The word "nisshiki" (Japanese style) can often be seen on storefront signs in Taiwan to indicate chic, high-end products. It's a little similar to what we in Japan associate with luxury items from France, though "nisshiki" is a holdover from the days when Taiwan was under Japanese rule (1895-1945).
Documentary filmmaker Huang Ya-li tells me that Taiwan is currently in the throes of a "Japan nostalgia boom" that recalls the colonial days with a degree of fondness he doesn't quite understand.
"Personally, I don't get this Japan nostalgia thing and I was never that enamored with nisshiki in the first place," Huang says. "Having said that, I'm fascinated by the interaction of the two nations, in particular the years that Taiwan was under Japanese colonial rule. That's what led me to make this documentary."
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