The Nation in Modern JapaneseAdvertising and Posters

There is a strong tendency to equatethe term “nationalism” with militarismand jingoistic patriotism (e.g., smallinsert). Nationalism can indeed, fuelmilitary passions, but it is much morecommonly at work at a more subtlelevel. In its simplest and most basic

meaning, nationalism is simply aconsciousness of membership in a

nation or national community,“Japan” in this case. In these slideswe examine some of the nationalisticimages in Japanese advertising andpublic posters. Be on the lookout for

two things: ancient symbols (orancient-looking symbols) and

symbols of modernity as it wascelebrated circa 1920 or 1930. A

basic formula by which manyJapanese defined their national

community was: [cultural traditions ofAsia] + [modernity] = Japanese

culture. We will see severalexamples of these two componentsof the formula in the pages ahead.

Main graphic:

Yamato Muslin

ad from the

Meiji era

featuring an

image of

Amaterasu, the

solar deity

whom the

imperial house

claimed as its

ancestor.

Although

during the

Tokugawa

period

Amaterasu was

often depicted

as male, from

the Meiji period

onward, she

was depicted

as female--the

mother of the

nation.

Two Meiji-Period Ads for “Courageand Loyalty Cigarettes”

These ads fit thestereotypical

image ofnationalism as

militarism. It wascommon in thelate nineteenth

century to regardsmoking tobaccoas a virile, strong,manly activity, a

perfect fit forsoldiers. In

addition to theglorious portrayal

of Japan’ssoldiers, notice

symbols in the adat left such as therising sun and the

bird of prey(sometimes lookslike an eagle, a

falcon, or ahawk)—stock

symbols of Japan.

Note: by the end of the 19th century,“loyalty” had emerged as a major self-defining characteristic of Japanese. Ofcourse, all societies tend to value thisquality, but Japanese rhetoric often

claimed it as the special province of thecitizens of Japan--along with “filial piety.”

More Cigarette Ads: Depictionsof Japan and China

At left is a poster for three brands ofMeiji-era Japanese cigarettes; at right

is a TaishÇ-era Japanese ad for“Chinese Cigarettes.”

The smokingdragon at left

clutches a NewYear’s greeting

from the good folksat Tengu

Cigarettes, whichmakes the three

brands shown topleft. Notice the birdof prey, the sprig ofpine, and Mt. Fuji,

all stock symbols ofJapan during theMeiji period and

later. The dragonwas a less commonsymbol. Notice thatthe overall effect of

the waves andsmoking dragon isto portray robustvigor--Japan asmanly (thanks tosmoking in part).

By contrast, notice the depiction of China asfeminine (including the flowers and bamboo).By TaishÇ times (post Sino-Japanese War),

such a mode of depiction was common.Compare w/ the 1920s image of a Japanese

woman, bottom right.

Images of the nation as oldand Ancient—as if it hasalways been there . . .

At left is a poster advertising a ritual celebratingthe establishment of the deity of the Imbe Shrine,including a map of how to get there by train. Atright is a festival of dyed fabrics, featuring womenin Heian-era attire and makeup. Notice that theseancient aspects of Japan are marked asfeminine; modern aspects tended to be markedas masculine.

Notice thecircular

backgroundof the

image atthe right.

What doesit suggest?

The nation imagined as simultaneouslyancient and modern . . .

At right is a1927 poster

celebrating theopening of asubway line

between Uenoand Asakusa in

Tokyo: “theonly subway in

the Orient”according to

the white text. Itis a classicportrayal ofJapan as

modern, and itis precisely thischaracteristic

that manyJapanese of

the timeimagined

distinguishedtheir nation

from those ofthe rest of Asia.

This allegeddifference also

served as ajustification for

militaryconquest andcolonization.

The poster at left announces a 1928memorial service in Kyoto for thedeceased TaishÇ Emperor. It is

remarkable in its mixing of ancient andmodern imagery. The raven in the sunand the medicine-pounding hare in the

moon are as ancient as it gets (fromChina), and they share the space with

aircraft and high-rise buildings.

Progress, Improvement, Advance—Thenation marches onward to a glorious future

The poster at right announces an exhibition of thelifestyles of the “kokumin” (citizens) of FukuiPrefecture. It is from the TaishÇ period, whennationalistic rhetoric celebrated the farmer as

foundation of the nation—even as the economicsituation of small farmers declined precipitously.

The smoke-belching factory often paid better.At left is a

poster from1936, just

before full-scalewar with China

broke out. Itannounces anexhibition of“GlitteringJapan.”

Obviously theemphasis in this

poster is onmodernity:

gears,machinery,

planes, largeships—symbolsof an advancedindustrial age.

A tension between hailing farmers as thefoundation of the nation and the extremepoverty of many of these farmers was a

significant charcteristic of Japanese politicsin the 1920s and 1930s.

Progress, Advance, and Ancient Symbols

The poster from Nippon Marine Insurance at left isfrom 1921, and the “Great Exhibition of Japanese

Progress” poster at right is from 1936.

Both posters rely on birds juxtaposed against emblems ofmodernity, huge ships and aircraft. The elaborate rooster is

indeed a part of traditional Japanese culture. Differentregions of the country specialized in different varieties of

chickens, such as the Shamo of Satsuma. The large drumconjures up an image of local quasi-religious festivals.

Colonies:Korea and Manchuria

Japan annexed Korea in 1910 (occupied it in 1905). Manchuria was a de facto colony of Japan from 1931.

The poster at leftis from 1930. It is

all in Japaneseand announces

discounts forsightseeing travel

to what inJapanese would

be calledKingÇsan, a placein which Japanesecould examine theexotic traditionalculture of Korea

on their ownterms. One

sponsor is theRailroad Office of

the GovernorGeneral of Korea.

Here, thecolonized Korea ismarked as a place

of “tradition” butnot modernity.The

feminineemphasis is alsoforegrounded. Images of the

colonies served asfoils against which

Japanese coulddefine their

national identity.

By contrast, Manchuria was a placecharacterized by heavy industry, and

Japan’s government encouraged its citizensto settle there in the 1930s. You could get agreat job there, like this happy-looking man

working in the Fushan Coal Mine.