ABSTRACT
This chapter looks into the ways that Japanese nationalist broadcaster Channel Sakura created shared meaning for its conservative supporters. This includes how its activists use the stories and slogans of historical figures – such as Yoshida Shōin, Saigō Takamori, and Mishima Yukio – to link their activism to a lineage of Japanese patriots who worked to save their country in times of crisis. The chapter also looks into the use of symbols on television program sets, the practice of gift-giving between fans and media personalities, and the use of livestreamed virtual drinking parties to connect with viewers. There is also a detailed description of marches held at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, based upon the author’s ethnographic fieldwork.
