Painters of Saikan Houkoku in Military Postcards

This exhibition at the Memorial Museum for Soldiers, Detainees in Siberia, and Postwar Repatriates, otherwise known as Heiwakinen, looks back on the traumatic aftermath of World War II through postcards sent by Japanese soldiers from the battlfield. There are over 400 postcards to pore over from the museum's private collection, with some depicting young women dressed in kimono while others include nationalist imagery of Japanese soldiers fighting in war zones.

The postcards reflect a bitter time in history that the world is still recovering from, but provide a distinct perspective on what life looked like for Japanese soldiers during some of the nation's darkest days. Some of which were even painted on the battlefield by military painters. Some of the cards are beautiful while others evoke deeply troubling emotions, but each of the pieces have something to teach us about the cost of war and the value of peace.