Fryderyk Chopin and Furederikk Shopan: Frédéric Chopin’s Music Reception in Japanese Culture

Abstract

This article focuses on an attempt to discover the essence of the phenomenon of Japanese fascination with the person and work of Frédéric Chopin. This phenomenon has already been partially illustrated in scientific publications. So far, however, no answer has been given to the question why Chopin’s reception has been so intense in Japan for years. The Author of the article puts forward the thesis that the sources of the Japanese phenomenon of Chopin should be sought in Japanese culture, not in the Japanese interest in Polish culture. The categories wa, wabi, sabi, kanpekishugi, kawaii, and manga put this into perspective. Thanks to the “creative reproductiveness,” the Japanese transform the music of the Polish composer and adapt it to their own preferences. As a result of this process, a Japanese “new quality” arises, which is not identical to the original context. Frédéric Chopin gains a new Japanese face in the Land of the Rising Sun.