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

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 todays 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 Japans contributions to global cultural heritage.