A Look at the West’s Obsession with ‘Japanese Culture’

Welcome to the 213th insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode, we land in the heart of Japan to discover the West’s symbiotic relationship with the East, covering our interests in foreign media, exotic fashion and cultural symbolism.

‘Japonisme’ is a term coined in the late 19th century by French critic Philippe Burty, and is used to describe the West’s craze for Japanese art and design. Summing the North American and European demand for all things Eastern, the term illustrates just how obsessed much of the Western hemisphere is with foreign styles of media, and how much of a role it’s played in shaping contemporary Americana style and interests.

The long-rooted history between so-called ‘Japan-Junkies’ and domestic citizens reaches much further than the grips of anime or Godzilla. Tracing back to the days when Japan was in seclusion from the external world (only one international port was open between 1639-1858), rich Westerners would intently seek out authentic Japanese goods, paying top dollar for miscellaneous, often handcrafted products directly from the islands. With a lust for rather alien art styles, ways of thought, and exclusivity, the attraction (and market) only seemed to rise.

Coming into the 20th century, we’d see a continuation of outspoken attraction as foreigners gawked over pop-culture classics like Tamagotchi, Akira and perhaps the biggest of all, Pokemon. Affirming their position in the West with Nintendo as a whole, we can think of Mario as a worldwide phenomenon, Dance Dance Revolution’s placement in nearly every North American arcade, and Harajuku's overthrow in the fashion industry. Not only is it surprising to realize just how much of our cultural staples are embedded in Japan, but it’s somewhat fascinating.

Enamoured with all things bright, cartoon-like and digitized, there’s no question why our affinity towards the East has only grown as we enter a tech-centric world. Not only that but as our appreciation grows for luxury, think Undercover and Mochi, we can only expect to watch as this trend continues to grow.