Invitation to Explore Japan's Museums - 4-4. Shiseido Corporate Museum / Shiseido Art House

Summary

This video showcases the Shiseido Corporate Museum in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture, which tells the story of Shiseido, a pioneering Japanese cosmetics brand founded in 1872. The museum highlights the evolution of Shiseido's designs, from its first product 'Eudermine' to its cutting-edge packaging and advertisements that influenced global beauty trends. Featuring 200,000 items and over 150 years of history, the museum celebrates Shiseido's design innovation, artistic vision, and commitment to enhancing beauty. It also includes the Shiseido Art House, a collection of modern masterpieces, continuing the legacy of blending art and beauty.

Takeaways

• 😀 Shiseido is a cosmetics manufacturer founded in 1872, initially operating as Japan's first private dispensing pharmacy.
• 😀 The Shiseido Corporate Museum houses about 200,000 items related to cosmetics and advertising, reflecting over 150 years of design evolution.
• 😀 Shiseido's first cosmetic product, Eudermine (1897), was a pioneering lotion known as 'Shiseido's Red Water' and marked a shift towards modern design in cosmetics.
• 😀 Shiseido was one of the first Japanese companies to open a design division, focusing heavily on cosmetics packaging.
• 😀 In 1917, Shiseido released a groundbreaking face powder in seven colors, introducing innovative packaging with a camellia blossom logo.
• 😀 The Shiseido skincare series, featuring a frosted glass jar and gold lid, became internationally popular, especially in France.
• 😀 The company has consistently used design to promote its cosmetics, with over 150 years of posters displayed in the museum, setting trends in women's beauty.
• 😀 Shiseido's posters evolved from depicting 'modern girls' in the 1920s to more dignified, soft and sensitive representations of women after the 1930s.
• 😀 In the 1970s, Shiseido’s poster with model Sayoko Yamaguchi challenged Western beauty standards, helping promote the global appeal of Japanese beauty.
• 😀 Shiseido’s legacy is closely tied to its first president, Shinzo Fukuhara, who envisioned cosmetics as a form of art, aiming to improve people's lives through beauty.
• 😀 The Shiseido Art House, adjacent to the Corporate Museum, houses a collection of 1600 art pieces and reflects Shiseido's ongoing commitment to promoting art and beauty in Japan.

Q & A

What is the Shiseido Corporate Museum, and where is it located?

The Shiseido Corporate Museum is located in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is situated along the bullet train tracks, between Tokyo and Osaka.

When was Shiseido founded, and what was its original purpose?

Shiseido was founded in 1872 as the first private dispensing pharmacy in Japan.

How many items are housed in the Shiseido Corporate Museum, and what types of items are displayed?

The museum houses about 200,000 items, including cosmetics and advertising materials produced by Shiseido since its founding.

What was Shiseido's first cosmetic product, and why was it significant?

Shiseido's first cosmetic product was 'Eudermine,' introduced in 1897. It was significant because it was the first lotion produced by Shiseido and was a trailblazer in the industry, popular for its English label on a Western-style bottle.

What was the importance of Shiseido’s Design Division?

Shiseido was one of the first Japanese companies to establish a Design Division, which focused on creating cutting-edge designs, particularly for cosmetics packaging. This division played a key role in the evolution of Japanese design.

Can you describe the face powder released by Shiseido in 1917?

In 1917, Shiseido released a face powder that came in seven colors to match different skin tones, unlike the typical white powders of the time. It was packaged in a square box with eight sides and a lid bearing the camellia blossom logo.

What was the significance of the skincare series designed by Shiseido, which won widespread popularity?

Shiseido's skincare series was considered the finest of its time, featuring a frosted glass jar with a gold lid. It gained popularity due to its elegant design and was advertised as 'fit as a gift to France.'

How did Shiseido's advertising evolve over time?

Shiseido's advertising evolved from hand-drawn posters to photography. In the 1920s, it depicted modern girls in the latest Parisian fashion. Over the decades, its advertisements reflected shifting societal attitudes, including breaking away from Western beauty standards in the 1970s.

What is the Shiseido Art House, and how is it related to the company's vision?

The Shiseido Art House is located adjacent to the Shiseido Corporate Museum and features a collection of about 1600 pieces of art, including modern masterpieces and works by young artists. It reflects Shiseido's vision of elevating beauty to art, promoting cultural development, and supporting Japan's art scene.

Who were the architects behind the design of the Shiseido Art House?

The Shiseido Art House was designed by world-renowned architects Yoshio Taniguchi and Shinsuke Takamiya. The building features metallic silver tiles and a combination of circles and squares.