Content area
Full Text
JAPAN AT PLAY: The Ludic and the Logic of Power. Edited by Joy Hendry and Massimo Raveri. London and New York: Routlege (an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group). 2002. xvi, 309pp. (B&W photographs, figures, index.) US$95.00, doth. ISBN 0-415-21501-3.
'Play' is such a simple word, one most often associated with children, but rarely does a group of scholars examine in depth the notion of'play,' looking at the forms it takes for adults. Japan at Play presents the reader with 18 informative articles that highlight different forms of play within Japanese society and demonstrate the ideology of power contained within them. The articles focus on such topics as: the world of tattoos, the Japanese 'gay community,' the behaviour of rock group fans, violence in 'play,' drinking parties, training for karaoke, university sport clubs, professional soccer, the evolution of hot springs resorts, illegal fishing, the clash between hunter and hikers, the fantasy world of Tokyo Disneyland, and others.
Ten years have passed since...