Continuing along with my 2023 Japan trip kawaii exhibition round-up…next up is my adventure out to the ILF Douga Museum of Art (イルフ童画館) in Okaya, Nagano, aka the Takeo Takei memorial museum! Set in the Takeo’s hometown, this delightful little…
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.
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.