Showa (Page 2)
Whether you like trains or really old buildings, you’ll want to check out this limited-time attraction in Tokyo.
Visit this tucked-away cafe in a popular sightseeing area to experience the atmosphere of a place where time has stood still.
The family of a Baptist missionary stationed in Japan in the 1930s sent DVDs of the Reverend’s home movies of the era to the Hiroshima town of Onomichi.
While dollhouses have been popular in Europe for centuries, they didn’t really develop a strong showing in Japan until the 1970s. However, since they’ve gained a foothold in Japanese society, they’ve gained popularity and a number of domestic craftsmen have appeared. One of the hottest dollhouse makers in Japan (a phrase we never thought we’d write) has gotten a lot of attention online due to the high quality of the miniatures–particularly the dollhouses based on Japanese buildings!
The Showa period (1926-1989) was a time of immense change for Japan when the country went from being an imperial power to a poverty-stricken post-war nation and then becoming an economic powerhouse that dominated automotive and electronic industries around the world. Twenty-seven years since that era ended and the current Heisei era began, fond memories of “Showa Japan” still flood many Japanese minds.
But a recent online poll asked netizens to take off their rose-tinted glasses and consider the aspects of daily Showa-period life that, while seeming completely normal back then, would be unthinkable now. Join us after the jump for a look at the slightly grim feedback.
In the 22nd year of the Meiji era (aka 1889), the very first Japanese kyūshoku (school lunch) was served up at an elementary school in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture. Although the first menu was very simply prepared, it provided the growing children with an important source of nourishment that not all of them could receive at home.
Fast-forward to 2015–Japanese schoolchildren (and their teachers!) continue to eat school lunches every day, as opposed to children in many other countries who bring their lunches from home. If you’re working in a Japanese school, you should already be familiar with the daily feeling of either excitement or disappointment when you see the lunch menu for the day. But just consider this–would you rather eat the types of lunches served today, or those that were served 100 years ago? Read on to learn about the evolution of Japanese school lunches and decide for yourself!
It goes without saying that corporal punishment is unforgivable. At least that’s the mode of thinking these days (and boy are we glad for it), but it wasn’t always the case. In the Showa Period (1926 to 1989), it was incredibly common in elementary, middle, and high schools. In fact, it was so common that it seemed almost inconceivable for a school not to have corporal punishment.
Still, we wondered what it was really like, so the prestigious RocketNews24 Japan team took a survey to find out what sorts of punishments were common in the Showa Period. Read More










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Animate Akihabara releases a lucky bag for the first time in years, and it’s amazing
Draw like a Studio Ghibli anime artist with exclusive watercolour set approved by Hayao Miyazaki
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We try an unusual buffet of dishes made from wild game at a roadside stop in Chiba
Majority of Japanese women in survey regret marrying their husband, but that’s only half the story
The etiquette rules for visiting Shinto shrines in Japan
Japan’s kid-friendly ski program is now selling Pikachu snowboards for a limited time only
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
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Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
Totoro cream puffs and Catbus cookies are finally available in downtown Tokyo
Princess Mononoke magnets return just in time to treat yourself to awesome anime decorations
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7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
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Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
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We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
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No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
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Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
WARNING! The Civic hatchback can’t drive through Evangelion AT fields, Honda’s lawyers say【Vids】
We try an unusual buffet of dishes made from wild game at a roadside stop in Chiba
Majority of Japanese women in survey regret marrying their husband, but that’s only half the story
The etiquette rules for visiting Shinto shrines in Japan
Japan’s kid-friendly ski program is now selling Pikachu snowboards for a limited time only
Fewer ramen restaurants declare bankruptcy in Japan for first time in several years
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