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Kabuki-Cho is one of the biggest nightlife and neon lights district with a large number of Muryo-Annai Jyo. Signboards can be both symbols of the city and language. This means that signboards create the atmosphere of city and tell us cultural messages.
Architecture had become a means of conveying messages, that people are concerned with the messages communicated by buildings, as opposed to the buildings themselves; architecture to him is both language and symbols (Hang Kwok, 2019).
This project will deeply analyze the signboards of Muryo-Annai Jyo by using semiotics and other theories in order to understand the uniquness of signboards in Kabuki-Cho, how signboards create culture and atmosphere of kabuki-Cho.
Background Information
What is Muryo-Annai Jyo?
Muryo-Annai Jyo means “free information center” in Japan. There are many night entertainments or services in Kabuki-Cho such as bars (Izakaya), host clubs, hostess clubs, pink salon, soapland, and others. Muryo-Annai Jyo introduces customers the best service and bar for free by hearing their requests. Thus, Muryo-Annai Jyo is like a place gathering Kabuki-Cho’s every night entertainment.
Why Free?
Each Muryo-Annai Jyo has specific partner stores. When Muryo-Annai Jyo suggests a certain store and service for customers depending on their needs, they can receive a referral fee from the store. This is why customers can use Muryo-Annai Jyo for free.
Why People Go To Muryo-Annai Jyo?
First, people do not need to find stores and services by themselves if they use Muryo-Annai Jyo. The websites about business in Kabuki-Cho do not have detailed information such as locations, workers, and prices. Thus, if people just tell staffs their requests, they will choose and arrange for a store. Also, if people do not use Muryo-Annai Jyo, they may get involved in troubles like rip-off by catches and illegal Muryo-Annai Jyo. Most Muryo-Annai Jyo are legal and safe since they are approved by the government of Tokyo.
The Difference Between legal and Illegal Muryo-Annai Jyo
It is really hard for distinguish between legal and illegal Muryo-Annai Jyo only by their appearnces. However, if you are asked to pay money for staff who suggest a store to you, the Muryo-Annai Jyo must be an illegal. Also, if the store asks you to pay extra referral fee, the store is an illegal as well.
This website from one of Muryo-Annai Jyo in Kabuki-Cho also well explain what is Muryo-Annai Jyo is and the difference between legal and illegal Muryo-Annai JYo.
Map
In Kabuki-Cho, there are about 25 or more Muryo-Annai Jyo. They are located in the main streets of Kabuki-Cho such as the central road, Hanamichi-dori street, and Kabukicho Sakura-dori street.
Methodology
The field research was conducted for about a month (from June 10th to July 18th), once in a week, in Kabuki-Cho, Tokyo, Japan. During field work, our group carefully observed signboards by mainly focusing on their languages, images, and colors since all these elements are considered as signs. Then, this project semiotically analyze detailed data about Muryo-Annai Jyo’s signboards to understand how they create unique culture of Kabuki-Cho and what is the distinctiveness of signboards in Kabuki-Cho. The analysis of Muro-Annai Jyo’s signboards starts with the introduction of contents on signboards, and then shows detailed analysis of language, images, and colors on signboards.
Pages
Introductory Page
Conclusion
By semiotically analyze language, images, and colors on Muryo-Annai Jyo’s signboards, we understood what Muryo-Annai Jyo is through both textual and visual signs. Also, each sign on signboards creates different types of concepts of Muryo-Annai Jyo. Moreover, as signboards of Muryo-Annai Jyo use neon lights, the use of neon lighting constructs the flashy cityscape of Kabuki-Cho. Also, incidents and crimes regarding illegal activities are overflowing in Kaabuki-Cho. We cannot judge the difference between legal and illegal Muryo-Annai Jyo since they say “we are safe.” and use cute and creative images to show friendliness and comfortableness. However, they effectively use languages, images, and colors to be seen as proper and to make illegal aspects invisible. Therefore, the signboards in Kabuki-Cho play an important role not only to provide information, but also to build cultural meanings of Kabuki-Cho and Japanese social and cultural behavior.
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Muryo-Annai Jyo (Kanon Iwata)