Metamorphosis in motion: Olympic ceremonies as sites of relational creativity in Japan

A research article co-authored by CTR Researcher, Dr. Mohamed Elbarbary, has been published in the journal “Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus”.

 

 

 

Title

Metamorphosis in motion: Olympic ceremonies as sites of relational creativity in Japan

 

Authors

Mariko Ikeda, Institute of Art and Design, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

Christian Morgner, Management School, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

Mohamed Nour El-Barbary, Center for Tourism Research, Wakayama University, Wakayama, Japan

 

Source

Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus

Volume 23, 2025

https://doi.org/10.1017/apj.2025.6

* Indexed in Scopus

Journal details: https://www.scopus.com/sourceid/21101090675

 

Abstract

Examining Olympic opening and closing ceremonies from the perspective of relational creativity, this article analyzes the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics’ opening ceremony and the 2016 Rio Games’ Japanese closing ceremony—both experimented with transitory meanings exploring alternative representations of Japan. We consider them as cases of relational creativity; the Nagano opening ceremony explored the fusion of local religious traditions and Western influences, while the Rio closing ceremony experimented with meanings of urban cosmopolitanism, consumerism, as well as cultural and social inclusivity.

 

Keywords

Olympics, Opening ceremony, Relational creativity, Japan, Meaning-making