Gallery Five is organized around three themes and spans the period between the late 19th century, when Japan's modernization began in earnest, and the 1920s. It turns its gaze to the "civilization and enlightenment" movement that captured the imagination of the general public and the Meiji government, and on the silk and iron industries that were the engines of economic growth, under slogans such as Shokusan Kogyo (Promoting Industry and Enterprise) and Fukoku Kyohei (Wealthy Nation, Strong Military). It also addresses the Japanese development of Hokkaido and its impact on the indigenous Ainu. The gallery also includes a video exhibit highlighting the terror of the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, a treatment of consumer culture from the perspective of women, and a silent film in the mini-theatre.
- Contents
- Civilization and EnlightenmentIndustrialization and Development of HokkaidoA New Urban Lifestyle
Civilization and Enlightenment
The reform movement for "civilization and enlightenment" which called for adoption of Western civilization was the government's ambitious attempt to transform Japan into a modern society. One unexpected outcome of this movement was that it awakened in commoners a desire to obtain freedom and rights for themselves.
![]() |
![]() |
|
|
|
Industrialization and Development of Hokkaido
The Meiji government adopted a number of modernization policies. This display introduces the development of government policies for transportation maintenance, silk production and international trade, the beginning of steel manufacturing, the development of Hokkaido, and the suffering this development caused the Ainu people.
![]() |
||
|
A New Urban Lifestyle
Urbanization and commercial activity increased after the Meiji government's promotion of rapid modernization. During the 1920s, the population of Tokyo reached over 3 million. The Great Kanto Earthquake which flattened Tokyo and its suburbs in 1923 exposed long neglected needs in the areas of population, housing and transportation administration. At this corner, one can learn about the problems created by the Great Earthquake, as well as the consumerism and popular entertainment generated by the new capitalist economy.
![]() |
![]() |
|
|
|
|
![]() |
||
|