanese terminology, which while he does explain the words could possibly confuse non-Japanese speakers.However, if you have the necessary background then this book will be fascinating for you, as well as a good opportunity to learn some new words specific to the subject.

... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

read, watch, re-read
Cazdyn's book is useful both for giving an overview of what to watch for when approaching one of the selected movies for the first time and he (Cazdyn) also succedes in giving a thought-provoking outer context (ie the transformation of 'capital' in modern japan).it is important to understand that this theory of the films as economic-artefacts (not in a crude cause and effect sense, mind you) is accomplished through the very readings Cazdyn performs on them.The first step is a basic historicism that aims to survey and then go one step past existing Western reactions to key Japanese films.However, we begin to see quite early in our reading (note that i say early in the reading not early in the book, for this is a work that definitely benefits a non-synchonic pursual) that Cazdyn's ability to make these 'new' points as very much indebted to his invocation of a historical-materialist framework.Like Marx's re-read the economy of 18th C England to prove a point, so Cazdyn is rereading the economy of 20th C Japan!

It is therefore very ironic that the non-academic responses to this book so far have focused on how it is full of theory talk.yes, the jargon can seem a little think but Cazdyn is definitely not making po-mo points! ... Read more

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A variety of contributors discuss the impact of such Japanese cultural exports as anime, manga, and electronic/video games and explain why these forms of culture are so popular with many American children. ... Read more

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The Pacific War was the most traumatic experience for Japan in modern times.This book examines the politics and culture of Japan during this period: the establishment of the wartime regime--its character and limitations; the actions and reactions of the emperor, the bureaucrats, and the politicians; the deposing of the Prime Minister in the middle of the war; political developments under his successors; the role of the press; the behavior of the intellectuals; and prevailing attitudes towards the West.Shillony argues that the wartime regime of Japan was very different from contemporary totalitarian states.The political values of the Japanese were part of a wider cultural milieu, in which traditional concepts had already been affected by contact with Western civilivzation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This is a really great 4.5 star survey!
Wow, this is a really great survey.I rate it 4.5 stars for the following reason:The pages of this circa 1988 George Braziller published book, presumably bound and printed in USA are showing signs of age-yellowing.Not a good sign for its longevity, but as I bought it recently in used condition I have no way of knowing if this is due to the paper stock or its previous storage conditions.I suspect the paper.
Apart from that, this text-based book is beautifully broad in scope.It begins with an extended discussion of the conditions leading up to the culture expressed in this book, Japan from 1185-1868, that sets the stage for the art works covered in the subsequent chapters.
I call this book text-based because it is obvious that the publication was released in conjunction with a museum exhibit in this case at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.As such the objects treated here are accompanied by copious notes with relevant background information and historical commentary.Although the book's dust jacket notes described the book as lavishly illustrated, I would describe it as a book containing numerous color reproductions accompanied by lavish descriptions.
Although I don't believe the reader is going to feel, on the whole, that he has been short-changed by the included color plates (330+), I do believe that he will find himself wishing that more page space had been given over to the depicted objects.
These are minor criticisms of a book that contains the most extensive coverage of a subject that I have ever seen. For instance the dedicated chapters are as follows:Portraiture, Calligraphy, Religious Sculpture, Painting, Arms and armor, Lacquer, Ceramics, Textiles, Tea eremony utensils, and Noh-related works.
I assure you that you will not ever have seen many of the objects contained in the exhibit, and some of those you have, particularly the screens, you may never have seen in their entire context (some really famous images show up in isolation in books or art survey courses).
Those of you who are into to the Samurai culture will be happy to know that much of the armor is given full page treatments, and there is extensive coverage of swords, guards, and scabards; although, no archery material.
I wish that I had been able to attend the original exhibit because much of the material in this book is absolutely exquisite and it was a pleasant surprise to see the Noh-related material and also the textiles.
I think you'd be mad not to own this book if you have anything more than a passing interest in Japanese arts. ... Read more

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A valuable companion reference
Concentrating on the period following Admiral Perry's visit in the 1850's, the encyclopedia examines the historical events, leaders, and societal pressures in the country's recent past that affected Japan's entry into the modern age. Like its companion volume, the encyclopedia covers important political topics, the arts, religion, business, literature, education, journalism, and other major social, cultural, and economic forces.

Looks at the emperor and nationalism
Emphasizing the close ties that always existed between the emperor system and nationalism, the encyclopedia carefully explores the various forms of nationalism that flourished since the middle of the last century, discusses how hte supernationalism of the beginning of the century ultimately led to World War II, looks at the uniquely Japanese custom of national self-analysis, and examines the country's remarkable postwar market-building economic nationalism.

Charts major influences and contemporary concerns
The Encyclopedia brings together in a single volume the major themes and currents that influenced and shaped Japan into a modern economic giant. Ranging over the entire spectrum of modern Japanese history, expert contributors provide concise entries on specific episodes and individuals, as well as longer articles on broad topics such as militarism, labor, cinema, censorship, and returning students. The Encyclopediaalso examines many of the forces driving Japan today: trade relationships, attitudes towards World War II, the role of national defense, whether to revise the constitution, dealing with unskilled foreign labor, and more. All major entries are followed by an English-language bibliography for pursuing subjects in depth. ... Read more

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This masterfully written collection of short essays by the acknowledged Western expert on Japanese culture and film spans thirty years and ranges broadly over subjects as diverse as the Noh theater, fashion, television, Tokyo Disneyland, language, the kiss, and, of course, film.Richie's twenty-eight essays present cross-sections of Japan's enormous creative accomplishments during the nation's rise to economic and cultural power. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good compilation of stories
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (2/07)

This is an excellent collection of short essays that share Japan's culture and bits of Donald Richie with the reader.I've always enjoyed Japanese Gardens and immediately delved into the essays on that topic."You must truly observe.Go to the garden and look at the rock, the tree.Ah, nature, you say and turn - then stop.You have just observed that rock and tree have been placed there, by the hand of man, the Japanese hand.A new thought occurs:Nature does not happen; it is wrought.A new rule offers itself:Nothing is natural until it has been so created.""The garden is not natural until everything in it has been shifted.And flowers are not natural either until so arranged to be.God, man, earth--these are the traditional strata in the flower arrangement, but it is man that is operative, acting as the medium through which earth and heaven meet."

Richie thoroughly discusses hand gestures.The meaning of a hand gesture in one country may not be the meaning of it in another country.We all use gestures when we speak but we don't necessarily interpret the gestures of another culture correctly.A smile in Japan may not necessarily mean happiness.

In Japan if you see a person wearing a shirt that says Cocoa Cola it means he loves that drink.The person with a university shirt on wants to attend that university.The person wearing Army Surplus is not making a statement.In the US wearing these same items would be "expressing an ironic scorn for the qualities they presumably inculcated.Wearing surplus U.S. army gear meant you were anti-Vietnam-War and hence anti Army."

If you are interested in the cultural and arts in Japan you will find this book fascinating.Some of the essays seem to have a little age on them.Richie admits, "What was true up to 1962 is not necessarily true up to 1989.Japan is fast changing, and some of the things one thought most Japanese are no longer apparent." I believe this book speaks much of who Richie is.Richie is the "acknowledged Western expert on Japan."I highly recommend "A Lateral View" to those interested in Japan and other cultures.

A new perspective on Japan.
This is a good collection of short essays under the umbrella term `Japan`, but divided into handy categories such as Cinema, Tokyo and Popular culture. As the title suggests, these are often from a `lateral` viewpoint. The author doesn`t just tell you that the average family home is small and (relatively) uncomfortable to live in, he theorizes on the reason why this is, in this case (apart from the obvious space constraints in urban Japan) Richie argues that traditionally, the man of the house has many different `homes`, the office, the bar, the apartment etc and therefore doesn`t place so much importance on the Western concept of 'home'. The book does shed light on a lot of questions that those who live in Japan, or even those who just visit, may be wondering about. Such as, why do most Japanese TV news shows have an anchorman who is invariably supported by a `yes-woman`, and why do `yes-people` appear in small boxes at the top corner of the screen nodding to indicate agreement when agreement is needed and vice-versa. The only drawback to this collection is that some of the essays are old, with the latest being written in about 1989, so you`re not going to get any post-bubble commentary and the essays on `popular-culture` may be a little redundant now. There is also an essay written in the 1970`s on the problems of putting Japanese script onto paper with a typewriter and wondering what the future holds with the possibilities of the personal computer. However, the rest is a wonderful introduction to thinking about Japan differently, and while sometimes a little critical, shows a true love for the place.

Lucid, precise, irreverent---this is a must-read!
Anyone interested in Japan, the arts, cultural criticism or the art of the essay should read this book.Donald Richie is the preeminent Japan scholar of our time, beloved in Japan and honored in the rest of the world.Time Magazine has called him "the dean of arts critics in Japan."

But forget the cliche of Japanese temples and cherry blossoms...Richie isn't one of those old-fashioned Western Japanophiles nostalgic for some ancient version of "the Far East."He's interested in Japan here & now.Better yet, he's a fabulous writer--lucid, precise, irreverent, and never jaded.

These essays are a great way to "get to know" Donald Richie--you get his essays on everything from Tokyo Disneyland to traditional Noh theatre, from contemporary Japanese film to tattoos.My personal favorite is the disturbing but amazing essay on Japanese "eroduction."

And if you're a film buff, Richie is also the man who introduced modern Japanese film--Kurosawa, Ozu--to the West.Look for his perceptive essays about these artists.(Did you know he was the film curator at the NYC MOMA?)

This is a must-read and a great way to introduce yourself to Donald Richie's work and to Japan! ... Read more

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In May 1936, Abe Sada committed the most notorious crime in twentieth-century Japan -- the murder and emasculation of her lover. What made her do it? And why was she found guilty of murder yet sentenced to only six years in prison? Why have this woman and her crime remained so famous for so long, and what does her fame have to say about attitudes toward sex and sexuality in modern Japan?

Despite Abe Sada's notoriety and the depictions of her in film and fiction (notably in the classicIn the Realm of the Senses), until now, there have been no books written in English that examine her life and the forces that pushed her to commit the crime. Along with a detailed account of Sada's personal history, the events leading up to the murder, and its aftermath, this book contains transcripts of the police interrogations after her arrest -- one of the few existing first-person records of a woman who worked in the Japanese sex industry during the 1920s and 1930s -- as well as a memoir by the judge and police records.

Geisha, Harlot, Strangler, Star steps beyond the simplistic view of Abe Sada as a sexual deviate or hysterical woman to reveal a survivor of rape, a career as a geisha and a prostitute, and a prison sentence for murder. Sada endured discrimination and hounding by paparazzi until her disappearance in 1970. Her story illustrates a historical collision of social and sexual values -- those of the samurai class and imported from Victorian Europe against those of urban and rural Japanese peasants.

Customer Reviews (2)

AT THE MARGINS
The story of Abe Sada has all the sensational ingredients to attract a further retelling. This is a serious treatment, certainly, but an unsatisfying one - at least for this reader - because the case testimony presented by the author does not fit well with his contention that she was a misunderstood woman, who murdered and mutilated her lover "for love." It takes a peculiar definition of love - certainly not selfless devotion - to arrive at this formula. As for being misunderstood, the fact that she received a sentence of six years jail (with time off) suggests - and the commentaries provided in the book confirm this - that the judicial system was quite capable of a subtle and reasoned response to the case (although the failure of the book to really account for the light sentence is a weakness). Johnston would have us regard Abe as the victim in this crime. While this may be a fashionable position to adopt, it seems bizarre to this reader, and hardly supported by the evidence, taken as a whole. There is some interesting discussion in the book about the status of women in the period - the 1930s - the writing is fluent, and Johnston has done a valuable job of translation, but his thesis wears thin.

An Amazing Crime
Once you get over reading the name "Abe Sada" as though it were "Abe Lincoln," you'll have a whale of a time reading Dr. Johnston's account of a famous modern Japanese geisha and killer.He is a professor at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, but don't let his distinguished credentials put you off, he is also a tip top storyteller.Many of us in the West heard about this case first from the shocking "art film" directed by Oshima called, IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES, and many guys who saw this movie back in the day will still not uncross their legs.

Johnston has won access to the original testimony and court transcriptions of Sada's arrest and trial.He quotes from memoirs of Sada provided by the man who interrogated her directly after the crime."What really left an impression," said Adachi Umezo, "was when I asked her, 'Why did you cut him?'Immediately she became excited and her eyes sparkled in a strange way.At the time people were saying thaat she had cut off Ishida's thing because it was larger than average.But in reality, Ishida's was just average."Johnston asks the question, how did Udezo know rhat Ishida's penis was just average.Who can say, but as Johnston proves, Udezo must have seen a lot of men's genitals to make such a judgement.

As an appendix, the historian wins out over the storyteller, and Johnston's narrative voice slips discreetly away and we hear Abe Sada's own account of what happened, the way she saw it.For the first time, we see the whole murder slash castration story from the point of view of the woman who committed it, and we see that a society, like pre-war Japan, that had driven women to the point of insanity, their backs against the wall, monitored and legislated through rape and coerced brothel activity, might expect plenty more from any woman brave enough to strike back.If Abe Sada was a star, as Johnston foregrounds in his title, she became a star in much the same way that Valerie Solanas did, for political and economic reasons, however badly understood by both perpetrator and victim. ... Read more

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Must have for those studying postmodernity or Japanese Culture
I will not attempt to describe Otaku: Database animals better than Daitokuji31 in the previous post. Azuma gives a good insight to a commonly disliked topic, otaku. He points out the issue of the schism between society and the otaku culture, and he attempts to explain it so hopefully a resolution can be made.

I just wanted to add that I found Azuma's theory amazing. It's a really good read, even if he gets a bit complex at times. It has easily become one of my favorite books. If you are studying postmodernity, metanarratives, or just Japanese culture, this book adds an amazing perspective.

Beastial America and Snobbish Japan
In the West, the Japanese term "otaku," or fan, generally pertains to those who have a major, almost obsessive, interest in Japanese anime and manga, but in Japan this is not the case. Those with interests in various hobbies such as fishing and wine collecting can also be labelled as otaku. In Otaku: Japan's Database Animals, Hiroki Azuma primarily deals with animation, comics, and games to analyse otaku through the critical lens of postmodern theory.

While some cultural critics attempt to label otaku as a Japanese cultural institution that developed from the Edo Period 1603-1867, Azuma states that the creation of otaku results directly from Japan's defeat by America in World War II and the rapid, liberal capitalist society forced upon Japan during the early post-war years. As Azuma explains, Japanese of the 1940s had the war and all that it encapsulated to act as their "modernist grand narrative"--that is, the overriding force that helped guide the Japanese through their day-to-day lives with a collective goal in mind. Similarly, those who came to maturation during the 1950s had the rebuilding of Japan to act as their modernist grand narrative. However, those who grew up during the 1960s, and especially those who grew up during the 1970s and 1980s, lacked these narratives and only had consumerism--especially after the fall of the student movement--and the worlds they could create from capitalism to fulfill their day-to-day desires.

One of the most thought provoking sections of the book concerning the postmodernist consumption of the otaku concerns the recently coined term "moe." Although the precise origins of the term are unknown, moe literally means "to bud" and represents the fetishized attributes of anime, manga, and video game characters. Think of girls wearing glasses, cat ears, French maid or schoolgirl uniforms, and other such paraphernalia. These fetishized attributes eventually become more important to the otaku than the character herself or even the story behind the anime, manga, or game in which she appeared, which results in the character becoming nothing more than her attributes, thereby making her easy to "dismember." Thus, she becomes synonymous with a number of other characters who are likewise "dismembered" and readily consumed by otaku. Azuma states that these moe traits were then embraced even more by production companies, and later works were composed of a moe database that was readily consumed by otaku. However, no matter how many moe items are consumed, only an overall sense of vacuity remains, which could lead to an overall sense of emptiness.

Otaku: Japan's Database Animals is a dense work that is heavily peppered with the philosophical and psychological ideas of Alexandre Kojeve (how 1950s America had become animalistic because all of its needs could be satiated without struggle), and Jacques Lacan (postwar cynicism and its effects on the viewpoint of European-created modernity). However, Azuma's journalistic rather than academic style makes these ideas easier to digest than they may sound. By doing so and by showing how the ideas can apply to day-to-day life, Azuma's writing might be considered to have a more practical edge to it than some of the older critics safely ensconced within their ivory towers.

Azuma arrived on the Japanese literary and critical scene with a detailed study of French philopher Jacques Derrida, and his first three books seemed focused on a highbrow culture that was not mired in the banality of mass consumption. Therefore, it came as quite a surprise when Azuma released Otaku. Azuma received much criticism for this book, and his readiness to counter these critics led to his being ostracized by a couple of high level critical journals. However, his book helped to revitalize criticism in Japan and showed how postmodern methodologies could be used to explain the mass consumption and the struggle for self creation undertaken by otaku.

One of the main drawbacks of Otaku--and Azuma readily admits this, as well--is that female otaku, especially those who consume and create yaoi (male homosexual) manga are completely absent from the book. Therefore, while the male otaku community is covered in detail, the female one--which plays a major role in consuming character goods and producing a large portion of their own fan-created goods--is left without a voice in this work.

Azuma's Otaku marks one of the first works of new Japanese criticism to be released in English. With the popularity of Japanese anime, manga, and video games growing across the world and the large number of communities consuming and producing fan-related materials, Azuma's book could act as a useful tool in understanding the growth of fandom in today's postmodern world. Hopefully the translation of this book will act as a catalyst for other works by younger Japanese cultural critics to be available for the English reading audience. ... Read more

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This text uses Japanese key words to introduce the reader to a wealth of cultural information that epitomizes much of the idiosyncrasy associated with the Japanese. ... Read more

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During the interwar years in Japan, discourse on culture turned sharply inward after generations of openness to Western ideas. The characterizations that arosethat Japanese culture is unique, essential, and enduringcame to be accepted both inside and outside Japan. Leslie Pincus focuses on the work of Kuki Shuzo, a philosopher and the author of the classic "Iki" no Kozo, to explore culture and theory in Japan during the interwar years. She shows how Japanese intellectual culture ultimately became complicit, even instrumental, in an increasingly repressive and militaristic regime that ultimately brought the world to war.Pincus provides an extensive critical study of Kuki's intellectual lineage and shows how it intersects with a number of central figures in both European and Japanese philosophy. The discussion moves between Germany, France, and Japan, providing a guide to the development of culture in a number of national settings from the turn of the century to the 1930s.Inspired by the work of Foucault, the Marxist culturalists, and the Frankfurt School, Pincus reads against the grain of traditional interpretation. Her theoretically informed approach situates culture in a historical perspective and charts the ideological dimensions of cultural aesthetics in Japan. Authenticating Culture in Imperial Japan makes an important contribution to our understanding of modernity, nationalism, and fascism in the early twentieth century. ... Read more

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The Culture of Japan as Seen through Its Leisure brings together scholars of various disciplines from around the globe to discuss different forms of leisure activities in past and present Japan, thus enriching our knowledge of Japanese culture. Arranged in five sections, the volume focuses on everyday activities such as leisure, sports, travel and nature, theater and music, playing games, and gambling. The editors place the treated leisure activities into a historical frame of reference and relate them to the well-known classification scheme of games by Roger Caillois. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

I came away from this dog with renewed disregard for the fi
"The Culture of Japan as Seen through its Leisure" is one ofthose books that I bought immediately based on the sexy title - andregretted. (I struggled through quite a bit of it, so this review isn'tbased simply on skimming a few chapters).Reading essays with titles suchas "Golf, Organization, and 'Body Projects' - Japanese BusinessExecutives in Singapore," I couldn't help but wonder how these writersmanage to acquire so much free time.I came away from this dog withrenewed disregard for the field of sociology.Don't buy it, unless youreally have trouble getting to sleep at night ... Read more

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A collection of essays on popular culture in Japan during the 20th century, considering topics ranging from animation heroes and films to unsuccessful politicians. They pay particular attention to issues of gender, commercialization and nationalisms. ... Read more

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An introduction to the geography, history, economy, culture, and people of Japan. ... Read more

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This elegant history considers a fascinating array of texts, cultural practices, and intellectual processes--including maps and mapmaking, poetry, travel writing, popular fiction, and encyclopedias--to chart the emergence of a new geographical consciousness in early modern Japan. Marcia Yonemoto's wide-ranging history of ideas traces changing conceptions and representations of space by looking at the roles played by writers, artists, commercial publishers, and the Shogunal government in helping to fashion a new awareness of space and place in this period. Her impressively researched study shows how spatial and geographical knowledge confined to elites in early Japan became more generalized, flexible, and widespread in the Tokugawa period. In the broadest sense, her book grasps the elusive processes through which people came to name, to know, and to interpret their worlds in narrative and visual forms. ... Read more

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Recent years have witnessed an explosive growth in the literature published about Japan. Yet it seems that the more that is written about Japan and Japanism – its culture, society, people – the more mysterious it becomes. As well as exploring issues relating to advertising, tourism, women, festivals and the art world, the book depicts how the study of Japanese society contributes to anthropological theory and understanding. The editors use the term ‘unwrapping’ to provide insights into Japanese culture and relate these insights to broader problems and questions prevalent in contemporary anthropological discourse. The issues explored include the contribution of applied anthropology to theory; the relationship between tourism and nostalgia; the interplay of marginality and belonging; the role of advertising in gender relations; status in the art world and the place of Japanese genres of writing within anthropology texts.