Tears of Longing: Nostalgia and the Nation in Japanese Popular Song (Harvard East Asian Monographs) [Paperback]

Christine R. Yano (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0674012763 | ISBN-13: 978-0674012769

Enka, a sentimental ballad genre, epitomizes for many the nihonjin no kokoro (heart/soul of Japanese). To older members of the Japanese public, who constitute enka's primary audience, this music--of parted lovers, long unseen rural hometowns, and self-sacrificing mothers--evokes a direct connection to the traditional roots of "Japaneseness." Overlooked in this emotional invocation of the past, however, are the powerful commercial forces that, since the 1970s, have shaped the consumption of enka and its version of national identity. Informed by theories of nostalgia, collective memory, cultural nationalism, and gender, this book draws on the author's extensive fieldwork in probing the practice of identity-making and the processes at work when Japan becomes "Japan."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Christine Yano is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Harvard University Asia Center (September 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0674012763
• ISBN-13: 978-0674012769
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #399,664 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ENKA!, February 3, 2007

By 

Deep Desert "Deep Desert" (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tears of Longing: Nostalgia and the Nation in Japanese Popular Song (Harvard East Asian Monographs) (Paperback)

This may be the only English-language book on the Enka genre, about which it is difficult to find any guides or other information unless you are fluent in the Japanese language. Dr. Yano's approach to this (sadly underappreciated) genre is more from a scholarly approach than as a "fan" of the music, by her own admission, but this book provides a wealth of information about the history, lyrics and visual style of Enka music and its performers. Personally I would have liked to have learned about the "stars" of this genre, particular Hibari Misora, undoubtedly its most famous performer. Also, Enka does exist in the US, though through mostly Japanese-American fans and performers, but this may be another subject of study. Enka may be a declining musical art form, but there are some notable younger performers, like Kitayama Takeshi and Komura Miki. I'm very grateful to Dr. Yano for the information provided by her book!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tears of Longing: Nostalgia and the Nation in Japanese Popular Song, June 26, 2007

By 

Arlene K. Reed - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tears of Longing: Nostalgia and the Nation in Japanese Popular Song (Harvard East Asian Monographs) (Paperback)

This book contained everything that I needed to do my research for the genre of Japanese enka. I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to get to the whys and how the genre is different for others. It is a very detailed book.