P14 Antique Japanese Advertising Poster – Hanakatsuo (Dried Bonito Flakes), Okabe, Japan, c. 1930s

Antique Japanese Advertising Poster – Hanakatsuo (Dried Bonito Flakes)
Japan, early Shōwa period (circa 1930s)
Lithographic print

Original Japanese advertising poster from the early Shōwa period promoting Hanakatsuo (花鰹節) — high-quality dried bonito flakes, a fundamental ingredient in traditional Japanese cuisine.

Bonito flakes are made from dried and fermented skipjack tuna and are widely used for preparing dashi stock, seasoning dishes, and as a topping for rice, tofu, and noodles. The term Hanakatsuo (“flower bonito”) refers to the delicate, petal-like shavings produced from the hardened fish block.

The design features an elegant woman in kimono alongside the product packaging, blending traditional beauty imagery with modern commercial graphic design. This combination is characteristic of Japanese advertising art from the late Taishō to early Shōwa period.

The poster credits the manufacturer as Okabe Manufacturing Department (岡部製造部), located in Iyo Province (present-day Ehime Prefecture), a region historically associated with bonito production.

A refined and rare example of pre-war Japanese food advertising, combining culinary history, graphic design, and cultural heritage.

Size: 78 × 33.5 cm