Trendy types last year were wearing quotes without necessarily knowing what it said. For those who cannot read Japanese, the print just looks nice, holding no specific meaning. For someone who can read the quote it seems stupid and somewhat shallow, but such is fashion.

Trendy types this year are eating sushi from Selfridges, which has, unsuccessfully, transformed itself into a Japanese Emporium. Despite elevator girls being flown over from Japan to offer an authentic touch. Japanese brands have been brought over exclusively, and promotions for Japanese products vie for space among the usual merchandise.

The ideas of advanced technology and the culture has been represented crudely by the bright pink vending machines, around the store. In Japan vending machines do sell all sorts of convenience items but not in a
multi-floored superstore. Choose from a selection of products including rice crackers, British CDs, and novelty Statue of Liberty condoms, which just seems ironic when Japan wants to promote themselves as a tourist destination.

In Japan personal greetings and well wishes from shop assistants at the entrance to superstores or elevators are usual. However boring it is, they always seem quite content at providing this service of respectful etiquette. In Selfridges, however, the girls can barely be heard as they whisper a Japanese greeting. The British shoppers unaccustomed to such customer service, either avoid eye contact or grin inanely. These elevator girls are treated like objects rather than people.

The art installations are not easily found, and disappointing. The Merry exhibition in particular, on the ground floor, has been advertised a lot as an attraction, but is just enlarged pictures hanging from the ceiling. Spinning on threads it is difficult to look at them properly, as they are close together and the rails of clothes directly underneath mean others want to shop while you try gaze at the ceiling and get in their way. Just smiling happy faces they make Japanese girls look like dolls, rather than the rejuvenating force of the younger generation.

The commodification of Japanese culture continued in the Matsuri festival in Hyde Park. Eileen Cooper showed people how to make Japanese paper, the Bristol Origami organisation made paper cranes, and Blue Dragon sold sushi starter kits for a cut price. Although there was indeed some proper Japanese food on sale, there was also Chow Mein, which is Cantonese. Obviously some people are oblivious to this distinction and their interest in Japanese culture is the extended to Chinese.

Both are regarded as exotic and interesting, both are in the far east. However just as the representation of modern Japanese culture cannot be promoted by absurdly dressed, wondering minstrels, playing the Mickey Mouse theme tune, British culture cannot be represented by Viking boat races or court jesters. So why do we watch and feel we know Japanese culture better?