📖 Shōwa Era

The Shōwa era in Japan lasted from December 25, 1926, to January 7, 1989, spanning sixty-two years. "Shōwa" is the era name used during the reign of Emperor Shōwa and is the longest-used era name in Japan. The long Shōwa era was a time filled with turmoil, during which Japan's politics, culture, lifestyles, and values underwent dramatic changes due to many significant events that shook the nation, such as World War II, the Shōwa Depression, and various national policies implemented under the control of the Allied Occupation Forces, GHQ. Because Japanese society experienced numerous monumental transformations from the beginning to the end of the Shōwa era, it can be divided into early, middle, and late periods. Below, we will revisit that tumultuous and thrilling time by introducing the different trends, social cultures, and values of each period.

"Shōwa" is the longest-used era name in Japanese history, lasting for sixty-two years. It was initiated to escape from economic crises through aggressive wars, but ultimately, Japan was defeated by the United States. Subsequently, Japan accepted the full authority of the Allied Occupation Forces Headquarters (GHQ). The reconstruction of the Japanese economy under GHQ rule became the nation's struggle goal. In the latter half of the Shōwa period, Japan's average annual economic growth rate reached around 10%, known as Japan's "high economic growth period." With the continuous development of the economy, people's lives and culture underwent tremendous changes.