Before lighting sparklers and whistles

Abstract

Part of Japan’s fascination lies in the fact that while it gives the impression of being a very remote country familiar only to its inhabitants, at the same time many people around the world feel they know something about this oriental land even if they never actually visited it. This paradox may be attributed to the penetration and assimilation of different aspects of Japanese history and culture in people’s collective imagery through the ages. The Japanese globalised iconography is extensive and undoubtedly a special place is reserved for the small poetic genre of haiku. [excerpt]