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The permanent exhibitions present
an introduction to the connection between
the times and advertisements under the theme
of "Advertising - Mirror of Society."
A special attention is drawn to Edo period
that cultivated an advanced culture despite
the closed, feudal system, especially in the
mid- to late-Edo period when the mature, popular
culture was closely connected to the advanced
commercial activities. People's daily life
was under the influence of vigorous ideas
that somewhat resembled advertising and sales
promotional activities that prevail today.
Introduced in the museum's permanent exhibit
area are the advertising and promotional activities
from Edo period that may be termed as an era
of "prehistory" in Japanese advertising.
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| Hung under the eaves
of a sake (rice wine) brewery, was also
called sugi-dama (cedar ball) since
it was prepared by layering and clipping
cedar leaves into the spherical shape.
Sakabayashi was used to announce the
annual arrival of the new brew. People
could tell the age of sake by the color
of the ball that changed from green
to brown. Said to date back to the 15th-century
Muromachi period, Sakabayashi may be
the primitive form of signboards. It
is also found in certain breweries today.
The one on display at ADMT is also a
recent craftwork. |
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| Sakabayashi |
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| Kabuki was a typical
style of entertainment and Kabuki actors
were as popular among the people in
the Edo period as today's movie stars.
Yakusha-e (pictures of actors similar
to today's promotional photos) often
featured the name of a product or store
alongside the actor's picture. Kabuki
itself presented a stage for advertising
with the name of the product being called
during the play or an actor giving a
sales pitch between acts. |
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Nishiki-e:
Edoko and Kotoko Toothpastes (ca 1825)
by Nidai Toyokuni
Yakusha-e of popular Kabuki actors from
the Edo period, Ichikawa Danjuro and
Iwai Shijaku, delivering a sales pitch
for toothpastes after thanking the audience
for patronizing their performance. This
Nishiki-e (multicolored woodblock print)
suggests commercial messages between
acts were a quite regular practice in
those days. |
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| Nishiki-e (multicolored woodblock
print), sold at affordable prices, soon spread
to common people in Edo period as a form of
popular arts. Issued by Hanmoto (today's publisher),
Nishiki-e often featured scenic spots, beautiful
women and Kabuki actors. Some Hanmoto even
contained store-facade scenes and product
names, most likely in expectation of promotional
effects of mass-produced prints. This clearly
suggests that Nishiki-e was an effective medium
of advertising. |
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Nishiki-e:
Surugacho Echigoya (Beautiful Women at the
Store) by Kunisada
The store of Echigoya (a Kimono cloth dealer,
today's Mitsukoshi Department Store) in Nihombashi
Surugacho (today's Nihombashi Muromachi) often
appeared in Nishiki-e as one of the popular
spots of Edo (today's Tokyo). Here, three
women are seen in front of the store, celebrating
the New Year's, along with gorgeous signboards
and seasonal decorations. Copies of the picture
were most likely presented to customers at
this time of the year. |
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| Reflecting the high literacy
rates among the common people, publishing
culture flourished in the late-Edo period.
They looked for highly entertaining Kusazoushi
(picture books), especially the so-called
yellow-covered books written by popular Gesakusha
(authors). Among them, Shikitei Samba and
Santo Kyoden, aside from writing, operated
stores carrying drugs, cosmetics and smoking
equipment. They demonstrated unique promotional
activities using their literary talents. |
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Shikitei
Samba's Store from Kusazoushi "Nyobo
Katagi Otsuna Enishi"
This picture by Shikitei Samba shows the scene
of the drugstore that he operated with his
son Kosamba. The shop curtain shows the owner's
name and signboards carrying the names of
merchandise are seen along with Samba's "logo
mark" at the left of the eaves. |
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| Popular media of Nishiki-e
and Kusazoushi often carried names of merchandise
other than the name of the store itself. Senjoko,
the name of a popular face powder, was famous
as it appeared in various opportunities imaginable.
Although it was often written in rather inconspicuous
sides of archways to shrines and travelers
checking stations, it was apparently slipped
for sales promotional purposes. Senjoko was
named after Senjo, the stage name of Segawa
Kikunojo, a popular Kabuki actor playing the
role of a woman. |
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Nishiki-e:
Seki from 53 Stations of Tokaido
One of the pictures illustrating 53 stations
along the Tokaido, a series of prints created
by Hiroshige, shows the hustle and bustle
of Daimyo (feudal lord) departing from the
inn in Seki station along the road stretching
from Kameyama to Suzuka Pass. Names of face
powders are written on the tags at the entrance
where the Daimyo's name should be seen. |
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