A nostalgic yet incisive exhibition that revisits a vivid chapter of Japan’s advertising and urban history, ‘Enamel Signs of the Showa Era’ is on at Ad Museum Tokyo until Boxing Day. Once a familiar sight on street corners across the country, these signs promoted everyday products from medicines and food to home appliances while shaping the visual identity of modern Japan. More than simple advertisements, they became symbols of their time and inseparable elements of the national landscape.
The show draws on a remarkable private collection assembled over three decades by the late advertising director Masakatsu Ito (1972–2019), who began collecting enamel signs at the age of 19. Tracing their origins in the early 1900s and showcasing their widespread presence in Showa-era cities, the show highlights the bold colours, durable materials and memorable characters that captivated postwar consumers. Through these designs, visitors can sense the rhythms of daily life during Japan’s recovery and rapid economic growth.
Playful retro mascots, evolving graphic styles and shifting marketing strategies reveal how advertising mirrored, and helped shape, changing social values. Balancing nostalgia with fresh perspectives, the exhibition offers a multi-generational experience that invites viewers to rediscover the charm and cultural significance of these enduring icons, all while situating them within the broader narrative of Japanese advertising history as presented in the museum’s permanent exhibition.