Ako Sugie | Post-War 80th Anniversary Project: Akio Kasuga Collection - The Era of Children: Life and Culture of Showa Before, During, and After the War Exhibition
This exhibition, part of the Post-War 80th Anniversary Project, showcases Akio Kasuga's collection of children's items from pre-war, wartime, and post-war Showa Japan.Summary
Marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, this exhibition uniquely focuses on children, examining the life and culture of the Showa era through the lens of items belonging to children before, during, and after the war, using the Akio Kasuga Collection. The display includes toys, magazines, and stationery, highlighting how the war profoundly impacted children's upbringing. The reviewer notes the striking evolution of sugoroku (a board game), which shifted from depicting model students in the Taisho era to promoting militarism during the early Showa period, illustrating how children's psychology was exploited for wartime propaganda. In contrast, post-war items reflect a shift toward pacifism and the rise of heroes from manga and anime like 'Astro Boy,' underscoring the deep societal changes children experienced.
(Source：artscape)