The Blind Worship Of All Things American After The War In Japan

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The Blind Worship of all things American after the War in Japan

The novel American Hijiki tells the story of a young Japanese family, headed by Toshio.

He lives with his wife Kyoko, and their three-year-old son Keiichi. Toshio runs a studio, which

produces TV commercials. The main story of the hijiki is about an elderly American couple, the

Higgins, who will be coming to Tokyo, and whom Toshio’s wife has invited to stay at their

place. The story is filled with flashbacks in which Toshio recollects his experiences in Japan

during and after the war. These flashbacks are conveniently juxtaposed to provide a contrast and

an explanation to Toshio’s attitude to his wife’s behavior. Kyoko is especially excited that the

Higgins are coming to stay over since after all, it is she who had established contact with them

while she was in Hawaii. On his part, Toshio could care less and rather wishes that the Higgins

would not come over or, at the very least, not to stay over at his home. One of the main themes

that emerges in the essay is the perceived dominance of the American culture as brought out

through Kyoko’s behavior and the actions and behavior of several other minor characters. This

essay contends that there was a blind worship to American culture after the war in Japan, as

illustrated through the actions and behavior of various characters in the novel.

One of the most salient indicators of the worship of Americans is the affinity towards

English by all sorts of characters within the novel. This affinity is highly pervasive, such that it is

present not only in the real-time occurrences within the setting of the story, but also, in the

flashbacks. For instance, in the very first flashback scene, where Toshio is recalling his days in

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the army, he narrates an incident where they found a big thick book containing nothing but

English. Instantly, they began perusing the book each one trying to find an English word that

they knew (439). In the end, only the class head managed to find the word silk hat, which he told

his fellow mates, much to their bemusement, that it meant a hat made of silk. The others are

amazed at this, proclaiming how revealing the head boy’s translation was. The extent of the

adoration of the English language is perhaps none better disclosed than by Toshio’s indication

that whenever he hears the word shiruku hatto, the translation “hat made of silk” is what comes

to mind.

The characters are not only bemused by the language itself, but also bewildered by those

Japanese who have a good grasp on it. They look upon these individuals with great awe,

indicating their reverence of the English language. In the second flashback, Toshio indicates that

one of the school friends was more shocked at the sight of him trading English with a soldier,

than by his miserable clothing (Akiyuki 443). The result was that word of him being a translator

spread around and soon enough, his friends came to watch him work. One may argue that this in

fact had nothing to do with English, and perhaps the kids were amused by the Toshio’s job.

Given the indigent nature of Japanese living conditions at the time, it may be argued that these

kids were amused at how Toshio managed to earn some money. Doubts about whether this was

so or whether fascination had to do with language are however, cast out by Akiyuki, who

indicates that the word spreading round was “You should hear that guy’s English!” (443). This

makes it clear that the amusement towards Toshio had to do with his command of English.

The blind worship of American culture is further revealed through the blatant praise for

American culture and way of living and the concomitant contempt of Japanese tradition and

norms. In several instances in the novel, Japanese culture and norms are portrayed as being

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inferior to American ones. For instance, the very first flashback scene opens with some

contemptuous remarks by Toshio’s English teacher praising the Americans for their courteous

ways while lamenting the rudeness of the Japanese. He chides his class indicating that he fears

that they will be rude causing the Americans to “think Japan is full of barbarians” (Akiyuki 438).

This instance reveals two things. One is the inferior perception of the Japanese of their

own culture and character compared to the American culture. This is obvious by the praises

Americans receive as being polite while the Japanese are rebuked for their rudeness. The second

revelation is of the considerable weightiness ascribed to American opinion. The teacher’s

ultimate fear is that of American perception of Japanese as barbarian. The teacher proceeds to

teach the words ‘thank you’ and ‘excuse me’. He emphasizes on the Qs, arguing that all his

students had to do was say Q and the Americans would understand

. So much emphasis was

placed on this lesson that Toshio laments that that was the reason they did not know English. For

the teacher, this was a vague attempt to portray the Japanese as not being barbaric, by teaching

them the two words of politeness.

The fascination of Japanese characters with American characters is a further illustration

of the worship of Americans. Japanese women are fascinated by American women while

Japanese boys are intrigued by American girls. After Toshio quits school, he comes across a

Japanese girl who is interested in meeting an American soldier. The girl requests Toshio to

introduce her to him, to which Toshio obliges. Later on, Toshio recalls how in Ginza, he would

see men strolling down with American girls as though it was it were a very normal thing

(Akiyuki 444). This sentiment is expressed with a hint of contempt, indicating that Toshio was

himself not so much amused by the Americans. Toshio further elaborates how on one occasion,

According to the novel, ‘Thank you’ is pronounced as ‘San-Q’, while ‘Excuse me’ is pronounces as

‘Ekusu-Q-zu-mee’. Toshio’s teacher goes ahead to emphasize that the accent is on the Q. He then tells his students

that they only need to “smile and say ‘Q’, and the America-san (sic) would understand them” (Akiyuki 438)

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one college student talks to an American soldier aboard a streetcar, asking him what he (the

soldier) though of Japan. That the boy seeks the soldier’s opinion illustrates the affinity towards

reaffirmation by Americans, and this once again illustrates the perceived superiority of

Americans. Finally, Toshio also talks about the American soldiers in glowing adulation while

describing their body frames. He talks about how foreigners had three-dimensional features like

high-bridged noses and deep-set eyes. He also talks about the muscular arms and massive chests.

He contrasts these with the Japanese who have monkey faces (Akiyuki p. 445). He concludes by

asserting that compared to the Japanese, the Americans were shining stars. This are apt

illustrations of the worship of the American body form and its perception as superior to the

Japanese one.

The Japanese are also increasingly awed by items of American heritage and they hold

them in high esteem. This can be said to be true of the language and the American characters but

beyond this, it is also true of physical objects and products. During his interaction with the

American soldier, the soldier hands Toshio a paper with the word Taxi. Toshio is fascinated by

it. He proceeds to store it carefully, as though it had been an autograph from a movie star

(Akiyuki 442). To Toshio, this item is very significant because he received it from an American

soldier. Other items included the MJB coffee and Hershey’s cocoa, which are instantly taken off

Toshio’s hands for a good sum of money. In the scene involving a Japanese college student and

an American soldier on a streetcar, the soldier hands the student a stick of gum. The student

contorts it in the shape of a cigarette and pops it into his mouth. The other passengers are envious

of him. It is not readily apparent whether they are in awe of the student’s proximity to the

American soldier, his possession of an American item (gum), or his mimicking of the act of

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smoking a cigarette. It is however evident that in one way or another, they do wish they were in

the student’s position, which is defined by an American aura.

The novel American Hijiki by Nosaka Akiyuki narrates the story of Toshio and his

family, who host an American couple, the Higgins. From the novel, we are able to perceive the

blind worship of the Japanese to American culture. This worship is illustrated through a variety

of avenues, such as adoration of the English language, American character and goods, and

American individuals. The Japanese strive to learn the English language, and those who have a

better grasp of it are portrayed as being superior.

Additionally, the American culture and norms are portrayed as being superior. The

American is portrayed as being polite and courteous, while the Japanese are shown as being rude

and barbaric. Throughout the story, there are characters who try to get closer to Americans, and

who are excited by such prospects. Kyoko, Toshio’s wife, is very excited about the impending

visit of the American couple, albeit Toshio does not share these sentiments. Young women are

fascinated by American soldiers, as are Japanese men by young American women. The novel

further shows how other Japanese are envious of those individuals who in one-way or another

are closer to the American way of life. All this happens against the backdrop of the Second

World War, during which the Americans bomb Japanese towns.

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Works Cited

Hijiki, American. "Nosaka Akiyuki." Contemporary Japanese Literature. Ed. Howard Hibbett.

New York: Alfred A. Knoof, 1977. 435-468.

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