Another mind food to think deeper. Why don’t the Japanese write about their own culture in English? I am not talking about only Sashiko/Boro, but in other areas such as Kimono, Fashion, and ecosystem (philosophy) in Japan, many authors are non-Japanese. Please don’t get me wrong. I respect the non-Japanese authors who study and publish about the Japanese culture. Some I respect are more “Japanese” than I am. I am just curious why the majority is non-Japanese when we discuss the publication about the Japanese culture.
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A language barrier? An academic barrier? Because of the readers market? There are many books in Japanese describing Japanese culture inward (Introvert) targeting the Japanese audience. I don’t know many (continuous) Japanese authors who write in English to explain the Japanese culture/philosophy related to its craft/art. Is it because of how Japanese feels about hand-crafting?
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I am a bookworm. I want to read as many books as I can. A book is a summary of “one’s insight”. The fact I would like to introduce is the voice of silent people – the words from “shame” that they wouldn’t summarize as a book. I try to keep it anonymous to respect that. However, keeping silent is not what I should do any longer. Umm. I will share deeper insight about this on Patreon Page.
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「日本人にとって日本文化ってなんだろう」とふと思うのです。当たり前すぎて考えなかったこと。でも、海外出てふと気がつくこと。「日本文化ってこうだぜ！」って、日本人以外の学者の方、著者の方が、英語で議論してる。否定してるわけでも馬鹿にしているわけでもなく、「なんでその議論の場に日本人がいないのか？」と思ってしまったわけです。英語の壁？日本文化を英語で学ぶために海外留学をすることは珍しいから？日本文化の紹介って、結構内側に向いている気がするのです。日本人の僕は、そんな内向的な本にとても感銘を受け、楽しんでいるけれど、外向きの本ってどれほどあるのかなと。もっと端的に言いますね。「襤褸が苦手な日本人」結構多い気がしています。でも、そういう方の声は大きくないんだよなー（笑）。
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2020-08-11 16:55:26
Beautiful
襤褸が嫌いというか、苦手な日本人は、たくさんいそうですね。
大切に使われてきた襤褸はそこに込められた想いや物語があり、とても素敵だと思うけど、欲しいか、と聞かれたら、、私は欲しくはないかなぁ。
That is such an interesting observarion Atsushi. Japanese culture and aesthetics has had a huge influence on the western world over 200 years. I know Japanese avant garde fashion has been my biggest personal influence from the 1980s..probably before you were born! you are right saying most of the books examining art & culture are directed mainly to an internal audience rather than international. Can I say, with due respect – no offence intended, it is just an opinion – but the Japanese have a very insular and protective national identity. I wonder if some of this is a reaction to the humiliating loss of WW2 and the need for the country to come together in the rebuilding era? A new modern identity also had to be constructed after 1945 and cultural books written for Japanese informed how you would see your art and history into the future. I don’t mean to be rude, I’m really interested in what you said and just offer this as a thought.
好きな人も嫌いな人もいるでしょうね。割と好きですが全てではないです。
好きな襤褸でもマスクは嫌です
This is definitely one of the reasons why it’s important to seek out the practitioners from the originating country, although you may be grateful to the practitioner from another country who introduced it to you.
Marabilhoso
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Muchas gracias por compartir tu cultura ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️