Pacific Affairs: Japan At Play: The Ludic and the Logic of Power

JAPAN AT PLAY: The Ludic and the Logic of Power. Edited by Joy Hendry and Massimo Raveri. London and New York: Routlege (an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group). 2002. xvi, 309pp. (B&W photographs, figures, index.) US$95.00, doth. ISBN 0-415-21501-3.

'Play' is such a simple word, one most often associated with children, but rarely does a group of scholars examine in depth the notion of'play,' looking at the forms it takes for adults. Japan at Play presents the reader with 18 informative articles that highlight different forms of play within Japanese society and demonstrate the ideology of power contained within them. The articles focus on such topics as: the world of tattoos, the Japanese 'gay community,' the behaviour of rock group fans, violence in 'play,' drinking parties, training for karaoke, university sport clubs, professional soccer, the evolution of hot springs resorts, illegal fishing, the clash between hunter and hikers, the fantasy world of Tokyo Disneyland, and others.

Ten years have passed since these various essays were first presented at the 6th International Studies Conference of the European Association of Japanese Studies in Berlin in 1991. However, they have been revised and brought up-to-date in this informative compilation. One important point apparent to the reader is contrary to the normal image of Japan, that of Japanese people being robot-like, blindly obedient and not very spontaneous in their lives. Instead, these articles reveal a lively Japan of tumultuous and independent thought, inefficient and aesthetic, pleasure loving, aggressive and wasteful, creative and anti-authoritarian (p. 8). In fact, one author actually attempts to answer the unique question of "Is there a Japanese way of playing?", concluding that there is.

This book is effective in demonstrating that 'play' permeates all levels and areas of Japanese society and throughout each form various similarities are identified. For example, many forms of play involve or have involved people not in so-called mainstream society, but those on the margin. For example, the phenomenon of tattooing has been associated as a form of punishment or included in the world of prisoners, yakuza (mafia), and wandering samurai with no leader. Similarly, rock band fans are also said to be people who are not a part of 'normal' society (p. 100) and the mountain world, which involves hunters and hikers, has been considered a place where death occurs, the underworld, a place for fugitives, a place for gambling (p. 270).

A similar theme seen throughout is the concept of power in 'play,' most strongly demonstrated in the articles which focus on violence, whether it is non-religious activities such as sumo or comic books or in religious activities such as festivals. It is stated that all societies ritualize violence to some degree as an outlet of energy and a source of entertainment and this is apparent in Japan as well (p. 124).

Some articles focus on the difference between play and leisure. One author looks at Tokyo Disneyland and discusses local Japanese responses to play and the ideology of contemporary leisure (p. 285). As well, the chapter on hot springs states that the changes in such facilities have come about because society has changed from being play-oriented to leisure-oriented (p. 257). In fact, the International Play Association (IPA) of Japan has made a list of differences between play and leisure, which can be found in chapter 18.

Overall, I found this book's exploration of the universal human phenomenon of 'play' specific to the Japanese environment to be extremely interesting, clearly showing that the 'logic of play is in a continuous and tense relationship with the ideology of power' (Introduction, p. 6). However, it was surprising to learn that some of the fieldwork was conducted twenty years ago. With the significant changes that have evolved in Japan since that period, I believe that a more recent analysis would probably show some fascinating changes in different forms of play.

Tokushima Bunri University, Tokushima, Japan