P44 Antique Japanese Pharmaceutical Advertising Poster – Fujisawa Camphor Insect Repellent (藤澤樟脳), Shoki the Demon Queller, Pre-War Japan, c. 1930

Rare and striking Japanese pre-war advertising poster promoting Fujisawa Camphor Insect Repellent (藤澤樟脳), produced around 1930, during the early Shōwa period.

This powerful design features Shoki (鍾馗), the legendary demon-quelling guardian figure from East Asian folklore, shown glaring fiercely as a demon flees in terror. In Japanese visual culture, Shoki is a symbol of protection against disease, evil spirits, and misfortune, making him a perfect metaphor for a medicinal and insect-repellent product.

The composition is based on the famous “Round Window Shoki” motif associated with the painter Shibata Zeshin, and this version is attributed to Fujisawa’s in-house advertising art, produced as part of the company’s early branding efforts. The bold red background is not decorative: red was traditionally believed to repel disease and was considered a color feared by the smallpox god, reinforcing the poster’s protective symbolism.

According to company history, Fujisawa Pharmaceutical’s founder adopted Shoki as the company symbol after encountering a statue of Shoki in Osaka, believing it perfectly represented the product’s power to prevent illness and repel harm. This poster vividly translates that idea into a dramatic and memorable image, equating insects and disease with demons to be exterminated.

Printed by Yamano Printing Office, Osaka, this is a genuine pre-war commercial wall poster, created for shop display and public advertising.

An outstanding example of early Japanese pharmaceutical advertising, combining folklore, superstition, humor, and bold graphic design into a visually powerful and culturally rich composition.

Details:

• Product: Fujisawa Camphor (藤澤樟脳) insect repellent / medicinal camphor

• Subject: Shoki the Demon Queller, protection from disease and insects

• Company: Fujisawa (later Fujisawa Pharmaceutical, today part of Astellas)

• Period: Pre-war Japan, early Shōwa period, circa 1930

• Technique: Lithographic advertising poster

• Printer: Yamano Printing Office, Osaka

• Country: Japan

• Size: Approximately 76 × 36 cm

• Condition: Original vintage poster with visible age-related wear, creases, and small marks consistent with use and age