The Tale of Japanese Stereo [Episode 1]: Introduction — The Convergence of 19th-Century Visual Technology and the Concept of Zombie Media

Stereoscopic photography, a 19th-century visual technology, did not become popularized in Japan but was instead explored by enthusiasts with a unique DIY culture. Using the logo of the Stereo Club Tokyo and the convergence with the concept of "zombie media" in media archaeology as a starting point, this series unravels the unique history of stereoscopic photography in Japan.

The 2023 ISU World Congress and Reconsidering the History of Japanese Stereo

In the autumn of 2023, the International Stereoscopic Union (ISU) World Congress was held in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan [1]. In preparation for this event, I began creating a chronology of Japanese stereo history for the official website. Initially, the goal was to organize in chronological order how imported Western visual technology was received in Japan. However, in the process of investigating past literature and records left by enthusiasts of the time, it became clear that the history of Japanese stereo was not a linear history of progress that simply imitated the West. It was a process of unique technological reception in Japan that developed at a different rhythm from the waves of global trends.

Convergence with Zombie Media in Media Archaeology

In considering the history of Japanese stereo, there is an interesting convergence between practice and theory. The Stereo Club Tokyo, a group of Japanese stereoscopic photography enthusiasts, has used a zombie character in its logo since 2012 [2]. This expresses how stereo technology, once considered a relic of the past, is revived in the modern era by the hands of enthusiasts. Coincidentally, in the same year, the concept of "zombie media" was proposed by Jussi Parikka and others in the field of media archaeology [3]. This theorizes the phenomenon where discarded old media equipment is revived by being given new uses. This convergence of practice (the logo) and theory (academic concept) in 2012 suggests that the history of Japanese stereo is not merely a history of past technology, but a dynamic process of repeated death and rebirth.

The Absence of Popularization and the Formation of an Active DIY Culture

In the 19th-century West, stereoscopic photography grew into a massive industry. However, in Japan, because mature existing visual cultures such as the magic lantern already existed, the stereoscope, which one would immerse oneself in individually, did not reach popular adoption [4]. While it did not achieve great commercial success, a unique DIY (Do It Yourself) spirit was formed in places outside the mainstream. This was an active approach to technology, such as fixing two cameras together to create a homemade synchronization device, or processing lenses and wood to build viewers. Starting with Hayao Yoshikawa, who worked hard to popularize stereo from the Taisho to the Showa era [5], many enthusiasts who did not stand on the main stage of history explored visual technology with their own hands.

Development of this series: Historical consideration from the end of the Edo period and awareness of bias

From the next chapter onwards, we will go back to the end of the Edo period and examine the history of the reception of stereo technology in Japan in chronological order. We will verify how the stereo camera brought in with the arrival of the Black Ships was perceived by the Japanese people at the time, and what historical developments it followed thereafter. In doing so, we will proceed on the premise that neither historical materials nor AI are ever neutral, and we will interpret information while always being conscious of the social background of the time and the biases of the recorders.

Footnotes

[1] ISU World Congress 2023 (International Stereoscopic Union 2023 World Congress)
An international congress held in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, where stereoscopic photography enthusiasts from all over the world gathered. This was the event that directly triggered the author to compile the history of Japanese stereo as a "chronology."

[2] STEREOCLUB Tokyo (Stereo Club Tokyo)
A club where Japanese stereoscopic photography enthusiasts gather. The "Stereo Zombies" logo, used since 2012, cheerfully expresses the joy of stereoscopic vision that lives on through the ages.

[3] Zombie Media: Circuit Bending Media Archaeology into an Art Method (Zombie Media: Circuit Bending Media Archaeology into an Art Method)
A 2012 paper by Jussi Parikka and others. It theorized the phenomenon where discarded old media is breathed new life by hackers and artists, creating a strange convergence.
[4] The Tale of Japanese Stereo Essay 1 [Media Archaeology Edition]
A discussion article previously written by the author. It touches on the background of why Japan's rich existing visual culture (such as magic lanterns) hindered the spread of the stereoscope.
[5] Shooting and Viewing Stereoscopic Photographs (Hayao Yoshikawa)
A book by Hayao Yoshikawa, who worked hard to popularize stereo in Japan during the Taisho and Showa eras. The DIY spirit of such "solitary eccentrics" full of passion drove Japan's strange and rich stereo history.