2. ENGLISH LITERATURE
After 1868, breaking its 200 years of isolation, Japan absorbed
western cultures and modernized at a tremendous speed.
During the Meiji era a cultural exchange between Japan and Britain
was beginning with both countries appealing as the “exotic other” to
the other.
Literature being translated at the time such as Girls’ stories The
Little Lord Fauntleroy (Shokoshi, 1892), Little Women (Shofujin,
1906), and A Little Princess (Shokojo, 1910) were loved by the
Japanese audience. (Dollase, 2003).
3. Japan has had a bit of a love affair with
Victorian Britain and there has been a lot
produced that has reflected this interest.
The Victorian age was one of great
advances in many fields but also an era of
rigid social classes, repressed desires and
demanded respect between the ages and the
sexes.
Japan’s representation of Victorian
Britain does not always run true as it is a
society used to explore fantasy rather than
realism.
VICTORIAN JAPAN
4. ‘Good wives, Wise mothers’
Good mothers meant that you would have good
children who would be raised in a way to strengthen
and support Japanese society.
A woman expected to be ‘‘guardian of the
interior’’ and ‘‘queen of the home’’ (homu no joo)’’;
‘‘Her mission in life was to make a nurturing shelter
for her children and a blissful refuge for her
husband, a sanctuary where he might come to
escape the violent challenges of the outside world’’.
(Dollase, 2003).
RYOSAI KENBO
6. The primary goal of translation of
western works was a way to educate young
girls in Japan.
Young girls were finding that they were
being inadvertently being taught Victorian
ideals on womanhood
This was the beginning of
Hanamonogatari (Girls stories or Shoujo
stories).
Themes such as innocence, pure love and
breaking social stereotypes came to fruition.
GIRLS EDUCATION
7. Japan has produced manga and anime
based on Alice such as “Fushigi no Kuni
no Alice”, a 52 episode series based on
the book aired on Japanese network NHK
in 1983.
“Alice’s’ Adventures in Wonderland”
was first translated into Japanese in 1909
and since then has had many unique and
different reimagining’s and retellings in
Japanese media.
ALICE
8. With the increase pressure
from parents and schools to work
harder, get better results and be
ready to become part of the
backbone of Japans workforce
there is a lot of pressure to grow
up and youth feel that they need
the escape.
YOUTH AND ALICE
9. FA S H I O N B R A N D S S U C H A S ‘A L I C E A N D T H E
P I R A T E S ’
10. H A S A L I C E I N W O N D E R L A N D T H E M E D C A F É S
A N D R E S T AU R A N T S S U C H A S ‘A L I C E I N
L A B Y R I N T H ’
