Public space is notable for its sounds as well as its silences, and this shifts over temporal and seasonal changes. We would expect that this small park in the heart of Kyoto would sound differently at night than during the day, but the differences between week days and week ends are also illustrative of the changing tempo of daily life in Japan.
During the week, preschool children with their carers and the elderly are common sights at these parks but increasingly we see salaried workers spending their lunch hours reading and relaxing (as in this photograph). The use of parks by office workers demonstrates that the pace of the work day in Japan is changing, and for better or worse, Japanese workers are now interacting more directly with outdoor public space, seeking out a pleasant sensory environments such as these which are much different from their office interiors.
Public places in the crowded streets of Shinjuku in Tokyo are usually filled with movement, talking and the sounds emanating from shops. Whilst walking through West Shinjuku, I was minding my business walking to my destination. I stopped when I saw a sea of people standing outside Yodabashi camera. There...>>
One of the pleasures of academia is working with doctoral students whose projects extend their supervisors' knowledge about their area of expertise. Dr. Jenny Hall introduced me to the sensory experiences of traditional textile making and design as per her dissertation thesis, Tradition and Innovation in Textile Production and Design...>>
Many scholars conducting doing important research regarding the diversification of Japanese society which has intensified in recent years for a variety of economic, social and cultural reasons. While these contemporary developments are important, we must also remember that ethnic diversity in Japan does have a significant history, and Chinatowns like...>>
