The past year has seen notable triumphs for Japanese culture overseas. Whether it was through the popularity of games like Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, honors at the Oscars or Emmy wins for “Shogun,” it felt like a continuous streak of optimism pervaded the discourse on pop culture.
However, the year also saw the passing of many greats in the arts. Despite the sadness of losing such figures in the world of Japanese culture, their legacies are just as worthy of celebration as any international award.
In February, we lost a luminary of classical music with the death of Seiji Ozawa at 88. The maestro worked with many orchestras in Japan and abroad throughout his decades-spanning career, including with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, where he was the music director from 1973 until 2002 — the longest tenure in that orchestra’s history. Ozawa received numerous accolades, including 14 Grammy nominations and a win for best opera recording. In 2008, Emperor Akihito bestowed the prestigious Order of Culture on him.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.