Cool Japan: Inside Japan’s Cultural and Creative Industries, 2nd edition (2020) takes readers inside the world of Japanese popular and traditional culture, where J-pop music producers, manga artists, anime and video game creators, idols, fashion designers, comedians, tea and sake makers, sumo wrestlers, and businesspeople create the products and enjoyment that have made Japan a “cultural superpower” and become part of the daily lives of people all over the world. Eye-opening and rich in detail, Cool Japan is engaging reading for anyone with an interest in Japan, and ideal for use in school or university courses on Japan, popular culture, or business.
Cool Japan is available as a full-length book in all Amazon stores, as well as in the form of stand-alone cases that may be ordered from this website. The 14 chapters that make up Cool Japan are:
The “Cool Japan” Strategy: Industrial Policy for Cultural Industries (view details)
Japanese Pop Music and Idols (view details)
Johnny & Associates: Japanese Pop Idol Producer Faces a Changing World (view details)
AKB48: The Making of a Pop Idol Juggernaut (view details)
“Kawaii”: Hello Kitty and Japanese Cute (view details)
Square Enix: Keeping the Fantasy Alive (view details)
A Bathing Ape (BAPE): The Rise, Fall, and Rescue of a Fashion Icon (view details)
Japanese Comics: Shueisha and the Manga Industry Face a Midlife Crisis (view details)
The Japanese Anime Industry: Studio Trigger Finds Its Mark (view details)
Japanese Comedy: Entertainment Powerhouse Yoshimoto Kogyo Shaken by Scandal (view details)
Toei Studio Park: Tapping into Kyoto’s Tourism Boom (view details)
Ippodo Tea Company: A 300-year-old Company Navigates Today’s World (view details)
Ozeki Sake Brewing Company: New Customers for an Old Drink (view details)
Sumo Meets Globalization: Foreigners Carry Japan’s Most Traditional Sport into the Future (view details)