Japan has a serious fondness for doing things in miniature. Whether it's capsule toys, model trains, dioramas, or more, the country has a knack for extremely detailed, picture-perfect scaled-down representations of reality. How—and why—so much attention is paid to miniaturized detail, and what connection the love of miniatures has to Japanese society at large, is the theme of this edition of Japanology Plus. It goes without saying that miniatures, in the form of toys, models, etc., exist around the world. The word "miniature" itself comes from the 16th-century European fad of tiny, portable portraits. "Miniare," the Latin word from which miniature originates, means "to color with red lead," and refers to the red lettering on said portraits. (Incidentally, the word miniature, and its abbreviation "mini," have become a standard part of the Japanese lexicon.)
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Japanology Plus - Miniature Culture
Japan has a serious fondness for doing things in miniature. Whether it's capsule toys, model trains, dioramas, or more, the country has a knack for extremely detailed, picture-perfect scaled-down representations of reality. How—and why—so much attention is paid to miniaturized detail, and what connection the love of miniatures has to Japanese society at large, is the theme of this edition of Japanology Plus. It goes without saying that miniatures, in the form of toys, models, etc., exist around the world. The word "miniature" itself comes from the 16th-century European fad of tiny, portable portraits. "Miniare," the Latin word from which miniature originates, means "to color with red lead," and refers to the red lettering on said portraits. (Incidentally, the word miniature, and its abbreviation "mini," have become a standard part of the Japanese lexicon.)
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