Japan Trip 2023 Exhibit Recap: Yayoi-Yumeji Museum in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo!

Wrapping up my Japan 2023 trip museum round up is the Yayoi-Yumeji Museum located in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo. Nestled back in a charming little neighborhood not too far from Ueno Park, this hidden gem features rotating exhibits showcasing various kawaii illustrators from the Taisho, Showa, and Heisei periods. Complementing these exhibits are carefully curated selections from the museum’s extensive permanent collections of works by Yumeji Takehisa and Kasho Takabatake. Really two museums combined into one, the Yayoi Museum and the Yumeji Museum, this is an essential Tokyo destination for any kawaii history fan!

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Japan Trip 2023 Exhibit Recap – Rune Naito at Kobe Fashion Museum!

One of the highlights of my recent Japan trip was visiting the amazing retrospective on Rune Naito at the Kobe Fashion Museum, running from April 8, 2023, through June 25, 2023. This exhibit celebrating 70 years since his debut, offers a comprehensive look at Rune’s extensive career, starting from his magazine illustrations in the 1950s and spanning all the way to his oil paintings from the 2000s. It is truly a must-see for anyone interested in the history of kawaii.

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Kawaii in Japaneses Art History-Part 2: The Edo Period

In part 1 of this series, we explored some examples of a proto-kawaii aesthetic showing up in Japan during the Heian Period (794-1185). Elements of proto-kawaii show up in an even wider variety of Japanese art during the Edo period (1603 – 1868). Rule under the Tokugawa shogunate was arguably repressive, however the relative stability of this period allowed arts and culture to flourish. In contrast to the Heian period in which indulgence in such cultural pursuits was limited to the court, the Edo period saw a growing class of merchants and craftsmen who could afford various niceties. Additionally, advances in woodblock printing techniques made art more affordable to a wider group of people, which increased the variety and range of motifs and styles.

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Kawaii in Japaneses Art History- Part 1: The Heian Period

On this blog, as well as in many kawaii history references, the origins of kawaii is traced back to the early 20th century Japan, starting with Yumeji Takehisa and following the evolution of goods being targeted at school-age girls, aka ‘the shojo.’ Other references pinpoint the start of kawaii culture to the 1970s with the rise of hello kitty and the use of childlike handwriting by teen girls rebelling against the ridged culture of post-WWII Japan. Neither of these opinions is necessarily right or wrong. Artistic styles and trends rarely have clear start and end dates, and kawaii is no exception. While kawaii as a modern concept clearly has its routes in the 20th century, elements of the kawaii aesthetic can be found throughout Japanese history.

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Takei takeo

The wonderful world of Takeo Takei’s magical children’s illustrations

Takeo Takei (武井武雄、TAKEI Takeo, 1894-1983) was one of the most prominent children’s book illustrators in Japan, with a career spanning from the mid Taisho period in the 1920s, till his death in late Showa. He even invented the term ‘Doga’ meaning ‘pictures for children’. Looking at Takei’s work, it’s easy to see why his illustrations have been loved by children and adults alike. His unique and imaginative style shows clear influences of late impressionism, surrealism, and art deco. However, with a focus on art targeted at children, Takei blends those artistic styles with a sense of innocence and play, instantly transporting its viewers into a fantastic new world.

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The Taisho Chic World of Kasho Takabatake

Kasho Takabatake (高畠華宵, TAKABATAKE Kasho) was one of the most popular illustrators for girls, boys, and women’s magazines from the Taisho period through the early pre-war Showa period (1910s-1930s). Along with Yumeji Takehisa, he is considered a leading figure in the Taisho Roman art movement. While Yumeji is best known for his lyrical style with a strong emphasis on emotion, Kasho is credited with creating the chic modern look that defined the style popular in 1920s Tokyo.

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The San-X Files: A Brief History (3/3) – The Rise of Rilakkuma to Kawaii Character Domination

One day in late 2003, a little brown bear named Rilakkuma made his way into the home of a young 20-something office worker, Kaoru. Taking up residence in her tiny apartment, he spends his day doing nothing much other than enjoying pancakes, listing to music, and basically lazing around. Just as Rilakkuma suddenly appeared in Kaoru’s apartment, so did he make his sudden entrance into the kawaii character scene. Not an instant hit, it would take a couple years before the world realized his true powers. Few, least of all San-X, could have predicted the overwhelming popularity of this lazy bear that would soon catapult their stationery company into international kawaii character domination!

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Kaichi Kobayashi - the beautiful melancholy of Taisho Roman

Kaichi Kobayashi – The Beautiful Melancholy of Taisho Romanticism

Kaichi Kobayashi was a Japanese printmaker and designer popular in the 1920s and early 30s. During the late Taisho period through early Showa (1925-1935) he worked as a printmaker designing illustrated postcards and decorative envelopes for Sakurai-ya, a popular publisher in the heart of downtown Kyoto (that only just recently closed in 2012). His use of simple, sharp lines, luscious colors, and dramatic shadows created a moody and melancholic atmosphere that was highly popular with young girls of the time. The combination of western motifs, such as roses, crosses, and playing cards along with Japanese aesthetics, wrapped up in moody lyricism epitomized the Taisho Romanticism style popularized by early kawaii artists such as Yumeji Takehisa.

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