A few steps from the Bir Hakeim Bridge, enter the captivating world of Tokyo, capital of the Land of the Rising Sun since 1868 which is changing. The exhibition Tokyo, birth of a modern cityat the Maison de la culture du Japon, immerses you until Saturday February 1 in the beating heart of the city in the 1920s and 1930s, a time when the winds of change were blowing on town planning, culture and society .
Take the subway in Shibuya, go to a cabaret in Ginza, stroll through the Tsukiji market and explore the Japanese capital of a hundred years ago through a hundred exceptional prints on loan from the Tokyo Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum. These works illustrate the transformation breathtaking view of Tokyo at the dawn of its modernization, from industrialization to opening up to the world, without forgetting the repercussions of the great Kantô earthquake of 1923. The old quiet streets give way to a new Tokyo, urban and Western, with cabarets and the latest metro. An exhibition which reveals the fascinating duality of this city fantasized by the West.
On September 1, 1923, Tokyo was hit by the Great Kanto Earthquake, a cataclysm that took more than 100,000 lives and reduced 40% of the city to ashes. If the earthquake itself is incredibly violent, it is above all the fires and extreme conditions which aggravate the disaster, highlighting the vulnerability of a city built mainly of wood. However, from this tragedy emerges a desire for reconstruction and renewal. Tokyo, consumed by destruction, is slowly being reborn, as evidenced by the prints of the period, where resilience and hope are outlined in the ruins.
During the Taishô era, after the earthquake, Tokyo underwent a radical transformation. If the modernization of the city had begun during the Meiji era, it was truly from 1923 that the Japanese capital underwent a profound metamorphosis. Wooden architecture gives way to concrete, steel and glass structures, symbols of a modernity now inscribed in the urban landscape. Grand boulevards, railway networks and public parks reshaped Tokyo, which then became a model of a modern metropolis. From 1932, the city went beyond its former borders to form “Greater Tokyo”, a gigantic agglomeration, which ranks among the largest cities in the world.
The works presented here capture the essence of a changing era, marked by the subtle integration of modernity within ancient traditions. Through the shin hanga or “new prints” movement, artists like Kawase Hasui and Yoshida Hiroshi depicted a Tokyo where urban progress blended harmoniously with soothing landscapes and nature. These creations are part of a traditional collaborative process, involving the artist, the sculptor, the printer and the publisher, and offer a poetic vision of the capital in full expansion. The contrast between the modernity of the city and the preservation of its soul is reflected in the scenes where concrete and nature, artificial light and tranquility coexist.
On the other hand, the sôsaku hanga or “creative prints” movement, embodied by artists like Fujimori Shizuo and Koizumi Kishio, presents a more critical and radical vision of Tokyo’s transformations. In this approach, the artist is responsible for each step of the process, offering a more direct and personal interpretation of social and industrial upheaval. These prints expose a raw Tokyo, dominated by industrialization and construction, where social tensions and ruptures with old traditions are palpable. The works reveal a city in constant evolution, confronted with the violence and chaos of modernization, where technological advances sometimes seem to encroach on harmony and order.
-After 1923, Tokyo experienced a profound transformation, marked by the emergence of a new consumer culture, reflecting the rapid industrialization of the country. Neighborhoods like Ginza, Asakusa and Shinjuku become bustling hubs, with shops, cafes and entertainment venues. It was also the time of the mobo and moga, young Japanese adopting Western fashion, who frequented these spaces and embodied the opening of Tokyo to a cosmopolitan and modern society. Prints from the period capture this dynamic youth, contrasting with the traditional values of Japanese society.
This metamorphosis extends beyond the physical, becoming a symbol of Japanese industrial power. Under the leadership of figures like Gotō Shinpei, the city was reorganized to become more modern and resilient, with infrastructure adapted to earthquakes. Concrete and steel replace wood, and modern bridges, factories and buildings flourish, establishing Tokyo as a world capital. Prints by Fujimori and Koizumi document this revival, offering impressive panoramas of the city in full reconstruction.
At the beginning of the 20th century, although obvious signs of modernization were evident, the tradition still remained deeply rooted in Japanese society. Kon Wajiro, considered the father of “modernology”, a discipline dedicated to the study of social and cultural changes in a Japan shaken by upheavals, emphasizes that despite the changes, traditional elements persist. For example, the majority of women continue to wear the kimono, a timeless symbol of Japanese identity. This observance of traditions, at first glance, can give the impression of cultural stagnation, but upon closer attention, we notice that elements of modernity begin to infiltrate.
Indeed, although the traditional bases remained solid in the 1920s and 1930s, subtle developments mark the adaptation of Japanese culture to globalization. The patterns of the kimonos, the hairstyles and even the aesthetic choices testify to the growing influence of Western soft power, a consequence of the country’s opening to the world. This phenomenon becomes more and more evident over time, particularly after the Second World War, when Western and particularly American culture exerted increasing pressure on Japan.
