The daiku phenomenon: Social and cultural influences of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in Japan

In the rude awakening of western colonisations in Asia during the nineteenth century, Japan drastically embraced the 'better and more modern' western values towards the end of that century - which began with the Meiji Restoration (Meiji Ishin). Since the nation began frantically learning everything Western - while keeping its traditional values at heart, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony 'Choral,' or daiku as it is known in Japan, has been present throughout the turbulent twentieth century. The social and cultural phenomenon known as nenmatsu-no daiku (A countless number of annual year-end Beethoven's Ninth Symphony concerts held throughout Japan each year.) is the subject under scrutiny in this paper. Japan's almost desperate pursue toward westernization and the much-debated Japanese cultural trait, the 'groupism' mentality would make the existence of the daiku phenomenon appear to the bewildered outsider as a horrendous mix of the two elements, but is that simply so? Evidently, the sudden influx of western cultures and ideologies from Europe and the U.S.A. is in great part accountable for the continual and prevalent existence of the daiku in modern Japan. However, we must not overlook the underlying home-grown factors, which have kept the phenomenon well and alive even today. This paper intends to discuss the historical background leading to this phenomenon and present a summary of what daiku is, giving examples of different types of performances as a result of the phenomenon. An attempt will also be given to examine the significance Beethoven's Ninth has for the Japanese in both social and cultural contexts. © Springer-Verlag 2007.