Sushi, anime, trendy gadgets: Japan-amania has really taken off. What reasons can account for this boom in appreciation for the assets of Japanese culture? The idea that this current wave of love is somehow linked to the unsavory events of yesteryear is something this writer is not completely sold on. That would be equivalent to saying that African-Americans and their culture were only assimilated into the country at large because due to a flood of guilt and grief brought on by the atrocity of slavery. Not so: Many members of that community have earned real cachet upon their own merits, and the joys of that culture have shined because more eyes than ever are attune to their value. A similar feeling of well-earned clout accompanies America's adoration of the treasures that make Japanese culture stand out.
No doubt that an invocation of celebrity has something to do with the craze. Gwen Stefani make Harajuku a household word, as the fashion of that Japanese variety were prominently featured in her videos. In the same vein, it can't be a complete coincidence that many of sushi's most famed restaurants, such as Nobu, are placed squarely in Hollywood hotspots. This restaurant, for instance, was patroned by superstar Robert de Niro, who encouraged the head chef to open an additional establishment in New York City. As with anything, a glitz of stardust can help any new trend wade its way into the hearts of the American public.
It's said that the younger you are, the more accepting you're likely to be to what's new and fresh. It would seem that those who market mainstays of Japanese culture to America have harnessed this maxim and milked it for all its worth. What else can explain the craze that launced Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and myriad other anime powerhouses? Television shows for these phenomena, featuring mainstream American voices, appeared in the traditionally popular slot for cartoons -- Saturday mornings -- created a huge and ready-made fanbase for them. And the fact that Japan has always been at the forefront of technology and video games ensured that the country's electronic exports -- like Nintendo and DDR -- had a leg up, just because they were so well crafted, addictive, and fun to participate in with friends.
Which leads me to the ultimate reasoning why so many staples of Japanese culture have woven themselves indelibly into the American zeitgeist: undeniable craft and quality. Any item you can name of renown that hails from the shores of Tokyo and elsewhere in the country oozes expert preparation and detail. With such meticulous attention, every sushi roll, every page in an anime, cannot help but brim with the loving care of the culture from which it came. Americans, it would appear, are suckers for the artfulness that comes from the heart.
