About
Leaving behind the bustle of Tokyo and stepping into a corner of the skyscraper district of Shiodome, you will find a timeless story quietly breathing there. On the second basement floor of Caretta Shiodome is the Advertising Museum Tokyo. This is Japan’s only museum dedicated to advertising, where the history of advertising from the Edo period to the present day is exhibited alongside a collection of approximately 330,000 items. (visit-minato-city.tokyo)
As you take your first step into the museum, what immediately catches your eye are the vividly colored hikifuda and nishiki-e prints. In the era when the culture of Edo townspeople flourished, merchants captivated people’s hearts with uniquely creative advertisements. Each piece vividly depicts the lifestyles and customs of the time, giving you the illusion of standing on a street corner in Edo, transcending time and space.
Proceeding further, you are led to an area lined with posters from the Meiji and Taisho periods. During this era, as waves of Western culture surged in and Japan began its path toward modernization, advertising too sought new forms of expression. The posters, adorned with brilliant colors and bold designs, convey the passion and hope of the people of that time.
In the Showa section, there are viewing booths where nostalgic TV commercials are played. The melodies and catchphrases that once filled family living rooms come back to life, and you may find yourself humming along. It is a moment that makes you once again feel the power of advertising to remain in people’s hearts across generations.
Moving on to the modern exhibits, you will find a world of increasingly diverse advertising, including interactive ads utilizing digital technology and campaigns that sharply address social issues. In today’s information-saturated world, you can catch a glimpse of the ongoing challenge of how to move people’s hearts.
The Advertising Museum Tokyo is more than just a display of advertisements; it serves as a mirror reflecting the social backgrounds, cultures, and lifestyles of each era. By visiting here, you can experience the journey of advertising from the past to the present and into the future, encountering new discoveries and inspiration along the way.
Why not take a break from the city’s hustle and quietly travel back in time at this place, listening to the stories woven by advertising?