“Tobacco Design” Rediscovered as Art

“Tobacco Design” Rediscovered as Art

With the renewed appreciation of Showa-era culture, product designs from the time—home appliances, daily necessities, food packaging, and more—have gained widespread popularity. Among these examples of “Showa design,” tobacco packaging stands out as a true design legacy. Created by first-rate designers who left an enduring mark on design history—such as Hisui Sugiura, Raymond Loewy, Ikko Tanaka, and Makoto Wada—these small packages embody the spirit of their era.

With the cooperation of the Tobacco and Salt Museum, this book carefully selects tobacco packages from the Showa period that are especially highly regarded for their design. It unravels the design history hidden within these palm-sized works of art. Featured are early Showa commemorative designs such as Golden Bat, Cherry, and Hikari; special-edition Peace cigarettes released during the period of rapid economic growth to mark royal weddings, the Olympic Games, the World Expo, and the opening of the Shinkansen; as well as the sightseeing tobacco packages that took the 1980s by storm. Many rare, limited-edition designs beyond standard products are also included.

In addition, the book introduces a wide range of tobacco-related designs—such as advertising posters—that reflect the spirit of their times. It reveals how the Showa era was truly an “age of tobacco.” In today’s non-smoking era, this is a volume we hope even non-smokers will explore: a catalog of little-known masterpieces of product design. Special attention has been paid to printing that recreates colors as close as possible to those at the time of original release.

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