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| The permanent exhibitions offer an easy-to-understand introduction to the relationship between historical background and advertisements, under the theme "Advertising - Mirror of Society”. Special attention has been paid to the Edo period, during which a rather sophisticated and refined culture had flourished, despite the fact that it was in a closed and feudalistic society. In the mid-to-late Edo period especially, these popular cultures were closely connected to the invigoration of commercial activities. In fact, many creative and innovative advertising and sales promotional activities, similar to a present ones, appeared and enriched people’s lives. In this arena, we would like to showcase advertising and promotional activities in this period which we refer to as “the prehistoric period” of Japanese advertising |
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| Sakabayashi, also known as “sugi-dama” (ceder ball), was a ball made by clipping cedar leaves, that was hung under the eaves of sake breweries. It is said that a new Sakabayashi was hung to let customers know of the arrival of newly brewed sake every year. It is also said that customers could tell the maturity of a merchant’s sake by observing the color of a ball which would change from green to brown.
The origin of Sakabayashi which we should consider as the origin of the signboard, has been recorded back to the Muromachi peiod, or 15th century. Even in recent years, newly made Sakabashashi balls has been seen hanging in the front of some breweries. The one displayed here is also crafted in recent years.
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| Sakabayashi |
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| In the old days, Kabuki was one of the most popular entertainments for common people, and Kabuki actors were as popular as today's movie stars and TV celebrities. Often the name of a product or store was incorporated in Yakusha-e (pictures of actors similar to today's bromide, or promotional photos) alongside the actor's picture. Kabuki plays themselves provided a stage for advertising when the name of a product would be called out during a play, or an actor would give a sales pitch between acts. |
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Nishiki-e:
Edoka 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 toothpaste after thanking the audience for patronizing their performance. This Nishiki-e (multicolored woodblock print) suggests delivering commercial messages between acts was common practice in these days. |
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| Nishiki-e (multicolored woodblock print) was sold at affordable prices and soon spread to common people in the Edo period as a form of popular arts. Issued by Hanmoto (today's publisher), Nishiki-e often featured scenic locations, beautiful women and Kabuki actors, and were very popular among common people. Recognizing their effectiveness as an advertising media due to mass production, some Hanmoto even chose to include store fronts and products in Nishiki-e. This clearly suggests that Nishiki-e was, in fact, an effective advertising media in that era. |
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Nishiki-e:
Surugacho Echigoya (Beautiful Women at the Store front) by Kunisada
The Echigoya (a Kimono store and the origin of current Mitsukoshi Department Store) had the main store in Nihombashi Surugacho (today's Nihombashi Muromachi) and 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, crowded with customers visiting the store to celebrate the New Year. Along with them, you can observe decorative signboards and New Year’s decorations in the front of the store. It is most likely that copies of this print were handed out to customers as New Year gift. |
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| Because of the high literacy rate among common people in the Edo period, the publishing culture flourished, especially in the later part of the era. Among the most popular work were Kusazoushi (picture books), especially the so-called yellow-covered books written for adults by popular Gesakusha (authors). Gesakusha, such as Shikitei Samba and Santo Kyoden, not only wrote yellow-covered books, but operated stores carrying medicines, cosmetics and smoking equipments. These Gesakusha used their literary talents to developed unique and innovative promotional activities. |
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Shikitei Samba's Store appeared in Kusazoushi titled "Nyobo Katagi Otsuna Enishi"
This picture from Shikitei Samba’s book shows the store front of the drugstore that he operated with his son, Kosamba. The shop curtain shows the owner's name, while signboards indicate the names of products. Samba's "logo mark" is also visible, to the left of the eaves. |
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| Nishiki-e and Kusazoushi, popular advertising media at that time, often carried not only store names but also names of merchandise. For example, Senjoko, a popular face powder, was well-known due to its frequent appearance in subtle and discrete ways, such as being written inconspicuously into archways leading to shrines, or at traveler check-in gates. This subtle name placement proved an effective sales promotion technique. “Senjoko” was named after Senjo, the poetic name of Segawa Kikunojo, a popular Kabuki actor who specialized in playing female role. |
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Nishiki-e:
Seki from 53 Stations of Tokaido
A selection from the Hiroshige’s woodblock print series, “Tokaido 53 tsugi” (53 stations on Tokaido), which made the artist famous. This one shows a scene in which a troop of Daimyo (Feudal lord) is departing hurriedly from an inn , situated at the foot of a highway connecting Kameyama and Suzuka Pass in Seki station. Daimyo’s name would usually have been written on the inn’s entrance sign, but in this print, the face power’s brand name appears instead. |
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