“Showa 100 Years Culture Edition”: A New Web-Exclusive Series Documenting Japan’s Locally-Grown Cultural Heritage to Launch July 1, 2026

Showa 100 Years Culture Edition Concept Image

22nd Century Art Inc. announces the launch of a new web-exclusive series titled "Showa 100 Years Culture Edition," coinciding with the expanded relaunch of the "Showa 100 Years Web Edition" starting July 2026.

[Official Website]

https://www.showa100.net/

While the original "Showa 100 Years" project has documented stories of individuals, companies, and organizations rooted in local communities, the new "Culture Edition" will spotlight people who have shaped cultural life across Japan—such as those from cafés, izakayas, music scenes, and art communities. Their stories will be published to the official website for public access.

This web-exclusive content differs from the library-donated print editions, offering interviews and narratives that celebrate the diverse, everyday people who have created and sustained Japanese culture.

Documenting the culture of everyday life—beyond corporate history

The "Showa 100 Years Culture Edition" aims to preserve cultural memories that exist alongside daily life—memories that cannot be fully captured by narratives of economic growth or corporate history alone.

Participants include artists and creators deeply involved in music and art, as well as individuals and venues—such as clubs and live houses—that have supported Japan’s cultural and economic development from the Showa era through to the Reiwa era.

These cultural movements reflect the spirit of their times and the unique character of local communities, yet they are often overlooked in official historical records.

Through this series, we will conduct interviews with individuals and organizations that have contributed to Japan’s cultural development and supported local entertainment and creative expression, preserving their personal, firsthand accounts of Japanese culture on the web for future generations.

About the Showa 100 Years Project

The "Showa 100 Years" project is a publishing initiative conceived as a modern-day "Fudoki" (historical gazetteers of ancient Japan). It aims to interview and compile stories from individuals, businesses, and organizations across all 47 prefectures, preserving regional histories, memories, and sentiments for future generations.

In addition to personal stories from local residents, the project includes interviews with long-standing local businesses and organizations, documenting their roles in supporting regional industries, culture, and daily life.

The project captures how people have made choices and what values they have upheld through Japan’s transition from the Showa to Heisei to Reiwa eras. These stories are compiled into books, which are donated to libraries nationwide and also made available for purchase.

Currently, 14 companies and over 400 individual participants from across Japan have been confirmed. The project is compiling 47 volumes—one for each prefecture—with the first batch scheduled for release in August 2026.

With this expanded web relaunch, the project will not only publish book content online but also introduce the new web-exclusive "Culture Edition" series. Through multiple perspectives, it will record and share diverse memories from across Japan, passing on the lived experiences of people who shaped the nation from the Showa era to the present.

[Showa 100 Years Participating Companies]

Hokkaido Edition: Uematsu Electric Co., Ltd.

Aomori Prefecture Edition: Kanesa Co., Ltd.

Miyagi Prefecture Edition: Konno Packaging Co., Ltd.

Fukushima Prefecture Edition: Tokai Kōsan Co., Ltd. (Spa Resort Hawaiians)

Tokyo Edition: Samurai Rock Orchestra Co., Ltd.

Kanagawa Prefecture Edition: Kisekai Co., Ltd.

Aichi Prefecture Edition: Toyota Motor Corporation

Okayama Prefecture Edition: Kanko Seigakufuku Co., Ltd.

Hiroshima Prefecture Edition: Mazda Motor Corporation

Hiroshima Prefecture Edition: Yutakado Co., Ltd.

Mie Prefecture Edition: Oyatsu Company Co., Ltd.

Company Overview

Company Name: 22nd Century Art Inc. Business Activities: E-book and print-on-demand book publishing, English translation publishing, audiobook publishing, book planning and editing, book sales Official Website: https://22art.jp/

Inquiries

22nd Century Art Inc. Public Relations Department Contact: 108-0014 R13, Business Airport Tamachi, 2F, Tamachi Square, 5-26-24 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo

TEL: 03-5941-9774

mail: info_pr@22art.net