Disneyization of Japan

"Disneyization is portayed as a globalizing force. In other words, the principles with which it is associated are gradually spreading throughout the globe." (Bryman, 2004) 

There is an increasing number of themed environments in Japan, thus showing clearly the effects of Disneyization in Japan.

What other example other than Disneyland itself. Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea are the very model examples Disneyization. Now to take a closer look at the dimensions of Disneyization

• Theming - Tokyo Disneyland successfully themes the amusement park by clothing it a sense of fantasy and marvel through the usage of the well-known Disney characters.
• Hybrid consumption - People can no longer differentiate the consumption of a regular theme park experience and the consumption of the experience of seeing Disney characters and performances by these characters. The consumption of these two experiences have now been interlocked and extremely difficult to differentiate. Even eating in a restaurant in Tokyo Disneyland would have a certain degree of hybrid consumption as one not only dines in the restaurant but also enjoys the performances happening in a close vicinity as well as the Disney themed interior of the restaurant.
• Merchandising - Disneyland is clearly the harbinger of merchandising. The characters of Disney are all copyrighted, thus the sale of Disney souvenirs and the Disney experience is reserved only for Disneyland.
• Performative labour - There is also a clear case of performative labour in Tokyo Disneyland, as in all Disneyland establishments around the world. The performers are all required to put on a persona befitting to that of the character they are acting as. Thus the princess Snow White would never get angry even if insulted by a guest as the actor has to uphold the fairy-like qualities of Snow White and her attitude.

A rival on par with Disneyland that has an establishment in Japan would be Universal Studios Japan. Also a foreign product that has spread to Japan through globalization, there is characteristics of disneyization observed in the concept of Unversal Studios.

• Theming - The Universal Studios cloths the amusement park with a theme that is largely unrelated to enjoying thrilling ride: Movie Characters.
• Hybrid consumption - Similar to Disneyland, the masquerade of movie characters and lookalikes are now an experience consumed together with the thrill of riding rides in a amusement park. Seeing Grinch walking around the site during Christmas season is now so commonplace that it is already interlocked with the consumption of the amusement park.
• Merchandising - A fair rival in all areas, Universal Studios bears its own copyrighted characters and sells copyrighted souvenirs and material.
• Performative labour - The employees who take on roles as acting as any of the movie characters view their work to be a performance, where they maintain the attitudes and characteristics of the character they are portraying. Thus there is great performative labour.

Another example would be the Maid Cafe. A concept originating from Japan, the Maid Cafe bears characteristics that fit some of the dimensions of Disneyization.

What you just witnessed is the standard greeting a waitress would give to a guest at a Maid Cafe. The words said are "Okaeri-nasai, Goshujin-sama", which means "Welcome home Master".

• Theming - Maid Cafes are themed with a homely feel, where the guest is the "master". The waitresses in a Maid Cafe wear maid costumes and refer to the guests as the "masters". The Maid Cafe has thus successfully clothed a cafe with a largely unrelated narrative of being the "master".
• Hybrid consumption - Guests at a maid cafe now engage in hybrid consumption. This is due to the fact that the consumption of food is now becoming more interlocked with the experience of being greeted as the "master" by waitresses dressed in maid costumes. The two forms of consumption are now becoming extremely difficult to distinguish and is generally becoming a new product of its own.
• Merchandising - However, due to the nature of the business, which still generally revolves around the sales of food, it is impossible to engage in merchandising as dishes cannot be copyrighted. But there is a certain level of merchandising in terms of the experience. Successful maid cafes now have their own brands and logos, thus they can promote the cafe under that brand.
• Performative labour - There definitely is performative labour in working at a Maid Cafe. Waitresses are to smile at all times, greet the guests as "master" as well as remain a positive attitude to serving the guests through and through. This fits the disneyization dimension of performative labour where there is a tendency for work to be viewed as a performance.