Events

Time and Location

Monday, March 4th, 2024 at 20:00 (EST)
Tuesday, March 5th, 2024 at 10:00 (JST)

Online

About

Touted as a symbol of the “new Japan” when it opened in 1964, the Tōkaidō Shinkansen—the first bullet train, dubbed the “dream super-express”—represents the bold aspirations of a nation rebranding itself after military defeat, but also the deep problems caused by the unbridled postwar drive for economic growth. Understanding the various, often contradictory, images of the bullet train show how infrastructure operates beyond its intended use as a means of transportation to perform cultural and sociological functions and reveals the tug-of-war over the significance of the new line that is often hidden by commonplace stories of progress.

This talk will trace contrasting meanings assigned to high-speed rail in order to find the ways in which it prompted a reimagination of identity on the levels of individual, metropolis, and nation in a changing Japan.

Register here: Meeting Registration – Zoom

Dr. Jessamyn R. Abel is College of the Liberal Arts Endowed Fellow, Associate Professor in the Asian Studies Department, and Affiliated Faculty of the School of International Affairs at Pennsylvania State University. She is a historian of modern Japan with interests in democratization, technology, infrastructure, sports, and international relations. Her current research focuses on postwar Japan to examine the role of large institutions in promoting democratic practices and attitudes.

This event will be recorded and archived on YCAPS’ YouTube channel (Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies – YouTube)

For more information, visit: Dream Super Express, Know Japan – YCAPS (series webpage)

This event is supported through the Salary Assistance Grant for U.S.-Japan Community Grassroots Exchange Program.