showa.boo
The Showa Era: 1926 - 1989
The era begins under Emperor Hirohito. Jazz kissaten spread through Tokyo. Art Deco arrives in Japanese architecture. The modan garu (modern girl) and modan boi (modern boy) define a new urban culture before war reshapes everything.
From ashes, a new culture emerges. Kurosawa's films define world cinema. Godzilla roars across screens. The kasutori culture of the immediate postwar gives way to rapid economic growth. Tokyo transforms at dizzying speed.
The economic miracle in full bloom. Expo '70 in Osaka. Bullet trains and Sony Walkmans. Manga culture explodes. The Showa era reaches its peak of creative energy and consumer optimism.
The final chapter of Showa. Tokyo becomes the world's most expensive city. Neon lights blaze. The bubble economy inflates impossible dreams. On January 7, 1989, the Showa era ends, and a new age begins.