Case Studies

A few memorable stories.

More than a quarter of a century has passed since the Showa no Kodomotachi (Children of the Showa Era) Exhibition first began touring Japan. Taking the people of the Showa 30s (1955–1964)—their lives and their hearts, as seen through a child's eyes—as the starting point of who we are today, we have traveled with the dolls across Japan and seen what each place is like today.

In Japan, an archipelago so prone to disasters, we Japanese work hard to build our lives. We believe the mission of Showa no Kodomotachi is to stand firmly and gently beside those who endure life's harshest trials and still cherish all things.

Perhaps because these feelings strike a chord, local governments have approached us directly, and the dolls have been put to use in many different settings. Here we share a few memorable examples.

This text originally appeared on our former official website (translated from the original Japanese).

Four Case Studies

Framed photo panels displayed in rows on the floor of a hall — Photo panel exhibition at Yushu Kaikan, Ono

A diorama with a large tree and dolls spread across a vacant store used as a venue — Doll exhibition held in a vacant store (2010)

Ono, Fukui

Showa no Kodomotachi: Rediscovering Richness of the Heart Project

As part of the Rediscovering Richness of the Heart Project run by the city of Ono, Fukui, a Showa no Kodomotachi doll exhibition, a Showa no Kodomotachi photo panel exhibition and a lecture by Ishii Michiko were held, with the aim of supporting youth and community education.

2007: In June, the city of Ono launched the Rediscovering Richness of the Heart Project featuring Showa no Kodomotachi. An exhibition of 52 original photo panels, specially produced at the city's request, was held at Yushu Kaikan and then toured welfare and educational facilities around the city.
2008: Lecture by Ishii Michiko, “Treasures of Memory (Kioku no Takaramono),” organized by the Ono City Board of Education (auditorium of Manabi no Sato “Meirin”). Photo panels and dolls were also on display.
2010: A doll exhibition held in a vacant supermarket, also intended to help revitalize the shopping street. Displayed together with gilded shop signboards that tell the history of the castle town of Ono and with antiques from the collection of the local history museum, it traced the town's past.

Dioramas and dolls set out in an elementary school gymnasium — The exhibition in the gymnasium

Minamiuonuma, Niigata

Commemorating the Closure of the Former Nishi-Isozawa Elementary School

A Showa no Kodomotachi doll exhibition held to mark the closure of the former Nishi-Isozawa Elementary School in Minamiuonuma, Niigata. Many visitors came to see it in the school gymnasium.

Dates: April 29 – May 22, 2011
Venue: The gymnasium of an elementary school closed due to population decline

Hachioji, Tokyo

Preview Exhibition Marking the Establishment of Showa Day, at the LDP Headquarters

Showa Day was established as a new national holiday under the amended Public Holiday Law, which took effect on January 1, 2007. We were invited to the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Headquarters to hold a small event. A Showa no Kodomotachi doll exhibition was also held at Sogo, organized by the city of Hachioji—where Emperor Showa is laid to rest—and supported by the Cabinet Office.

2006: A small Showa no Kodomotachi exhibition at the LDP Headquarters, as a pre-event for the establishment of Showa Day
2007: March: Showa no Kodomotachi Exhibition (Sogo Hachioji), an event commemorating the establishment of Showa Day, organized by the city of Hachioji and supported by the Cabinet Office

A diorama of a row of houses and cherry trees, with dolls, filling a museum gallery — Main exhibition hall

A full-scale set re-creating a candy shop of the Showa 30s — Full-scale set of the Showa 30s

Co-sponsored event of the “Tokyo 2000 Festival”

Showa no Kodomotachi Exhibition at the Edo-Tokyo Museum

In 2000, a Showa no Kodomotachi doll exhibition was held at the Edo-Tokyo Museum. The 1,250 m² venue re-created the world of the Showa era with full-scale sets from the Showa 30s and Showa no Kodomotachi bronze sculptures, and drew a large number of visitors.

Dates: December 1999 – 2000 (from the exhibition records)
Attendance: 79,800 visitors (final count)

Exhibitions

Showa Expo: Exhibition Proposal

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