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Showa Drawings

By Shibuya246 · · 1 min read · 7 photos · 18 comments

Helping to clean the floors at school
Helping to clean the floors at school

Came across these wonderful drawings in a small museum in Yokohama that depicted the Showa era of Japan, a time when people were struggling to create the Japanese economic miracle.

I thought the drawings captured the essence of Japan at that time really well. I hope the author does not mind me sharing these drawings with you. I am trying to locate the book or cards for these so that I can buy a copy. They are really wonderful.

Playing wih the ramune bottles.
Playing wih the ramune bottles trying to get the marble to come out.
The hot kettle (yakan) was always ready for a quick meal.
The hot kettle (yakan) was always ready for a quick meal.
Left alone to look after the house when both parents were out working.
Left alone to look after the house when both parents were out working.
Helping at home while the parents were working.
Helping at home while the parents were working.
When in trouble at school, one had to stand in the corridor with pales of water as punishment.
When in trouble at school, one had to stand in the corridor with pales of water as punishment.
Not so many people or buildings around as now.
Not so many people or buildings around as now.

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18 comments

Comments are closed. These are from readers when the post was first published.

  1. Sara Mari

    These illustrations are indeed very cute, charming and fun to look at. Thanks for sharing them! I hope you can locate the artist's info^^

  2. shibuya246

    I found the website just now, but it has not been updated since 2007 and does not have any info about these drawings. I will keep looking.

  3. HELLOSHEENA

    I used to make lemonade myself.

  4. salvidali

    the drawings reminded me of drawing done at Manzanar War Relocation Center during 1943 - 43 by an internee - they depicted life at the camp school. can't recall the person's name at the moment. a portfolio of his work is in the Eastern California Museum in Independence, California.

  5. salvidali

    oops should have been 1942 - 43 :P

  6. salvidali

    Kango Takamura was the person I was trying to remember - he worked for the RKO studios in Hollywood before 1941 and returned to work for them after 1945. He also created a large mural (a triptych) depicting Genji in combat, the painting is in storage at the Eastern California Museum.

  7. shibuya246

    nice picture of the old radio. has a really warm feel to it.

  8. shibuya246

    The foldup tabe waiting to be put out for dinner

  9. shibuya246

    Thanks. I will look him up on Google and check it out :)

  10. shibuya246

    I like the color on these bags

  11. shibuya246

    I used to make ginger beer at school in England and loved it :)

  12. shibuya246

    If you dropped the water bucket and the teacher saw you the trouble got bigger and bigger ;)

  13. Neksus

    Beer? Was that even legal at that time??

  14. shibuya246

    ok ;). There was no actual alcohol content. It was like a Ginger Ale, but in England we call it Ginger Beer.

  15. Shockerz

    This is a nice find! It really give a glimpse of the history of how Japan come about.

  16. tokyoso

    suppose it's kind of like Root Beer?

  17. なおみ

    love the illustration, love the color, love the characters ... (^.^)

  18. janine

    Thank you for sharing these. I really enjoyed them.