After spending nine months in Japan I have observed Japanese masculinity in men of different age groups in everyday life. There are many degrees of expressed masculinity among Japanese men that are not represented in visual media. These subtle differences are based on individual lifestyles that visual media cannot hope to capture. However there is value to the representation of masculinity through visual media in Japan. For example throughout Japans recent history, one can observe a shift in masculine culture brought about by historic events such as war and economic recession. In the times past, before the Second World War, Japanese masculinity was exemplified by the role of a samurai. The archetype of the samurai is a heroic, brave, stoic individual who fights for honor and loyalty. This can be seen in the 1954 film Seven Samurai, directed by Akira Kurosawa. The samurai was long the character that stereotyped Japanese masculinity by the international observer. This has led to an oversimplification of modern Japanese masculinity. …show more content…
Gone are the days of the heroic samurai. Japanese men today appear to be a near polar opposite of how they were once portrayed. Shy, sensitive, and awkward are now the traits associated with many Japanese boys and men. It is suggested that this drastic changed was brought about by the post war economic boom and bust. During this time, Japanese men set out to rebuild the nation by working long hours at corporate desk jobs dressed in black suites, identical to today’s salary men. The lifestyle of a salary man is not one of physical activity, tests of endurance or bravery and strength, but rather a dull nine to five job. The sensitive modern Japanese man is now in competition with his female counterpart in the work force. As women began working more and gained more social independence, Japanese men were no longer seen as the essential protectors and providers that they once