The development of Nihonmachi in Indonesia through culture, politics, and industry in Cikarang, Bekasi

Abstract

This research is a continuation of research on Nihonmachi in Indonesia that is previously done in Blok M, Jakarta. It is done by looking at the economic relation between Japan and Indonesia and the effect of Japanese pop culture through a multidisciplinary method to explain how Nihonmachi in Indonesia is formed. The method used for gathering data is by ethnographic method, using interviews from multiple sources to gain several perspectives around the Japanese community formed in Cikarang that also hosts Sakura Matsuri annually. The results show that the Japanese living in Cikarang tends to be a more closed community because of the more segregated space in Cikarang. The Japanese can choose where they live and form a group exclusive to themselves, effectively forming a gated community. It can be concluded that the Japanese community in Cikarang develops a distinct identity that differs from the Japanese community in Blok M.