Author: Yokohama Temperance Association.
Title: [Kinshu Karenda]. 1929.
Description: Yokohama Kinshukai 1928. 38x17cm publisher's colour illustrated wrapper with (crooked) metal strip along the top; 12 leaves printed on one side, each with a color illustration and advertisement. ¶ This is the reason why someone with even my momentary attention span can remain fascinated with Japan in the late 19th and early 20th century. There is always something I never imagined might exist. Here we have the 1929 Temperance Calendar from the Yokohama Temperance Association. If there are any for other years or from other local associations I haven't find them yet.The temperance movement arrived in Japan with American Christians, of course, and blossomed despite some anti-Christian schisms early in the 20th century. They never achieved prohibition but did get the still current under age law passed in 1922, setting the legal drinking age at 20.One of the leaders of the early temperance movement was Ando Taro, former Consul General in Hawaii. He, on his own account, had been a heavy drinker from his early teens until his wife put an end to his drinking in Honolulu. Seems to me that despite being on the wrong side in the Boshin War and a year in prison, becoming Consul General in Honolulu before the age of 40 shows that the boozing was, at least, not so harmful, maybe beneficial.

Keywords: social science reform progress c20th Japan prohibition temperance alcohol propaganda calendar advertising