• Bebio

  2010.02.11 ::: 21:02 #

  this is really impressive!!

  And the character for "gaku" is written in it's older version, and looks quite beautiful in most of the posters. The use of Kanji seems much more intensive in these old posters.

  A lot of them remind me of similar propaganda art enacted by the North Korean, Chinese and Soviet countries, but they are still quite interesting.

  Thanks for such an amazing website!

  [Reply]

  • Reader

    2010.05.12 ::: 03:54 #

    These look nothing like Chinese, Soviet Bloc, and North Korean posters. Totally different style, iconography, and content.

    [Reply]

• Dee

  2010.02.12 ::: 02:27 #

  Wow are these reproduced for sale anywhere?

  [Reply]

  • Rozarin

    2010.02.15 ::: 11:42 #

    That's what I was wondering, totally want Yokohama Exposition -- Yokohama, 1935 on my wall

    [Reply]

• humantrick

  2010.02.12 ::: 04:23 #

  This is very interesting. I personally liked the one about
  "Greater East Asia Construction Exposition - Osaka, 1939". On this poster, you can see what were the ambitions of Imperial Japan, Great East Asia.

  [Reply]

• Shii

  2010.02.12 ::: 04:42 #

  The Imperial influence is strongest in the last poster: you can see the flags of Japan's puppet states there! It's interesting to watch the fascism creep into the posters over time. I don't think we would go for Mt. Fuji drenched in the red of war today. The Taisho period was nice, though...

  [Reply]

• Shii

  2010.02.12 ::: 04:50 #

  In case people can't read it, the subtitle above "National Defense Science Exposition" reads 紀元二千六百年記念行事, meaning that it was being held in honor of the 2600th anniversary of the foundation of Japan by Jimmu. Such a bold and inspiring declaration of national history... of course, the next year would be Pearl Harbor.

  [Reply]

• Zenu

  2010.02.12 ::: 07:06 #

  Sea and Air Exhibition. Absolutely best. A mix of Henri Rousseau & Soviet propaganda. National Products Exhibition is also very good. Thanks!

  [Reply]

• Dan

  2010.02.12 ::: 07:54 #

  oh how come its full of kanji(chinese caharactors)??? + the fact that they are reading reversingly????? o.O" wagani.......

  [Reply]

• wlark

  2010.02.12 ::: 08:03 #

  It is not surprising for the military influence to crept in. After all they were overtaking all the industries at the time.

  [Reply]

• WanGanSenso

  2010.02.12 ::: 08:23 #

  Are these available for purchase? So beautiful! Please inform...

  [Reply]

• Matt

  2010.02.12 ::: 11:52 #

  Old Japanese graphic design & urban legends... this blog is just heaven!

  [Reply]

• David

  2010.02.12 ::: 11:57 #

  Very interesting. There's a distinct lack of Katakana in these, compared to the posters you see nowadays.

  [Reply]

• tyler

  2010.02.12 ::: 13:46 #

  liking the right-to-left orientation.

  [Reply]

• Katie

  2010.02.12 ::: 16:35 #

  Never seen anything like these from Japan before! Most of the propoganda posters in history texts etc. are pretty straightforward and stark. These have that unnervingly hypnotic quality that you saw in German and Soviet art at the same time.

  Such beautiful imagery and passion, but so tragic considering what was on the horizon. Strange how these posters have such pathos now.

  [Reply]

• otakugirl

  2010.02.13 ::: 19:43 #

  Agree with Zenu: Sea and Air Exhibition is the best. Reminds me of Miyazaki Hayao fantasies. The rest just follows Western fashion.

  [Reply]

• FERIC JAGGAR

  2010.02.16 ::: 03:24 #

  Glory to our great JAPANISTHAN !

  [Reply]

• bigd7387

  2010.02.18 ::: 01:32 #

  Wow. It's really interesting to look at the pictures and see how the nation changed from peaceful to war driven through the different years.

  [Reply]

• Japanesestreets

  2010.02.20 ::: 13:58 #

  Thanks so much for listing these. I collect them and there are a few on this list that were new to me. COOL! I also have quite a few that are not listed here. I guess I have to speed up listing them! Scanning takes so much time...

  [Reply]

  • Raymasaki

    2010.02.23 ::: 12:55 #

    where do you get them & do you have/seen any from the 70's 80's?

    [Reply]

• Raymasaki

  2010.02.23 ::: 12:54 #

  these are nice, But i prefer to see some
  posters from the 70's & 80's

  [Reply]

• Vjeko

  2010.02.24 ::: 04:31 #

  Really cool Posters. Art Deco style for my eyes.

  [Reply]

• japanese posters

  2010.03.11 ::: 04:05 #

  Really nice posters !!

  [Reply]

• shabby sharon

  2010.04.28 ::: 11:27 #

  That is so interesting. I've only seen the American posters from that era. It's fascinating how similar they look in style. I had no idea.

  [Reply]

• Bob Dole

  2010.06.20 ::: 13:27 #

  Nice deer nuts!

  [Reply]

• Mark

  2010.06.29 ::: 23:01 #

  Go back and look, almost every single poster is phallic in nature

  [Reply]

• Guan Pucha

  2012.12.12 ::: 14:15 #

  Fascist

  [Reply]

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