ABSTRACT
Japonisme1 has always been thought of as a movement that involved the artistic classes, who were captivated by the strange art and art objects which poured out of Japan after the Meiji Restoration of 1868. But, for the purpose of this study, Japonisme was a mild obsession with Japan that involved much of the British population. As has been amply demonstrated (see Chapters 2, 3 and 4) the Japanese government policy of encouraging the export of cheap ceramics, bamboo and lacquer ware had been only too successful. Everyone joined in. Japonisme became a prominent feature of popular culture at the opera, the comic opera and indeed the music hall. As far as the British were concerned Japonisme was inclusive.
