HOME> Permanent Exhibitions > History of AD in Japan >2. Cultural enlightenment period and the modernization of advertising Hero, high quality tobacco / Murai Brothers / Circa 1897 When the Meiji period started in 1868, new mass media, such as newspapers and magazines, emerged and helped launch modern advertising practices. Through the introduction of printing technology from the west, newspapers could now be printed in large volumes at low cost, and thus became a central medium for advertising, capable of effectively distributing large volume of information. This encouraged the expansion of advertising agency businesses that mediated and coordinated newspaper advertisements. Also during this period, new lithographic printing technology was introduced, popularizing colorful posters and flyers, known as ebira. Picture of the steamship / by Kuniteru / Komei Shosha / Circa 1865-1872 / Nishiki-e (triptych) Nakajimaza (Kabuki company) performance in New Year’s season (included an advertisement of Kimuraya Bakery) / by Kunimasa / 1944 / Nishiki-e (triptych) Decorative advertisement of the Edo period Cultural enlightenment period and the modernization of advertising Advancement of consumer society and modernism in advertising Rapid progress and regression in advertising industry Post-war resurgence and the introduction of broadcast advertising Economic growths and the technical advancement in advertising New developments in advertising