Disneyfication of Japan
This picture comes from Tokyo Disneyland's Easter parade. I'm immediately struck by how westernized these three performers are. Their costumes are based on turn of the century European fashion, and the blonde wigs serve to remove them further from their Japanese heritage. Of course, it goes without saying that Easter is not a traditional Japanese holiday, but rather an aspect of Western culture that has been transported to their country along with the Disney brand itself. Simply put, Disneyland is a pocket of western, specifically american, culture in the middle of Tokyo. It serves as a familiar setting for american tourists and as a neo-colonialist outpost for the Disney corporation. It should be noted that the Japanese citizens who work here are ultimately stimulating the U.S. economy, rather than that of Japan. For even though they work to support themselves, and much of their wages flow back into the Japanese market, the vast majority of the parks profits are retained by the Disney corporation. This means that Disney has established a system by which american citizens travel to a foreign nation and still bolster the western market. But ultimately, it is an example of the role corporations play in neo-colonialism. Because they are viewed as business without political agendas or national allegiances, they can easily expand their empire beyond the borders of their nation of origin.
Look, while it is true that American corporations like Disney are trying to get as much influence in foreign countries like Japan so they can get a toe into putting their products and cultural influence on them so that it's easier to commodify other people's cultures and aesthetics, it is incredibly Eurocentric and ethnocentric to declare that all their costuming is purposefully done to westernize them and to remove any semblance of their ethnicity. Saying that they dress this way to look white is saying that they don't have any agency in creative input and in having control of how they want to portray whatever it is that Disney wants to them to do that would still conform to Japanese tastes that would help them identify aspects of themselves through mimesis.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Easter and other western holidays are given different commercial and cultural meanings. For example, while Christmas is viewed as somewhat religious/commercial holiday with pagan roots here in America and probably parts of Europe, it's seen as a romantic holiday in Japan while Christians there celebrate it in a more traditional religious format. I doubt that there is any religious connotations of Easter in Japan, at least seen in this Disney image, that would seem like it's a form of religious imperialism and not just a way for Japanese people to sample something "Western."
And finally, while it is true that there is an extremely heavy influence from Western media and industries to promote whiteness and Western values onto Asian countries so that the most common fashion and media icons are a lot of white people in their magazine spreads and in their movie theaters, it is extremely untrue to paint that all portrayals of Japanese people who dress themselves in something not Japanese to mean that they're imitating white people. It's like saying that trendy Japanese people in Tokyo who dye their hair in something other than black is them trying to be white, that them trying out colored contacts is them trying to be white, and not just a form of self-expression where they interpret how they see themselves and want to control their bodies. Putting on white wigs or bleaching their hair does not mean it's some kind of "whiteface" (which is a thing that I've seen people accuse Asians of doing) and them doing so is not having them suddenly be "less Japanese," especially when that kind of identity crisis is not the kind of thing there as it is for diaspora Asians living in western countries.
in other words: wigs, dyed hair, and western colors are not solely white people things.
Fallon,
DeleteI feel you may have misinterpreted the point I was trying to make. I wasn't trying to imply that the Japanese performers in this image were intentionally westernized or that they don't have a right to dress how they like. Of course, anyone anywhere has a right to dress in a way that they feel is right for them or expresses some statement about their individuality, and that how they dress does not have to be a reflection of the culture they come from. But in this case, the way they are dressed is not an example of self expression. It's a part of their job. They are paid to dress this way and be part of an attraction. And they are employed by an American corporation. Moreover, I recognize that there are artistic and aesthetic reasons for the way the costumes look, but it can't be denied that these aesthetics are rooted in European culture. You raised the point that the wigs are meant to match the ears, which is obviously the case. But let us consider the fact that they are dressed as bunnies, more specifically Easter Bunnies. The Easter Bunny relates to Easter much like Santa Claus does to Christmas; they are characters that have no ties to the religious aspects of the holiday but instead serve to promote consumerist mindsets in regards to the holidays. As such, these three women are wearing costumes that depict a character created by a Western, capitalist ideology.
However, the reason I felt compelled to respond is because I fear I may not have clearly conveyed the point I was trying to make in the original post. As Joseph pointed out, Japan is by no means a third world country in the modern age (even though their history with the U.S. is certainly an imperialist relationship). I chose to write about Japan because I wanted to point out that it is not only third world countries who are negatively affected by tourism. Moreover, I was trying to suggest that the Neo-colonialist equivalent of empires are corporations such as Disney or McDonald's who have expanded their business to a global scale.
I hope this clears things up.
And another thing, did it occur that they have white wigs on because they white bunny ears for hats, and so they might be trying to look like rabbits?
ReplyDeleteWhich is also why in Sailor Moon, there is a lot of art where the title character has white hair (because she's the rabbit on the moon), and the reason she has blonde hair was because the comic lady's editor was saying blonde hair makes it look better in colored print.
I think it's important to keep in mind that Japan is the world's third largest economy by nominal GDP. This fact indicates that they are not simply hapless victims of Western Neocolonialism in the same sense that 'disadvantaged' countries like Iraq and Afghanistan are. It could be that the Japanese have appropriated western culture and integrated it into their own in a way that works for them. To say that Japan has been totally 'Disneyfied' is to imply that their cultural and historical roots are fundamentally weak. Being white is a novelty in East Asia, and white people are mostly glorified as objects, not superior beings. There are elements of racism in the way that white people are commoditzed in the mass media of countries like South Korea and Japan. I have seen it with my own eyes: the 'fat, stupid white clown' is dragged on screen to perpetuate stereotypes of ignorant, lazy, decadent westerners. Euro-centrism is a trap, the faster one lets go of it, the faster one can see the world for the way it really is.
ReplyDeleteBecause U.S. economy is being stimulated rather than that of Japan's, it also captures the very capitalist essence of what the U.S. is. In the end, tourism only really benefits those who have been colonize, and although Japan wasn't really colonized by the U.S., it is still being affected by this parasitic entity that has latched itself onto it.
ReplyDeleteIn relations to Disney, Epcot (in Florida), one of four Disney parks, contains a collection of cultures, and a miniature world of sorts. A compression of the world, or important “landmarks”, are displayed from places around the world which include: Mexico, Japan, the United Kingdom, and France. Displays such as these are appealing because this allows people to explore the world in their own backyard, in an inexpensive and interesting way, and experience different cultures. As we all know, other cultures are for our entertainment,but the notion that we [Americans] can act inappropriately, rude and offensive, happens when we are on vacation to other countries. Now, when talking about Tokyo Disneyland, I think that Disney does the same thing for Tokyo and offers them a cheap American experience. Disney has been criticized for racist undertones in films and/or toys, which I do not know much about, but if what you say is true, it does not seem right how the park in Tokyo is benefiting the U.S. economy.
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