Fusanosuke

It has been the practice in many Asian empires to give a special name to time eras. In contrast to China and Korea where the era calendars ceased to exist, in Japan this chronological scheme is still in use. Since 1867 (the ascension of the Meiji Emperor) naming of eras are standardize in such a way that with each new Emperor a new era launches.

My favourite era in Japanese history is Taishou 大正時代 --たいしょうじだい --1912-1926.


From my little knowledge about Japanese history [really minuscule knowledge to my shame] Taishou era seems to be the period full of new liberal thoughts, ideas of modernisation and progressive perspectives. It overlaps with Weimar Republic (1919-1933) in Germany; Great Prosperity of the US economy (after WWI till the Black Tuesday, 1929); Mahatma Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement in India (1918-1924); 2 Russian revolutions of 1917; Lost Generation in literature and ragtime in the night clubs. Must have been very interesting time: still innocent before the massacre of WWII, but already poignant with opium of knowledge and freedom.


I really like the atmospheres of mangas that are set in the Taishou era; the mixture of kimonos and old-fashion cars; beautiful suits with bowlers and canes; boys in breeches with suspenders on iron bicycles; and Vienna-alike cafés with chocolate cakes. I adore the feeling of streets pulsation of those stories set in Taishou.