Japan has a beautiful sense of visual culture and is a place which others really should aim to take inspiration from. It has an alluring futuristic, whilst still traditional culture and has become somewhat of a fascination for the Western World.
Japanese culture is starting to show up more and more in the West and it is true to say that Japanese culture has been mingling with American culture now for decades. If you look at almost every childhood craze the West has seen over the past 20 or 30 years, the majority of them have originated from Japan. Just consider the likes of Pokemon, Tamagotchi, Power Rangers and Transformers, all from Japan.
A lot of the cultural takeover from Japan is of course down to money. Due to the fact it is an island Japan has a habit of successfully exporting itself and goods to the rest of the world, in particular the Western World. Nintendo is a great example of an export from Japan. Even before the world famous consoles were sold worldwide, Nintendo was already operating within the United States. The president of the company Hiroshi Yamauchi was actually inspired by meetings with executives from Disney in the United States!
The cultural sector of Japan is really sustained by its quality and the most famous Nintendo character Mario is found in a detailed virtual world, which is based upon classic fantasy and Japanese folklore.
Japanese fashion designer Rei Kawakubo has actually been credited with inspiring a number of famous Western designers with his pioneering designs, such as Alexander McQueen, John Galliano and Martin Margiela. This shows that Japan is also having an influence on fashion throughout the rest of the world.
Japanese food is also still experiencing a boom in the Western world, with the number of Japanese restaurants in the world in 2006 estimated at 24,000, but by 2016 this number had risen to a massive 89,000. You will now find the influence of Washoku (Japanese cuisine) in the most unexpected places, such as a cherry blossom ganache chocolate, so it is not just ramen you need to eat to experience this nowadays! Sushi also originates from Japan and is a popular cuisine now worldwide and is even found as a snack in Western supermarkets.
The latest Japanese craze to hit the Western world is actually aimed at adults and is an anime series which is based upon a magna comic, named Attack on Titan, which is a story of monsters terrorising streets.
Japanese films are becoming more and more popular in the West and are known as being amongst the most hair-raising horror films in the industry. Their focus on paranormal activity and themes such as exorcism and possession has attracted a lot of attentions and viewers worldwide. Many of them include stories based upon Japanese folklore and their popularity is just more evidence of the increasing influence of Japanese culture on the Western world.
These are just a few examples of how far Japanese culture and influence have become part of our lives. It seems that we in the West have a huge appetite for all aspects of this old and traditional way of life, which will continue to enrich us all for a long time to come.
