Shōwa nostalgia - Misplaced Pages

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Shōwa nostalgia (Japanese: 昭和ノスタルジア) includes nostalgia for certain aspects of the postwar Shōwa era. Shōwa retro (Japanese: 昭和レトロ) is retro related to the Shōwa era. The Shōwa Retro Boom (Japanese: 昭和レトロブーム) includes increased popularity and sales of Shōwa retro goods and services. (The expression also loosely includes increased popularity of some things from the early part of the Heisei era). The beginnings of periods of increased nostalgia have been dated to 1974, 1986, 2005, 2012 and 2017.

Overview

As of 2017, three quarters of the Japanese population were born in the Shōwa era. By 2004, the expression "furuki yoki Shōwa" was in use.

Neo Shōwa (Japanese: ネオ昭和) is a fusion of the culture of Shōwa and Reiwa eras.

Film and television

Manifestations of Shōwa nostalgia include television programmes about the Shōwa era, such as Takeda Tetsuya no Shōwa wa kagayaiteita, broadcast from 2013 onwards.

It has been said that the film Always: Sunset on Third Street (2005) caused a period of increased Shōwa nostalgia. From Up on Poppy Hill (2011) is nostalgic about 1963 Japan. The director said that he was nostalgic about late 1950s to early 1960s Japan.

Television programmes made in the Showa era, that do not care about compliance (Japanese: コンプライアンス), are popular with young people. Extremely Inappropriate! (2024) satirizes excessive compliance in Reiwa era television by contrasting it with Shōwa era television. As of 2023, Takeshi's Castle (1986 to 1990) is popular with young people.

Music

It has been said that the city pop boom began with nostalgic crate digging by Japanese DJs at the end of the 20th century. It has been said that the city pop boom was the beginning of a period of increased interest in Shōwa retro. Older people are nostalgic about the songs Mayonaka no Door (1979) and Plastic Love (1984). It has been said that the interest of young people in Shōwa retro came to public attention around 2017 when, amongst other things, a dance that uses the song Dancing Hero (Eat You Up) (1985) became popular. As of 2024, there is nostalgia for Meiko Nakahara and Saki Kubota as artists in the new music genre in the 1980s. It has been said there is a "Shōwa Kayo Boom" (Japanese: 昭和歌謡ブーム) and that Shōwa era kayōkyoku songs have become popular among young people. Episodes of The Best Ten have been rebroadcast in Japan and the Shōwa era music of Akina Nakamori and Seiko Matsuda, and others, has become popular in South Korea. The 2023 music video for ClariS' cover version of Samishii Nettaigyo is a homage to Wink. As of 2023, Gakuen Tengoku (1974) was popular on TikTok.

Manga

It has been said that the publication of Sunset on Third Street in 1974 caused a period of increased nostalgia.

Video games

Shōwa retro includes hand held versions of arcade games such as Pac-Man (1980) and Galaga (1981).

Fashion

Shōwa retro includes the revival of Shōwa era fashions such as the taiyozoku clothing style. There are Shōwa retro sneakers, and there are shops for clothing produced in the Shōwa era.

Food and drink

Manifestations of Shōwa retro include the revival of kissatens and tableware with floral patterns, and the consumption of dagashi and ice cream soda (kuriimu sōda). McDonald's Japan produced the "Kissa Mac" range of food in 2023.

Shopping

There are Shōwa retro shōtengai (shopping streets). The Sagamihara Vending Machine Park consists of retro vending machines from the Shōwa era.

Analogue technology

Manifestations of Shōwa retro include the revival of disposable cameras, such as the Fujicolor Utsurundesu (1986), and cassette tapes.

Cars

The Mitsuoka M55 is a Shōwa retro car from Mitsuoka. There are collectors of Shōwa era cars.

Second hand goods

As of 2023, the value of some second hand Shōwa retro goods produced in the Shōwa era had doubled. Showa era retro goods have become popular as Christmas gifts.