Ska & Reggae in Japan: A New Book Shines a Light on an Overlooked Scene
A brand-new book is set to explore one of the most fascinating and often overlooked chapters in global ska and reggae history, the rise of the scene in Japan.
Written by long-time Japanese pop culture writer Julien Sévéon, Ska & Reggae In Japan is the result of years of deep research, passion, and hands-on DIY graft. Sévéon has been documenting Japanese music and culture for over 30 years, and this book brings together that experience in what promises to be a definitive visual and historical record.
The book charts the full journey of ska and reggae in Japan, from the first sparks of ska in the 1960s, through reggae’s rise in the late ’70s, the ska explosion of the 1980s, and right up to modern underground and major-label movements. It also explores how both genres became voices of resistance and cultural identity in regions such as Okinawa and Hokkaido.
Physically, the book is a thing of beauty: 292 pages, full colour, LP-sized (30 x 30cm), packed with hundreds of rare photos, flyers and posters. It’s a bilingual French/English edition, making it accessible to an international audience.
Highlights include 10 in-depth interviews with key figures who shaped the scene, including Pecker, Asa-Chang (Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra), Shizuo Ishii (Riddim magazine / Overheat), and keyboard maestro Emerson Kitamura. There’s also a carefully curated 50-record essential discography, a dedicated section on Japanese represses of Jamaican ’60s recordings, and an extensive 45-page discography listing ska and reggae releases from the late 1970s to today.
Due to rising printing costs, the book is currently being funded via a crowdfunding campaign, allowing this labour of love to reach print without compromise.
For anyone with an interest in global ska culture, record collecting, or the way Jamaican music took root and evolved far beyond its birthplace, this looks like an essential release.
You can find full details and support the project —via the crowdfunder here:
https://www.ulule.com/ska-reggae-in-japan/
