Japanese Influence in Western Design and Art - Essay Example

Japanese Influence in Western Design and Art Introduction Western culture refers to a collection of beliefs, social norms, principles, art, politics and technology that have that have their beginning in Europe. Western culture is distinguished by various technological, artistic, cultural and philosophical themes. In the modern age, Western culture is present in almost all countries globally even though it does not exist in a complete and unadulterated form. The origins of Western culture have been inferred to be in Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. The culture then spread out across Europe to other continents through interactions, trade, and migration. Over the years, Western culture has had a tremendous influence on other cultures. Today, Western culture surpasses geographical boundaries and racial origins. During its growth and expansion, several cultures had marked influence on Western culture. Eastern Culture prompted the most notable impact on Western culture. This paper will examine the magnitude to which Japanese culture influenced Western design and art. Eastern Culture and Western Culture Several cultural, designs, religious, technological and artistic features of countries such as Japan, China, Korea, Thailand, Pakistan, and India have influenced the West largely. The interactions between the West and the East from ancient times have led to a great deal of information exchange between the two global regions (Kingston, 2010). Several Eastern culture aspects have been adopted in the West to various degrees. Transfer of culture has been aided by the improvement in communication and transportation channels over time. Although Western culture is the more dominant globally, Eastern culture has still held its own against the West and exerted significant influence. The Japanese culture has especially had a momentous influence on the development and molding of several attributes of Western culture. History of Japanese Influence on Western Culture Japan is a Northeastern Asian island country located in the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Japan. The country comprises of four islands (Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu) and thousands of other small islands (CIA, 2015). Japan is a country with colorful culture, traditions, art, technology and religion. As early as the 15th century, Japan was in regular interaction with Westerners mainly through trade, religious missions and exploration. The main continents of Westerners that interacted with the Japanese were the Dutch, the Portuguese, the English and Spaniards (Kingston, 2010). Over many years of interaction, the Japanese passed on their culture onto the visitors they intermingled with. The Japanese also engaged in exploration and territorial conquests over the years. In ancient times, their influence was mainly experienced in the countries such as China, Taiwan, and Korea that are Japan’s immediate neighbors. Over time, Japanese culture spread on to other countries in Asia and over to Europe, Africa and the Americas. The influence of Japanese culture on Western design, art, technology, fashion, and architecture has grown and increased into the modern era (Sugimoto, 2009). Japanese Influence in Western Art Japan had a long, rich history of involvement in artistic endeavors. Several artifacts of Japanese arts and crafts have had a significant impact on the Western world. From early times, the West recognized the excellence of Japan in the crafts sector. From the 16th century, Japanese ceramics were in high demand across Europe. Aided by the improvement in sea transport and the warm relations between Japan and European empires, several ceramic items were transported across the sea to Europe every year. Due to their exceptional design and quality, the ceramics gained admiration across Europe. Several craftsmen learned the Japanese style and adopted it to their trade with varying levels of success. Japanese porcelain designs such as the Kakiemon were highly replicated by artists across the West. In France and Germany, several industries were set up to manufacture Japanese-styled ceramics (Befu, 2009). In the mid-19th century, there emerge a trend in Europe for collecting Japanese art and artifacts. The craze was instituted by the renewal of trade and collaboration between Japan and western countries (LOC, 2015). Japanese graphic art and objects gained great prominence in the Western culture where possessing a piece of Japanese art was viewed as a status symbol. Art from Japan such as the Ukiyo-e gained popularity in the West (Kingston, 2010). The Ukiyo-e had a great impact on the artists of the era in Europe who imitated the style or integrated with European styles. Across the Western culture, there was an influx of Japanese textiles, furniture, ornaments and other forms of Japanese art (LOC, 2015). The influence was highest in France where various artists adopted Japanese art styles and opened galleries and shops to promote Japanese art such as the Ukiyo-e and Japanese gardens. This influence led to a trend in France that was referred to as Japonisme. Japonisme denoted French artistic styles that were influenced wholly or partly by Japanese art properties. In England, absorption of Japanese art led to the emergence of a style referred to as Anglo-Japanese. The Anglo-Japanese was influential in incorporating Japanese designs into English furniture and art (Befu, 2009). Japonisme and Anglo-Japanese styles resulted in a higher sense of appreciation for Japanese art and craft in the West. Over time, the admiration for Japanese art spread from Europe into the United States and Canada (LOC, 2015). At the end of the 19th century and early 20th century, Japanese inspired artwork gained prevalence across the Europe and North America. Many prominent artists adopted the Japanese style into their paintings, drawings, and motifs. Some of these artists include Van Gogh, Alphonse Mucha, Frank Wright, Bertha Lum, Camille Pissarro, and Claude Monet. Other Western artists were so captivated by Japanese culture that they relocated to Japan entirely to learn the Japanese techniques of art and design. Most of these artists incorporated Ukiyo-e styles into their work with remarkable success. Japanese printmaking techniques had the effect of revolutionizing the art printing process across the West (LOC, 2015). To this day, several galleries, exhibitions and museums across Europe and the United States showcase Japanese art prominently, a clear manifestation of the influence of Japanese art on Western culture. Japanese Influence in Western Architecture Japan is renowned for its unique and artistic architectural styles, through interactions and migration especially in the 19th century; the West has developed an appreciation for Japanese architecture (Hashi, 2013). The recognition has not been one way, with Japanese architects incorporating various western designs in their work. An example of this is the tall Tokyo Tower that stands in Tokyo’s central business district that takes its design from the Eiffel Tower in Paris (Sugimoto, 2009). The Japanese architectural style that incorporates a large curved roof supported by wooden posts and lintels is recognized around the Western world. Japanese Zen gardens that incorporate the artistic arrangement of rocks, vegetation, and water features have gained popularity in the West. Many individuals and organizations have set up Zen gardens in order to improve the aesthetic appeal of their compounds. The sway of Japanese architecture on the West can be observed in the application of Japanese simplicity in interior designs. Western buildings that adopt the Japanese style are constructed mainly using natural material, and they feature a lot of space and elaborate decorations. Japanese architects have gained recognition the world over for their impressive work. Japanese architecture has gained recognition and influence in the West for its elaborate temples and shrines such as the Meiji Shrine and the Zojo Temple, which are recognized globally for their artistry. Japanese architects such as Tange Kenzo and Kurokawa Kisho created unique architectural styles that were distinguished in the West. Other Western architects such as Frank Lloyd were greatly influenced by Japanese aspects of interior and exterior design (JapanOrbit, n.d). Various cities in the Western world such as San Francisco, London, Paris and New York have buildings that are designed by based on Japanese architectural techniques. Japanese Influence in Western Technology From the late 19th century until today, Japan is one of the countries that have had a big impact on the technological landscape of the world (Kingston, 2010). Japan is reputed the world over for its innovative technological creations. Some of the biggest companies in the automobile, mobile telephony, electronics, aviation, robotics and communication industries hail from Japan. The most prominent of these are Sony, Toshiba, Motorola, Toyota, Honda, JAXA, and Panasonic. Japanese technology has been recognized for its innovation, low cost and high quality. Across Western countries, Japanese technology has been embraced in all aspects of life. The education, communication, transport and entertainment sectors have adopted Japanese technology largely. The Akiharaba Electronic District in Tokyo is popular for the wide range of Japanese electronics sold there (Sugimoto, 2009). Japanese consumer electronics such as televisions, computers, radios, smart phones and cameras have dominated the Western market since the mid-20th century (Kingston, 2010). The Japanese companies have also set up manufacturing and assembly plants in Europe and North America thereby further consolidating their influence. Western countries continue to utilize Japanese robotics and nanotechnology in medicine. Japanese technology has helped Western industries accrue industrial growth. The constant technological innovations from Japan have enabled the Western world to push its limits on technology leading to more quality inventions. Based on these facts, Japan has exerted significant influence on Western technology (Befu, 2009). Japanese Influence in Western Music and Visual Arts Various aspects of Japanese culture have exercised significant influence on Western music and visual arts. Japanese music styles had an influence on various opera pieces during the 19th century. In recent years, Japanese music genres such as Japanese pop, Japanese hip hop, Japanese reggae and Japanese rock have gained prominence in the West. Japanese musicians regularly host shows or get invited to perform in Western countries (Palmeri, 2004). The feedback to Japanese music has largely been positive. The most famous Japanese acts in the Western world include Yellow Magic Orchestra, Miyavi, and HikaruUtada. Japan also produces theme music for many movies and video games. The visual styles of Manga and Anime are a cultural trademark of Japanese culture. Anime and Manga both originated within Japan and spread in popularity in western countries. Manga is a visual style used for drawing characters in comics. Anime is a Japanese animation style used for making television programs and animated movies. The two styles have grown in popularity in the West because of their visual creativity (Palmeri, 2004). Manga comics continue to rake in massive sales in the United States and some European countries. Children and teenage television programs animated in the Anime style are popular in western countries, attracting huge viewer numbers in their respective demographic niches (Hoskin, 2015). Anime has also been used to produce feature length films that have gained acceptance in western countries. Japanese action and horror movies are popular with cinema audiences globally. Filmmakers in Hollywood have adopted various attributes of Japanese films such as quick pacing and deep storytelling into their productions. The Asakusa area in Tokyo is a celebrated theatre district. Samurai movies have a solid fan base in the Western world, an indicator of Japan’s impact on visual arts (Befu, 2009). Japanese Influence in Western Social Culture, Language and Fashion Japanese culture has swayed Western social culture in fashion industry in numerous ways. One of the most adored martial art styles in the Western world, karate, originated in Japan. Karate was introduced in the Western world around the mid-21st century and has grown in popularity ever since (Sugimoto, 2009). Several schools for teaching karate have been established in various European and North American countries. The schools have high enrollment throughout the year showing the acceptance and influence of Japanese culture in the West. One trend that keeps growing in Western cultures among children and the youth is electronic gaming. Since the 1980s, Japan has been largely responsible for creating gaming consoles and developing video games (Palmeri, 2004). Two of the most popular gaming devices, PlayStation and Nintendo, are based in Japan. Electronic gaming has become an important aspect of Western culture chiefly because of the efforts put in by Japanese firms to ensure that the quality of gaming devices and games was regularly improved. The Japanese custom of tea parties has been practiced on the island for centuries. The tradition has gained popularity in Western countries over the years (Sugimoto, 2009). The Japanese religion of Shinto has a small number of adherents in the Western world but many people observe some of its practices. The leisure activity called drifting originated in Japan and found prominence in the Western culture. The sport entails driving around a circuit with sharp turns. Many professional drifting circuits have been established in European and American cities. Western corporations have adopted Japanese management philosophies such as Kaizen and Ringi. Adoption of the strategies has helped most companies expand and increase their efficiency. Japanese fashion has had a small but significant influence on Western culture. Japanese street fashion has been adopted in Western countries to various degrees. Japanese fashion companies make significant sales in the West. A sizable number of people in Europe and North America speak the Japanese language. Numerous tertiary institutions offer courses on the Japanese language and culture. Some languages have integrated Japanese words into their vocabulary. Conclusion Japanese culture has significantly influenced Western culture in terms of technology, music, art, visual arts, language, culture, and architecture. The Japanese influence on Western culture began in the 15th century through trade, exploration and religious missions. The influence of Japan grew over the years into modern times. Japanese art and craft gained popularity in the Western world. Various artists emulated Japanese art in their work. The influence of Japanese art resulted in Japonisme and Anglo-Japanese styles. Western architects have adopted Japanese architectural styles in landscaping, interior design, and building construction. Japanese influence in the automobile, aviation, cellular, communications and robotics industry has been exerted in the West. Japanese technology continues to hold prominence in western consumer electronic markets. Japanese music styles have achieved eminence in western culture. The visual styles of Anime and Manga have great adoration. Japanese action and horror movies have enormous following in the West. Other influences of Japan on Western culture include tea ceremonies, filmmaking, gaming, karate and Japanese street fashion. References Befu, H. (2009). Concepts of Japan, Japanese Culture and the Japanese. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. CIA (2015). The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ja.html Hashi. (2013). What makes Japanese Architecture Different. Tofugu.com. Retrieved from http://www.tofugu.com/2013/03/29/japanese-architecture/ Hoskin, P. (2015). How Japan became a pop culture superpower. The Spectator. Retrieved from http://www.spectator.co.uk/arts/arts-feature/9425771/ JapanOrbit. (n.d). Japanese Architecture. Japanorbit.com. Retrieved from http://www.japanorbit.com/japanese-culture/japanese-architecture-japan.html Kingston, J. (2010).Contemporary Japan: History, Politics, and Social Change since the 1980s. New Jersey: JohnWiley & Sons. LOC. (n.d). The Floating World of Ukiyo-E: Japan and the West: Artistic Cross Fertilization. Library of Congress. Retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/ukiyo-e/japan.html Palmeri, C. (2004). Is Japanese Style Taking Over the World? Bloomberg Business. Retrieved From http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/stories/2004-07-25/is-japanese-style-taking-over-the-world Sugimoto, Y. (2009). Japanese Culture: An Overview. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Read More