As members of Japan’s postwar baby boom generation approach their seventh decade, they have been wallowing in an extended nostalgia boom over the historical and cultural accouterments of the Showa Era (1926-89). If you feel left out of the discussion, the antidote is to hunt down a copy of this book, which offers a comprehensive look at cultural icons from television, cinema, popular music and others.
Schilling, a regular Japan Times contributor, serves up a veritable cornucopia of useful facts and astute observations from his decades as a well-traveled journalist and film reviewer. For example, he writes: “Foreigners seeing Japanese TV for the first time often comment on its air of amateurishness. … The main reason for this … is bottom-line business. Large segments of the Japanese audience actually like seeing amateurs — or pros acting amateurishly — on the tube.”
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.