Kotaro SHIBATA

1) Sound culture of Japanese cinema

My research investigates the sound culture of 20th-century cinema. Film music is generally an elusive subject; it is often so subtle that viewers frequently cannot recall specific sounds even immediately after a screening. Nevertheless, film sound and music have long exerted a profound influence on human perceptions of music and acoustics. In today’s world, where music is frequently consumed via video streaming platforms, film sound serves as a vital historical reference point for understanding the intersection of visual and auditory cultures. Driven by these interests, I examine Japanese film sound from the late 19th to the mid-20th century, situating Japanese case studies within the context of global cultural circulation and regional practices.

2) Film Distribution and Exhibition Networks

In recent years, I have expanded my research scope beyond sound culture to encompass the material histories of Japanese cinema distribution and exhibition. By examining movie theaters and exhibitors in diverse locales—ranging from regional Japanese cities to overseas immigrant communities—I investigate the formation and evolution of the infrastructures that sustained film culture