Cultural history of 1920s-1930s Japan?

August 4, 2008 8:59 PM

Help me find a book on Japanese life and culture in the early part of the 20th century?

I'm in the process of writing/researching a novel; it's fantasy, but I'm using Japan of the 1920s and 1930s as a rough background for flavor and texture, and I would really like to find some books on the period, especially ones that either

a ) Focus more on culture, daily life, aesthetics, social change, than on politics and foreign affairs;
b) Are extensively illustrated; I'm looking in particular for advertising, architecture, and clothing.

Off-the-wall suggestions (for fiction, or movies, or what have you) are welcome; and if there's a book in Japanese that you'd recommend, I do read Japanese and have access to a Japanese bookstore.

posted by Jeanne to education (10 comments total)

Perhaps Kawabata's Scarlet Gang of Asakusa?
posted by Rash at 9:40 PM on August 4

It's fiction, but Naomi (Chijin no ai, 痴人の愛) by Tanizaki is a significant novel of the late-Taisho/early-Showa period, depicting the struggle between traditional and foreign-influenced, modern Japan in allegory. At the very least you might find it useful background for your research, especially concerning the mobo and moga。
posted by armage at 11:02 PM on August 4

Not 100% relevant, but might give you some insight into music...
Blue Nippon
posted by j1950 at 11:30 PM on August 4

Japanese section of the digital library at the University of Oregon. A comprehensive dictionary of Japanese architecture.
posted by tellurian at 12:18 AM on August 5

The Unknown Craftsman by Soetsu Yanagi may be useful, though it's not targeted solely at the period you're studying.
posted by jon1270 at 4:02 AM on August 5

If I recall correctly, Memories of Silk and Straw: A Self-Portrait of Small-Town Japan might cover some of the 20's-30's. Gleaned from interviews, the text covers many aspects of daily life.
posted by Dick Paris at 4:41 AM on August 5

You might already know this, but Yasujiro Ozu , probably better known for his works produced in the '50s and early '60s, actually produced many films during the '20s and '30s as well (he was born in 1903). These films are mostly lost and therefore impossible to see, but since there are many books about Ozu, you might find some information in those. Ozu depicted the normal lives of the people in his time, so although fictitious, his works would probably be a good record of what it was like back in those days.

Filmmaker Kenji Mizoguchi also made films in the 1930s, and he's known for the realism in his works, too. Mikio Naruse is another famous filmmaker who might be of interest to you. Also, Teinosuke Kinugasa is another filmmaker from those times known for his avant garde film A Page of Madness. Here's an article about Japanese silent films that might be of interest.


armage mentioned Tanizaki above, and other authors who could shed some light on the atmosphere of the times might be Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Takiji Kobayashi, and Nobel Prize winner Yasunari Kawabata. A less literary but still one of the most read authors in Japan is mystery writer Rampo Edogawa, who published the bulk of his best works during the '20s and '30s, and although his works are (obviously) fiction and have a distinctively dark style, I think they reflect the social and political atmosphere of the times. Bonus, they're fun to read!

In a similar vein, there is an extremely popular contemporary mystery writer, Natsuhiko Kyogoku, who sets the bulk of his works right smack in the time period you're looking for. Granted, his works are far from realistic and might not help you at all, but the upside is that two (bad) films have been made of his works (Ubume no Natsu and Moryo no Hako), which might at least serve as visual aids if you can get a hold of them. His novels are very entertaining, by the way, though VERY long.
posted by misozaki at 6:28 AM on August 5

You've probably already searched through the archives, but here's an excellent post about Ozu, and another about Mizoguchi, previously on MetaFilter! Photos and more photos!
posted by misozaki at 6:55 AM on August 5

You might also check out the Columbia Guide to Modern Japanese History.
posted by mattbucher at 8:42 AM on August 5

You asked for off-the-wall, so Sakura Taisen should be useful to you, given your own similar direction, though I assume you already are familiar with this.
posted by yort at 9:24 AM on August 5