IAT206w Media in Cultures Sensory Ethnography and ...breannel/iat206w/draft_one.pdf · of netnography and sensory ethnography concerning entrances and advertising, ... However, that

Running head: GOLDEN GAI ETHNOGRAPHY AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION 1

IAT206w Media in Cultures

Sensory Ethnography and Netnography Analysis of Golden Gai:

The Ad Hoc Third Place in the Shinjuku Ward of Tokyo

Breanne R. Lewis

Simon Fraser University

GOLDEN GAI ETHNOGRAPHY AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION 2

Unknown. (N.A.). Golden Gai from Above. [digital photograph]. Retrieved March 1, 2017 from

http://www.wattention.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSC00649_50_51-2.jpg

Introduction and Thesis Statement

The neighbourhood of Golden Gai resides just east of Shinjuku station in the

Shinjuku ward of Tokyo, Japan. Simply walk east from Shinjuku Station to discover

narrow alleys, buildings double-stacked and crushed together, and an air of adventure:

a rare reprieve of old Japan that has survived since the early 1900’s, a neighbourhood

born from prostitution and vibrant bars (figure 1 + 2). However, cramped architecture

and simple survival are not what make this neighbourhood fascinating, rather it’s the

thriving community that lives here today. Many know Japan as a conservative,

homogenous, and corporation driven country where a common maxim warns that “the


nail that sticks up gets hammered down” (Bestor & Hardacre. 2004). Considering the

economic boom of the 80’s lead by tech and luxury companies like household names

Sony, Suzuki, and Honda, it is clear that Japanese people work hard .

Figure 4-7: Sozzled Salarymen. Izismile. 2014.

But it is important not to forget that they also play hard - figure 4-7 illustrate my

point, these salarymen schmoozed and partied until late last night, and sights like this

the next morning are fairly normalized (Demetriou, D. Jun 11, 2014.). Golden Gai is a

popular spot for these salarymen, among others, and a pervasive aspect to Japanese

society. Indeed, Golden Gai is the perfect antithesis to Japan’s normally conservative

mind set; it has survived Yakuza arson, the earthquake of 1923, constant threats of

demolition by the government, and its culture and history are richer for it. This is a


tight knit, microcosm of a less traditional side of Japan; misfits like otaku, foreigners,

and artists find shelter and a rare sense of belonging and comfort here, nestled next to

the largest red light district in Tokyo — Kabukicho. This unique area is an attraction for

tourists, business men, locals, and celebrities alike despite its initially shanty town

appearance. The 200 bars scarcely fit 2-6 patrons, and no more than 2 people can walk

side by side through its 6 narrow alleys (figure 3). The government, on the other hand,

only sees a fire hazard, and not the rich, cultural breeding ground that stands out as a

cultural milieu in Tokyo’s expansive nightlife - known for being wild (Demetriou, D. Jun

11, 2014.). Golden Gai is a resilient, inspiring, heterotopia in a deeply homogenous

society whose government is attempting to destroy it, and it is worthy of preserving not

only for it history, but for its cultural influence on artists and individuals seeking a

particular “third place” - a term in architecture used to describe social places outside

the home or workplace. According to Oldenburg, the third place is important for civil

society, democracy, civic engagement, and establishing feelings of a sense of place for

individuals (Oldenburg, R. 1989.). I conducted a ethnographic analysis utilizing a blend

of netnography and sensory ethnography concerning entrances and advertising,

participant-only case studies of english speaking photographers and bloggers, another

case study of artists and media Golden Gai has influenced, and interpretation of the

interviews of the bar owners (also known as “mamas”) done in 2012 by Jorge Almazán

and Nakajima Yoshinori in tandem with my own netnography case studies.

In order to begin breaching the heterotopia of Golden Gai, some analysis of the

people that used to live here (as well as those that currently live here which will be

elaborated on later) is vital in reaching an understanding of this space and the threats

aimed towards it. A solely synchronic analysis, a analysis of only a small slice of time,


is not sufficient to describe Golden Gai, instead a short Diachronic Analysis, an

analysis over a long period, is necessary.

According to architect Peter Gluck, historian Henry Smith, and architectural

critic Koji Taki in their MOMA exhibition Shinjuku: The Phenomenal City on display

from December 16, 1975 to March 7, 1976, Shinjuku is a city made with no large public

projects and no planning authorities (Para 3. Dec 17, 1975.). Essentially, after the city’s

initial integration into Tokyo City in 1920, the urban development that occurred here

was a “constant process of ad hoc solutions to particular problems by a vast number of

participants, both public and private” (Para 3. Gluck + Smith + Taki. Dec 17, 1975.). In

other words, the generations of people that lived here were in charge of the

neighbourhoods development based solely on their personal needs and behaviours;

they embedded themselves into their environment in personal touches and layers that

created the fabric that holds Golden Gai together. In fact, that is part of what makes

Japanese architecture, and even Japanese design as a whole so unique - the attention

to both the old and the new, the natural environment, and simple, precise execution

(Para 7-9. Columbia University. March 2017.). There was no master plan. There was no

committee of only government hired workers deciding urban development based on a

scale model about the minutia and harmony of the city. They did not look down on the

city, they lived in it and decided things from a street level.

At least, that’s how it was before 1968. The City Planning Act was promulgated in

June 1968 and enforced in June 1969; the government decided that as long as a space

was considered “healthy and cultural urban lifestyles and functional urban activities”

under their definition, the space would be “secured”. So long as an area fit into this

definition, it would not be drastically changed or destroyed. The government’s


motivation in implementing this Act was to maintain a healthy balance between the

agriculture, forestry, technology, and other industries business growth with the cultural

urban lifestyles that already exist. Fair enough, the economy was booming in Japan, it

experienced strong economic growth in the second half of the 20th century until the

crash in 1990, so they needed the space to accommodate this growth. In reality,

compared to other governments like those in North America, this act is incredibly

thoughtful and sensitive to the interwoven cultures that exist in Tokyo. For example,

Chicago’s building code is among the toughest in America, and anything done to a

structure other than tearing it down and building a new one is not permitted - it’s why

Chicago is now largely derelict and abandoned buildings, a veritable cultural and urban

wasteland (Rottenburg, D. May 1, 1980. Para 48.).

However, that does not mean Japan is a perfect example of cultural equality. The

culturally sensitive rules led to extreme ways of breaking them - including the

government hiring Yakuza arsons to destroy old building to make way for

redevelopment. The arson attacks in 1980’s, were largely successful in destroying all of

the old buildings — except for Golden Gai. The people that lived there at the time kept a

night watch shift that prevented the Yakuza from succeeding until the government

eventually accepted their partial victory and gave up on destroying the remaining

neighbourhood. That is, until April 2016 when a fire with an unknown cause struck the

neighbourhood once more and destroyed 4 buildings, roughly 500 sq. feet (Japan

Times. April 12, 2016.).

Given that the people that lived here made life possible and unique for the

people that currently live here, either by weaving themselves into the environment or

ensuring the neighbourhoods very survival despite redevelopment attempts, I assert


that the diachronic nature of this neighbourhood that makes it what it is today, and can

not be ignored. It is vital to keep this in mind in order to understand why the current

attempts at redevelopment are so insulting. It is also why the recent fire, believed to be

caused by trespassing, 66-year old Hiroshi Haruna, is easily believed to be a modern

Yakuza arson attempt that mimics the attempts back in the 1980’s (The Japan Times.

April 13, 2016. + Para. 10. Phro, P. April 13, 2016.).

Key Concept One: Thresholds and Signage [Sensory Ethnography/Netnography]

{embedded video}

Ricci, G. (July 2, 2012.) Shinjuku Golden Gai. [Youtube video]. Retrieved February 12, 2017 from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSm_lBqXcTc

Sarah Pink defines sensory ethnography as involving and including the senses

in ethnographic research and representation, in order to “[reach] out towards an

altogether more sophisticated set of ideas through which to understand what

ethnography itself entails” (Pink. 2013.). I plan on observing the expressive doors and

signage of the area along with the sounds, implied smells, and implied feelings via the

video and images collected (video and figure 8-11) .




Figure 8: Golden Gai Signs and entrances. Powell, D + Jurgen and Mike. 2011-present. From SHOOTTOKYO.com and http://tokyo.for91days.com/the-seedy-pleasures-of-east-shinjuku/.

In Golden Gai, there is very little real-estate for advertising, so owners appear to

rely on their entrances and loud music to draw in customers and convey the vibe and

aesthetic of the bar. That, mixed with the smell of food and liquor would surely be

enough to enamor and draw someone in.

In the case of Araka, the red stairway above, the walls are lined with fur. There is

a video in the next key concept that shows a visitor rubbing his hands and face against

it out of curiosity as he ascends. The area is a veritable sensory overload, and it is

incredibly effective at drawing in customers. The same group also noted the strange

sign that explained there was no cover charge for english speakers, but locals had a 700

yen cover charge, which is rare. Indeed, the typical sentiment aligns more with figure 9


below, where only japanese speakers are welcome. Although I was unable to find

images, I found comments and blogs that described bars that did not allow “ichigen”

(first timers) and only allowed regular, local customers.


In fact, most of the area looks more like the below figure 10 with very little

english writing to be seen. The bars that dissuade foreigners may seem racist when

juxtaposed so starkly to the ones catering to foreigners, but in reality it’s more rude for

foreigners to not learn the language of the land they are visiting. I spoke of finding a

“third place” before, and while it applies to customers, it also applies to the bar owners.

The mamas likely want to build a particular community or atmosphere, and with such

limited space (5 to 6 seats total), it is prudent to be picky about clientele.

http://tokyo.for91days.com/the-seedy-pleasures-of-east-shinjuku/







The collection of signs and entrances in figures 8 + 11 show the variety to be

found between each bar, from contemporary to kitschy, Rap to Punk to Blues, Kabuki to

knock-off Chinese to Western influenced, Golden Gai seems to have it all. The variety

definitely plays a part in helping visitors find their third place, along with providing a

chaotic harmony, where each bar balances the others around it and make the streets

alone feel warm and enticing — there’s a reason the place has become something of a

tourist trap ().

There seems to be a large amount of music themed bars, one such bar is called

HOD Punk Bar (HOD Punk Bar. 2016.) and is pictured twice. The bar always plays punk



music from both national and international artists - in a video by Irwin Wong, a friend

of his gets excited when he recognizes The Dead Kennedy’s playing, the bar keep nods

enthusiastically and he repeats “this is awesome” several times within a short period of

time. He barely speaks with the bar keeper or his friends, partially due to a language

barrier and the volume of the music, but it doesn’t stop him from simply enjoying the

atmosphere created by the posters and foul language plastering the walls, familiar

music, taste of beer, and enjoying like-minded company.

On a more final note for this topic, it is notable that no matter what the theme is,

and how extreme the decor becomes, all of the signs and entrance ways are spotless.

With such a small space to work with, it’s not wonder the owners keep the space

pristine, and contradicts the initially “dirty” vibe visitors get from the shanty-town

styled old buildings.

Key concept Two: English Speaking Photographers and Youtubers [Netnography]

{embedded video}

Wong, I. (Nov 17, 2016.) Golden Gai Guys - Session 1. [Youtube video]. Retrieved February 12, 2017 from


{embedded video}

DogaTV [username]. (June 5 , 2016.) Shinjuku Golden Gai. [Youtube video]. Retrieved February 12, 2017 from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDhUbVlOAm0

These two videos provides an average tourist experience and knowledge when

visiting Golden Gai. Most of the guys in video only speak english, and most of them




seem pretty awed by the whole vibe of the places although some have visited before.

Lewis, B. (February 14, 2017.) Shoottokyo search [screen capture]. Retrieved from

https://shoottokyo.com/search?q=golden+gai

The above website belongs to an employee of Youtube, Dave Powell. He moved to

Japan in 2001 and took up photography as a fulfilling hobby. Powell is exceptionally

good at capturing the small details.

https://shoottokyo.com/search?q=golden+gai


Lewis, B. (February 14, 2017.) Tokyo for 91 Days website [screen capture]. Retrieved from

https://tictokyo.wordpress.com/2016/03/18/memory-lane-down-shinjuku/

Another photography site, this time a pair named Jürgen and Mike, from

Germany and the USA. They travelled Japan for 91 days and documented the whole

thing. This pair is also excellent at capturing the vibe of places, although they aren’t as

detail oriented or subject focused as Powell, they also captured some lovely moments.

While analyzing these sources I focused on 3 main topics: the importance of

finding the third place, the importance of communicating with bar keepers and owners,

and awareness of turmoil and threats to the area.

I noticed that 3 of the 4 participants were drawn to the bars that pertained to

their interests or cultures; For 91 Days photographers were interested in the general

area, but did not document any visits to the interiors of the bars and were the only

outlier. The Photographers Bar was mentioned in two of the cases, which is only

https://tictokyo.wordpress.com/2016/03/18/memory-lane-down-shinjuku/


natural considering all of my participants are interested in either video or cameras

considering their hobbies.

There was also a clear overlap between finding the third place and being able to

communicate with the bar keepers. Being largely english speakers, the bars that

welcomed or catered to english speakers and created western vibes were the most

frequented, including HOD Punk Bar, Araku, and Albatross, two of which have english

websites as well. The third place, in this case, was most clearly attained by finding

places that reminded the participants of home, and gave them a break from trying to

speak a second language - in the Golden Gai Guys video, it received the highest ratings

(although their rating system seems mostly arbitrary), but specifically the highest in

foreigner friendliness. Another notable comment came from the Golden Gai Guys who

were shocked by the lack of cover charge for foreigners and the charge of 700 yen for

locals - most of the area is clearly restricted from english only speakers and more

catered towards regulars and locals.

The most knowledgeable participant about turmoil in the area appeared to be

the host from DogaTV. In his video he mentioned that part of the area might be torn

down due to construction for the upcoming 2020 olympics, but he only seemed to be

aware of it and knew no details. He also seemed entirely aware of the threats of the

nearby Kabukicho and Golden Gai itself; in response to a commenter that believed all of

Japan to be safe he responded:

“Yea that's why all over Kabukicho there are signs in Japanese warning people

about this exact thing. Kinda strange that they would put signs on every street post

warning about how certain clubs will lie about the drink prices, charge double what

they originally say, (worst case) drug you. But nah your right, they must just be making


those announcements warning people on the intercoms for fun”. The participants that

frequented the bars, and were not merely doing a single tour of the area or only

experiencing it visually, were more educated on the problems of the area, likely

because the DogaTV host had built relationships with the bar keeps - he specifically

comments fondly on the quality of the workers at Albatross, for example.

A similar quality was found in Powell when compared to Jurgen and Mike. The

frequent close ups and portraits that appear on his website are far more intimate than

the ones found on For 91 days. His images contain a certain punctum, that particular

something that draws the eye and engages the viewer, that theirs lack All are talented

photographers, but the attention Powell has is likely owed to the years he has lived in

the area compared to their mere 91 days.

Key concept Three: Influenced Artists and Intertextual Media [Case Study]

Blade Runner and Lost in Translation - possibly Gojira and what it was supposed

to represent (slow government action, dissatisfaction among residents. Reflected today

where a protest took place. Relate back to recent government protests and new more

“liberal” political parties - Your Party.

Key concept Four: Integrating InTech’s Ethnography Analysis

The owners are what keep Golden Gai thriving and open, and I want to know

more about why and how they do it. Some bars only let regulars in, no foreigners or

newcomers (also known as “ichigen”), but how sustainable is that and why is it worth

it?


Conclusion

Golden Gai is an honest, concise representation of low brow Japanese culture. It

serves a purpose, it gives a voice to those who disagree with the current cultural norms

of Japan and practically shouts the less polite aspects of Japanese society that the

general public would rather keep quiet about. This nature survives and protects itself

in the form protests to conserve the area — the proposed Zaha Hadid Olympic Stadium

for the 2020 games was cancelled in order to protect Yoyogi Park, a large chunk of

Golden Gai, and part of Kabukicho. Golden Gai stands as a gathering place of creative,

wild minds and inspired the aesthetics of movies like Blade Runner and Lost in

Translation, provided a safe place for those who are feeling homesick or in need of

some positive psychological motivation via like-minded people, stimulating sensory

overloads that keep the streets from ever becoming boring, and an edge of old school

thinking that is slowly dying out as the mama’s age and retire. While Golden Gai might

not be around forever, it will always be a place that other communities should aspire to

be like: honest, warm, stubborn, and just a little unexpected


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IAT206w Media in Cultures Sensory Ethnography and ...breannel/iat206w/draft_one.pdf · of netnography and sensory ethnography concerning entrances and advertising, ... However, that