«Nostalgia 1955-1965»Half a century ago in Japan, popular cars and electrical appliances began to be sold, Tokyo Tower was completed, high-speed roads and Shinkansen were opened, and the Tokyo Olympics was held in 1964.

“Showa” is a Japanese era name corresponding to the years from 1926 (Showa 1) to 1989 (Showa 64). Yufuin Showa-kan is an institution offering an experience of the flavor of the Showa period through its concept of old steetscapes. In particular, it highlights the Showa 30s (1955–1965), which was the height of the economic boom years in Japan, by presenting reproductions of Showa period streetscapes.

Showa was a period of dramatic change in Japan. Diets shifted from traditional Japanese cooking to western style food, and western clothing replaced the kimono and other traditional dress. As industry advanced, so did the mechanization of agricultural villages. Surplus labor started to move to the cities, causing major shifts in the population. As more and more households had access to electricity, women found themselves with less housework to do, thus accelerating their advance into society.

Developments in science brought agricultural chemicals and chemical fertilizers into widespread use. This accelerated increased food yields, solving the problem of insufficient food supplies. Through the invention of synthetic fibers and increases in production, clothing also came into plentiful supply. A new era was born; one characterized by an overabundance of goods rather than a shortage of goods. In particular, the widespread use of motor vehicles had a huge impact on transforming Japanese lifestyles.

However, in our excessive pursuit of convenience, materialism came to take precedence over all else, resulting in the deterioration of the natural environment, a major problem in society.

As a trade-off to the economic growth gained during this period, it could perhaps be argued that Japan abandoned important things such as spirit and nature. Consumption came to be regarded as a virtue, and objects all around us came to be thrown away. Through our efforts in collecting this legacy of the Showa period and putting it on public display in reproductions of Showa buildings, we hope to offer both an opportunity to review the Showa period, and a starting point from which we can consider possibilities for society in the 21st century.

Yufuin Showa-kan presents a smorgasbord of reproductions of Showa period streetscapes that are sure to rouse feelings of nostalgia. The nostalgic cars at the entrance are just one example. Inside, barber shops, camera stores, electronic goods, doctor’s clinics, tiny bars, post offices, schools, public bath houses, cheap candy stores, and domestic interiors, such as the kitchens and lounge rooms of the time, are all waiting to take you on a time slip to the Showa 30s.