c.1959 Hirayu Shin-Hotaka Onsen- kyō Hot Springs Gifu Japan Travel Poster

Date: 1959 
Artist: Tamura, K. (?)           
Size (in): 30.75” x 21”
Size (cm): 78 x 53.5
Condition: B+
Linen backed: No

This beautiful vintage original 1959 Japanese travel poster advertises the scenic fall foliage and the Hirayu and Shin-Hotaka hot spring areas of Gifu Prefecture.  This poster is a fine example of the Japanese travel posters of the late 1950s that blended traditional Japanese aesthetics with modern international graphic design influences typically featuring bold flat colors, minimalist compositions, and stylized cultural motifs. 

Text on the top of the poster translates roughly as To the Hida Road amidst the autumn foliage while the main title in larger letters names the Hirayu and Hodaka Onsen-kyō hot spring attractions.  Text at the bottom of the poster indicates that the poster was issued by the Kamitakara Village Tourism Association.  The artist’s name is signed in print on the lower right side of the image area and looks to be “K. Tamura” but we haven’t identified the artist.  

The poster has a “34.30.10” ink handstamp on the lower left corner which indicates the poster was distributed on October 30, 1959 (year 34 of the Shōwa era).  The lower right corner indicates the poster was issued by the Nagoya Railway Bureau (名鉄局 / Meitetsukyoku).

This poster has neat pinholes on each corner plus two pinholes on the right and left edges and a single pinhole at the center on the top and bottom edges.  This poster is lightly creased from having been neatly folded at one time and shows light handling wear.  The original colors are boldly retained and the poster displays beautifully.  Overall condition is very good for this vintage original.