“Disney” in the modern society of Japan

Definition: The Disneyization of society argues that the contemporary world is increasingly displaying characteristics of the Disney theme parks. It is a process by which the principles of the Disney theme parks are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as the rest of the world.

As a result of globalization, many cities in Japan have been “Disneyfied”, which in turn cause the Japanese people to be more exposed to the different cultures in the world. As compared to other Asian cultures, Japan’s culture is unique and exotic in the sense that it has been heavily influenced by the Western culture. This led to an extreme difference in culture from one region to another. Japan has a combination of European, Asian, and Chinese as well as North American culture. Japanese culture was shaped by Chinese and Korean influences throughout its history until Western Europe became its model for modernization in the late nineteenth century.

Tokyo Disneyland is the “Disney” that I have spotted in Japan.

Theming - clothing institutions or objects in a narrative that is largely unrelated to the institution or object to which it is applied, such as a casino or restaurant with a Wild West narrative.

Tokyo Disneyland in Japan has spawned a large number of theme parks. These are considered as theme rather than amusement parks since it has a theme that is influence by the westerners. The Tokyo Disneyland resembles the Disneyland resort in USA, providing an ‘American’ experience for the Japanese visitors. As such, an alien culture is being introduced to the Japanese, giving them an opportunity to experience the Americans culture.

As stated in the article, theming was a mechanism to achieve the goals of the appealing to adults as much as children. Tokyo Disneyland is also targeted to families which are both adults and children. Hence, this is an evidence of it being categorized as a theme rather than an amusement park.

There are a total of seven theme areas in the Tokyo Disneyland which are divided from the “Land Park” and “Sea Park”, namely Lost river delta, Arabian coast, Mermaid lagoon, Mysterious Island, American waterfront, Mediterranean harbor and Port discovery.

Hybrid Consumption - a general trend whereby the forms of consumption associated with different institutional spheres become interlocked with each other and increasingly difficult to distinguish.

In addition to providing entertainment for the visitors, the Tokyo Disneyland is also a place for shopping. There are many shops and dining restaurants available in each of the seven theme areas which sell a variety of food and products. Besides having areas to play, eat and shop, the Tokyo Disneyland also provides shows and accommodation for the visitors. There are a total of three hotels available which include Disney Ambassador Hotel, Tokyo DisneySea Hotel Miracosta and Tokyo Disneyland Hotel.

Merchandising - the promotion and sale of goods in the form of or bearing copyright images and/or logos, including such products made under licence.

The shops in Tokyo Disneyland provide a range of different types of Disney merchandise such as apparels, photo accessories, watches, stationery, and other gift products etc. Many of these products bear the Disney theme logo or copyright images on sale. Some examples include “The Little Mermaid” themed products. There is also Mickey Mouse design clothing and other items sold in a shop called Steamboat Mickey’s. Winnie the Pooh plush dolls can also be found in a shop, Pooh Corner.

Performative Labour - the growing tendency for frontline service work to be viewed as a performance, especially one in which the deliberate display of a certain mood is seen as part of the labour involved in service work.

Japan’s service staff will dress up in Disney costume to blend in with their theme. Japan has a high standard of service. Hence, the kind of service the frontline service staff provides will definitely satisfy and exceed the customer’s expectation. However, by just providing a good service is not enough, they had to dress up according to the Disney theme, which will liven up the mood.