Representation of Japanese Culture through Costumes in Konkimono Written by Pongsakorn

Abstract

This was a research article aimed at analyzing the representation of Japanese culture through the costume appeared in novel named Konkimono written by Pongsakorn. The purposive sampling was used to find the novel presented Japanese costume and culture then analyzed by Representation of Stuart Hall and Sign of Roland Barthes concepts.

            The result found that Pongsakorn construced the meaning of Japanese culture through kimono which was a representation by using narrative techniques to connect the relation of class system that was decentralized by kimono design. Furthermore, the meaning of Japanese culture was construct by color of kimono classified by color, gender, and personal identity. The signs found for 3 were Cranes, Chrysanthemums, and Butterfly. The cranes meant healthy, long life, protected by holy things, and being powerful. The Chrysanthemums meant long life, and the butterfly meant beauty and the stable true love.Pongsakorn passed on Japanese culture by using the history of weaving as a construction of kimono to have an influence on Japanese society especially Miyakawa family as shown in a sorting of silk, weaving techniques, designs, and colors as an identity. This was an inheritance of Japanese identity that was different from other countries. In addition, there was a traditional marriage focusing the inheritance of Japanese culture with kimono until now. Kimono was a valuable costume, and it was a sign of Japan.