Shogakukan Shueisha Productions Inc. (ShoPro) Autumn Special Exhibition “A Literary Master Blooms Between Wars: Tanizaki’s War and Peace”

[Shogakukan Shueisha Productions Inc. (ShoPro)] Autumn Special Exhibition “A Literary Master Blooms Between Wars: Tanizaki’s War and Peace” ​
Shogakukan Shueisha Productions Inc. (ShoPro) Press Release: September 8, 2025 Autumn Special Exhibition “A Literary Master Blooms Between Wars: Tanizaki’s War and Peace” The Ashiya Tanizaki Junichiro Memorial Museum, operated by Shogakukan Shueisha Productions Inc. as a designated manager, will hold a special autumn exhibition, “A Literary Master Blooms Between Wars: Tanizaki’s War and Peace,” starting on Saturday, September 13th.
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Junichiro Tanizaki (1886-1965) was born in Tokyo, amid the bustle and glamour of the Rokumeikan. Facing the threat of colonization, the Meiji government, spurred by its “Datsu-A, Nyu-O” (Leave Asia, Enter Europe) policy, sought to build an equal and independent relationship with the great powers. This path to independence for “Imperial Japan” involved dominating neighboring Asian countries with military force. Around the time Tanizaki, in his mid-twenties, made his literary debut with “Shisei” (1910), Japan’s imperial contours were finally becoming clear. Associated with the Western powers, Japan would eventually enter and emerge victorious in World War I (1914-18), the first global war in human history. With Europe as the primary battlefield, Japan suffered minimal losses and enjoyed great economic benefits. This economic boom also fueled the advancement of modernization. Urban mass society emerged, and a new residential area known as the “suburbs” emerged, fostering new lifestyles and cultures. The postwar era of peace celebrated Taisho democracy and its culture. Meanwhile, the expansion of imperial rule broadened Japanese society’s horizons and diversified its worldview, but it also eventually created
international friction. It was against this backdrop that Tanizaki began his career as a writer. “The Makioka Sisters,” depicting the peaceful, prosperous, and beautiful daily lives of new middle-class people living in the suburbs, became Tanizaki’s masterpiece. This masterpiece captures the transformations in Japan and the world since World War I in the everyday life of a family, elevating them to universal values. The story begins in the fall of 1936, the year before the outbreak of war between Japan and China, and concludes in the spring of 1941. That winter, Japan entered World War II, a global conflict that ended with Japan’s catastrophic defeat. However, the living world of “The Makioka Sisters” survived the torrent of war, and even held the power to lead a new era. Between war and peace, the literary giant Tanizaki Junichiro accepted the state of Japan and the world in great turmoil, and blossomed. We will interpret the rich world of his works.
◆Related events Curators Discuss the Special Exhibition “Tanizaki’s War and Peace” Date and Time: Sunday, October 26th, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Location: Lecture Room at the Museum Lecturer: Katsuhiro Inoue (Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art) Capacity: 20 people (Reservation required) *Admission fee is the only fee.
[Dates] Saturday, September 13, 2025 – Sunday, December 7, 2025, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (last entry at 4:30 PM) [Closed] Mondays (or the following weekday if Monday is a national holiday) [Admission Fee] Adults: 600 yen (480 yen), University/High School Students: 400 yen (320 yen), Junior High School Students and younger: Free *Prices in parentheses are for groups of 20 or more. * Half price for those 65 years of age or older, or those with a physical disability
certificate, mental health and welfare certificate, or rehabilitation certificate, as well as one caregiver. * Free admission on November 8th (Sat) and 9th (Sun). Venue: Ashiya City Tanizaki Junichiro Memorial Museum Organized by: Ashiya City Tanizaki Junichiro Memorial Museum https://www.tanizakikan.com/history.html#autumn