Kawaii! by Manami Okazaki
Although some trace the phenomenon of Kawaii as far back as Japan's Taisho era, it emerged most visibly in the 1970s, when schoolgirls instigated a quiet calligraphic rebellion. From cute stationery to illustrations, followed by manga, Hello Kitty, Harajuku, and, ultimately, a pervasive culture of cute that touches every aspect of Japanese life: from the robotics industry to the postal service, architecture to food. As colourful as its subject matter, this book contains numerous interviews with illustrators, graphic artists, fashion designers, scientists, and scholars. It explores the phenomena of Harajuku, Sanrio, and girls' manga, and traces the roots of Kawaii from sociological and anthropological perspectives. It also looks at Kawaii's darker sides as it morphs into gothic and gloomy iterations. Best of all, this book illustrates the cultural movement through hundreds of colourful photographs that capture Kawaii's utter ubiquity: on the streets and inside homes, on lunchboxes and airplanes, in haute couture and street fashion, in cafes, museums, and hotels. Perfect for page-flipping or cover-to-cover reading, this entertaining and authoritative volume will leave readers with a deeper understanding of Japanese culture.
Los Angeles Times: Kawaii!: Japan’s Culture of Cute listed on the "Summer Recommended Fashion Reading" list
Chicago Tribune: Kawaii!: Japan’s Culture of Cute included on the "5 Great Fashion Forward Summer Readings" Books list.
Fodor's Essential Japan: Kawaii!: Japan’s Culture of Cute selected in their "Read This" list.
Chicago Tribune: Kawaii!: Japan’s Culture of Cute included on the "5 Great Fashion Forward Summer Readings" Books list.
Fodor's Essential Japan: Kawaii!: Japan’s Culture of Cute selected in their "Read This" list.
MANAMI OKAZAKI is the author of Tattoo in Japan, Japanese Buddhism, and Kicks Japan. Her writing on Japanese life has appeared in the Japan Times, CNN Traveler, Time Out, and numerous other publications across Asia, Europe, and North America. GEOFF JOHNSON was born in Australia, and has been living in Tokyo and photographing Japanese subcultures for two decades. His photographs have appeared in TIME, the Wall Street Journal, Harper's Bazaar Japan, Esquire Magazine Japan, and The Economist.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9783791347271 |
| ISBN 10 | 3791347276 |
| Title | Kawaii! |
| Author | Manami Okazaki |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Prestel |
| Year published | 2013-03-20 |
| Number of pages | 224 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |