In the 1920s and 1930s, Japan embraced new forms of graphic design as waves of social change swept across the nation. This collection of 50 posters, magazine covers and advertisements offer a glimpse at some of the prevailing tendencies in a society transformed by the growth of modern industry and technology, the popularity of Western art and culture, and the emergence of leftist political thought.



"Buy Domestic!" poster, 1930 [+]



Cover of "Nippon" magazine issue #1, Oct 1934 [+]



"Fuji Weekly" cover, Oct 1930 [+]



Poster for Japan's first national census, 1920 [+] // "Health for body and country" poster, c. 1930 [+]



Grand Nagoya Festival poster by Kenkichi Sugimoto, 1933 [+]



Kyoto Grand Exposition to Commemorate the Showa Imperial Coronation, 1928 [+]



Poster design by Shujiro Shimomura, 1928 [+]



"NAPF" (Nippona Artista Proleta Federacio) magazine cover, Feb 1931 [+]



"NAPF" (Nippona Artista Proleta Federacio) magazine covers: Sep 1931 // Oct 1931



"May 1" movie poster by Hiromu Hara, 1928-1929 [+]



"Senki" magazine covers: Oct 1929 // Nov 1929



"Senki" magazine covers: May 1930 // Jan 1930



Cover of "Nippon" magazine issue #7, June 1936 [+]



Magazine ad for "Seishun Zukai" movie, 1931 [+]



"Affiches" magazine issue #2, Aug 1927 [+] // "Affiches" magazine issue #3, Sep 1927 [+]



"The Advertising World" magazine cover, Sep 1933 [+]



Book covers: "Modern Commercial Art," 1928 [+] // "Kite" (Tako - 凧) by Takehisa Yumeji, 1926 [+]



Poster for 1940 Grand International Exposition of Japan (canceled due to war), 1938 [+]



Poster for the 1940 Olympic Games in Tokyo (canceled due to WWII), 1936 (by Hiromu Hara) [+]



"The Advertising World" magazine cover, June 1926 [+]



"Reijin" sheet music cover, 1930 [+]



"Songs of Miss Nippon" sheet music cover, 1930 [+] // "Modern Tokyo" sheet music cover, 1929 [+]



Cover of "Nippon" magazine issue #2, Jan 1935 [+]



Poster for Shimadzu mannequin exhibition, 1935 [+]



Designs by Kurazo Murota: Poster, 1928 // Catalog cover, 1927



Poster for Tokyo Construction Fair, 1935 [+]



Cover of "Affiches" magazine issue #1, 1927 [+]



Magazine ads for movies: "Omohide Ooki Onna", 1931 // "Wakaki Hi no Kangeki," 1931



Magazine ads for movies: "Chuya Gyojoki," 1931 // "Shukujo Club," 1931



"Young Miss" (Ojo-san) movie poster, 1930 [+]



"Fuji Weekly" cover, Aug 1930 [+]



Poster for "Volga" and "College Life," 1930 [+] // Poster for "Kriemhild’s Revenge," 1925 [+]



Nikke business clothing poster ad by Gihachiro Okayama, 1931 [+]



Nikke sports coat poster ad by Gihachiro Okayama, 1931 [+]



Nikke socks and knitwear poster ad by Gihachiro Okayama, 1932 [+]



Nikke socks and knitwear poster ad by Gihachiro Okayama, 1936 [+]



Nikke coat poster ad by Gihachiro Okayama, 1937 [+]



Nikke summer clothing poster ad by Gihachiro Okayama, 1937 [+]



Nikke socks and knitwear poster ad by Gihachiro Okayama, 1937 [+]

More:

- Japanese industrial expo posters (1920s-1940s)

- Japanese proletarian posters (1930s)

[Source: "Modernism on Paper: Japanese Graphic Design of the 1920s-30s", (published 2003)]