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Southern Spectacles: Taiwan’s Exoticism in the Eyes of Japanese People

Southern Spectacles Taiwan’s Exoticism in the Eyes of Japanese People

During the time of Japanese rule, everyday scenes in Taiwan, such as riverbank laundry, duck-raising families, water buffaloes tilling fields, and even bedroom decorations, which were ordinary and natural in Taiwanese people’s daily life, presented cultural spectacles to the ruling Japanese. As a result, these intriguing sights and spectacles from Taiwan were portrayed through an exotic lens and gained immense popularity. Through the eyes of the other, the sceneries, customs, and everyday lifestyle of colonial Taiwan were depicted vividly using ample pictures and words, promoting Taiwan as a place worth visiting and “cannot be missed” from a commenting and guiding perspective.