Japan | 1937

Japan, 1937 by Munetsugu Satomi

This striking 1937 poster by Munetsugu Satomi was commissioned by the Japanese Government Railways to promote domestic and international rail tourism. The design captures the exhilarating speed of a modern locomotive as it streaks through a serene countryside, framed by vivid green rice fields, rolling hills, and a distant body of water. A cherry blossom tree and a small Japanese flag evoke the national identity, while the dramatic perspective of converging train tracks symbolises progress and connectivity. The bold, angular typography underscores the dynamic composition, emphasising Japan’s technological advancements during the 1930s.

Munetsugu Satomi was a prominent Japanese graphic artist who contributed significantly to pre-war advertising and poster art, blending modernist aesthetics with traditional Japanese motifs. This period marked an ambitious effort by Japan to modernise and showcase its infrastructure, particularly through the railways, which were integral to national development and tourism. Created during the interwar years, the poster reflects both optimism for technological progress and the tensions of a nation asserting itself on the global stage.