#joshibi University of Art and Design

[logwire]

"Recalling Days Past" by Yuki NAKADA

[questintheskies]

8/1/24 Hiyori Sakurada at Blue Period stage greeting at Joshibi University of Art and Design in Tokyo

[pengtheplush]

This artist is amazing! With some little research, her name is Arisa Iwano, a recent college graduate and valedictorian in the 3D arts from Joshibi University of Art and Design. She was awarded the Shigeyuki Kato Memorial Award. I believe these two works were part of a series at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum at the time of its exhibition just earlier this year. Inspirational work, to say the least!

[chloeunit6]

Miki Katoh

Born in Saitama, Japan 1996 BA, Joshibi University of Art and Design, Painting

History of Miki KATOH

- Solo Exhibition - 2019 “An Assemblage of Prayers” KIYOSHI ART SPACE, Tokyo, Japan 2018 “Souhaku(fighting) & Souhaku(tie)”Uspace Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan 2016 “TOKYO Nostalgia”Uspace Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan 2014 “The Garden of Fantasy －Twenty Tokyo Scenes” TURNER GALLERY, Tokyo, Japan 2012 “Nostalgic Scent of Winds and Flowers” TENGAI GALLERY, Tokyo, Japan 2011 “Box of Memories” CONTEXT S, Tokyo, Japan 2008 “Secret Rose Garden” Doll House Gallery Yoimachigusa, Tokyo, Japan 2006 “DAYDREAM” CONTEXT S, Tokyo, Japan “Showa Afterglow” Retro Museum of Packaging from the Showa Era, Tokyo, Japan 2003 “Tokyo Fleur” Gallery Ginza Forest, Tokyo, Japan 2002 “nostalgic and sentiment” Gallery Ginza Forest, Tokyo, Japan 2000 “nostalgic and sentiment” Gallery KAORU, Tokyo, Japan 1998 “KATO Miki Exhibition” HIKARI Gallery, Tokyo, Japan - Selected Group Exhibition - 2019 “KIYOSHI ART NEW SPACE” KIYOSHI ART SPACE, Tokyo, Japan “ephemeral 2019” JIRO MIURA GALLERY, Tokyo, Japan “Spring part 2” Maruzen Gallery, Tokyo, Japan “Ranshohoshu” Gallery MUMON, Tokyo, Japan 2018 “Shibamata FU-TEN”Mural painting of the hotel room in Shibamata, Tokyo, Japan “BIJINGA Borderless Publication commemoration”JIRO MIURA GALLERY, Tokyo, Japan “Spring” Maruzen Gallery, Tokyo, Japan “ART FAIR TOKYO 2018 (Uspace Gallery)” Tokyo, Japan “Santaiennyu” hpgrp GALLERY TOKYO, Tokyo, Japan 2017 “ephemeral 2017” JIRO MIURA GALLERY, Tokyo, Japan “60 faces” REIJINSHAGALLERY, Tokyo, Japan “TENGAI 3.0” hpgrp GALLERY TOKYO, Tokyo, Japan 2016 “TENGAI 3.0” hpgrp GALLERY NY, New York, USA 2015 “I LOVE SAKE. Sake maniac Expo” LOFT UMEDA, Osaka, Japan “ephemeral” JIRO MIURA GALLERY, Tokyo, Japan “Decorate the room with art!” ArtGraph Gallery, Tokyo, Japan “Girl Maniérisme” Span Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan 2014 “HISASHI TENMYOUYA x INDIEGUERILLAS” MIZUMA GALLERY, Singapore 2013 “HITOMAKUMI” TENGAI GALLERY, Tokyo, Japan 2008 “Ponia-pon×KATOH Miki collaborated - Kimono Girls” CONTEXT S, Tokyo, Japan 2006 “Cow Parade Tokyo Marunouchi 2006” Tokyo, Japan

Social Media:

Instagram:

加藤美紀 Miki Katoh (@miki.katoh.2016) • Instagram photos and videos

Website:

Referencing:

[yurei-of-the-artist]

"Otsukai"お遣い a 2022 work by Miki Katoh.

Miki Katoh was born in Saitama prefecture, in 1973 and graduated from Joshibi University of Art and Design majoring in Western Painting in 1996. She worked in a production studio of a stationary company and became a freelance illustrator in 1999, creating books, posters, CD design, stationary, and illustarations.

[printstamps]

We are excited to welcome print artist and educator Taida Jasarevic Hefford  to Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design as a Weiser Visiting Fellow this month, October 1 through 31. Sponsored through the University of Michigan Weiser Center for Emerging Democracies, Taida Jasarevic will work on a research project entitled “Imagined Landscapes/Sediments of Belonging: Post-Digital Plate Expression” in cooperation with Professor Endi Poskovic.  Taida will also present a public lecture about her practice and share her work in printmaking on Thursday, October 12 at 1:40pm, Printmaking Studios, room 2143.

Taida Jasarevic Hefford is an assistant professor of art at the Academy of Fine Arts Trebinje, University of East Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. She has exhibited in many solo and juried exhibitions around the world and has participated in conferences and symposia related to contemporary print media. She was awarded a scholarship by the Japanese government and completed her PhD in fine arts at Joshibi University of Art and Design in 2010. Her works are in the collection of Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Center, Machida International Museum of Graphic Art, National Taiwan Museum of Arts, Ino-cho Paper Museum Japan, Guanlan Printmaking Base in China, and others.

[prommethium]

The Magma collection fuses technology, sustainability, and cultural inspiration. The collection’s development began with the purchase of 150kg of old garments from Africa. Seiko Epson's dry fiber technology colaborated to transform the clothes into new textiles for the creation of new outfits. [1.1]

Stones collected from Nyiri Desert - Kenya, were turned into nano-size natural pigments in a revolutionary partnership using submicron/nanoparticle technology created by the Japanese Painting Laboratory at Joshibi University of Art and Design. These pigments were utilized to make colours for Spiber Inc.’s synthetic Brewed Protein™ materials, which are prominent in the collection. Witnessing the reddish-brown landscape of the desert being infused into the artificial protein fibers was a sight of captivating beauty, as if the fabric embodied the hot, dry African air itself. [1.2]

Designers’ message

The shocking experiences I had during my 2022 visit to Kenya still remain vivid in my mind to this day. Among the many memories I have of that time, the mountains of garbage I saw are particularly hard to forget. The spontaneous flames, the reeking odors, the garish colors of the plastic trash—it seemed like the end of the world, and it left my head spinning. The other day, I saw a piece by Hokusai commonly known as “Aka-Fuji” at an art gallery. This scene of Fuji in red called to mind thoughts of the magma sleeping within the mountain, and somehow made me aware not only of its beauty, but also of the spooky nature of the landscape as well.

Fuji, Mountains in clear Weather (Red Fuji) by Katsushika Hokusai 1831 Private Collection.

This is it, I thought. Using a photo I had taken while in Kenya, I graded it all in red and printed it out on a piece of fabric. Suddenly, the awful scenery became abstract, and the mounds of man-made garbage somehow turned into something almost like a landscape.

Photos by Yuima Nakazato (Sources: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 )

At that moment, I realized that it was possible to reconsider the essential meaning of a thing, thereby endowing it with a new meaning and an entirely different value. Red usually represents warning or crises. However, rather than viewing it as an alert to the environmental issues facing us today, I’ve chosen to put my belief in the color red, and use it to express my conviction that there is a way for us to change the future. [1.3]

— Yuima Nakazato

1.1 Unknown (2023, July 10). Yuima Nakazato Fall Winter 2023.24 Haute Couture Collection. DesignScene.

1.2 Alex Wynne (2023, July 05). Yuima Nakazato Couture Fall 2023. WWD.

1.3 Yuima Nakazato (2023, July 05) Couture Autumn/Winter 2023/2024 MAGMA.

Yuima Nakazato Fall 2023 Couture

[designfesta]

女子美術大学はデザインフェスタギャラリーで＃女子力展を開催中です！

8.13 まで開催していますので、ぜひぜひお越し下さい！ヾ(●￣￣Σ￣￣●)ノ

愉嗚呼社 のウェブサイト

女子力展公式ツイーター

The Joshibi University of Art and Design is currently holding their Joshiriki Exhibition (Joshiriki roughly translates to Girl Power) at the Design Festa Gallery in Harajuku! The exhibition is open until the 13th, so please feel free to come by and check it out! 

Performance Group You Are Shocked!

Joshiriki Exhibition Official Twitter

[cereal-before-milk]

Q-TA MINAMI

is a non-binary, bisexual, and feminist mangaka. Their manga stands out for dealing with issues such as sexuality, both in adolescence and adulthood, motherhood or everyday life. Which is why the demographics in which they are best known are seinen and especially josei.

Also known as Kyuta Minami, were born in Unnan City in Shimane Prefecture on January 13, 1969, although they currently live in Tokyo.

Q-ta graduated from Joshibi University of Art and Design Junior College Department of Design. Minami began working as a doujinshi artist during college and continued after graduating. Although at first they weren't very successful and couldn't make a living from it, so Kyuta was a "Pooh/ Poo Taro" (プータロー slang for unemployed, normally this term is not used in homeless people -wikipedia). During that time, they were living in the south exit of Koenji, Suginami-ku, Tokyo. That is why it is believed that hence their name, "South (Minami) Q-ta" (南 Q 太).

Their "official" debut on a large scale and that had an impact on the market was in 1992, with the Let's Play (Asobi ni ikô yo) manga in Wanimagazine (an adult/erotic content magazine) and obtained a mention Honorary Young Jump Rockie Award. Although already in 1990, the mangaka obtained an honorable mention in the Afternoon Four Seasons Award, in a category of young cartoonists, this caused them to take two years off. Those were the beginnings of what would be a long run of honorable mentions, such as the 1994 "Weekly Young Jump" rookie award, awards and drama adaptations of his manga, such as Yura Yura, which was dramatized in 2003 by the television channel of BS-i (now BS-TBS) in the Drama "Koisuru Sunday".

1996 and 1997 were very important years for Kyuta since they published manga in up to 3 different publishers, including the great Shueisha. All that variety made Minami achieve greater recognition and even loyal fans of their manga.

About their private life, Q-ta has been married three times and divorced twice. Their first marriage was with the mangaka Sabe, with whom they had their first daughter. After her birth, the mangaka changed her style a bit and began to make more childish manga and dedicate it to their daughter, like the manga Children's Games, published in 2003, which contains her personal experiences.

Their second marriage was with the poet Koichi Masuno, in between their first son was born. But there were bad feelings between the mangaka and the poet, so after the marriage, Masuno agreed that he would see his son once a month, something that Q-ta tries to avoid. The poet wrote novels and essays showing his resentment and even regret for the divorce (in case you are interested the book is Marriage disqualification, I have only found it in Japanese), in this he said that the mangaka earned more money than him.

Minami's last marriage is with the manga editor and ex-husband of mangaka Marie Yasuhiko, Masami Otsuka. With Masami, they had a son and a daughter, in addition to the son the publisher had with his first wife. So while raising a total of 5 children and taking care of 4 cats, Q-ta Minami managed to publish more than 40 manga, many of which are short stories or one shots, but unfortunately very few have been published outside of Japan.

Their drawing style reminds me of Kyoko Okazaki's style. It could be said that mangakas like Q-ta Minami continued with the legacy that the mangaka left empty, even if it was in an unrelated way. In fact, Q-ta is considered post-Kioko. It is noticeable at first glance that their drawings stand out for the almost absence of detail, although the dialogues in his scenes also follow the same pattern. With the slightest bit, the mangaka immerses us in their stories that are closely linked to the day-to-day life of women, girls, adolescents, and young adults.

Their manga are very peculiar (just like Minami) and they are closely linked to the everyday, to the weight of the monotonous and to trying to break that monotony that we have all faced at some point. Or not, the mangaka may simply want to demonstrate the drama that can exist in the "simplicity" of everyday life and, on many occasions, adding eroticism. And something that is a pleasure to read about their mangas is how Q-ta treats the sexuality of women, especially in adolescence/ young woman. Minami isn't t afraid to delve into a topic, which is often silenced or treated from a male gaze, and show how the girls who are the protagonists of their manga enjoy (in many cases) discovering and showing her sexuality.

➳ SAYONOARA MIDORI-CHAN 1997

*It isn't suitable for all audiences. It contains adult material*

- demographic: josei

- genre: romance, slice of life, drama

- French

Yuko, the protagonist, is a 20-year-old girl who is not very clear about things or what she wants in life, with the exception of one thing, her "boyfriend" Yutaka. She doesn't have hobbies or friends, nor does she look for them, although with two jobs it's not like she has time for it either. At night, she works in a bar next to where Yutaka works. That's where all the misfortunes happen to the protagonist, some even dangerous. Yuko should never have taken that job.

It is a very short story, so risking I will say that you do not expect a sublime masterpiece. Even so, it will surprise you how, in only 7 chapters, the characters are so well written and are so realistic that you can even identify with them. The narrated situations, the union between the employees, the relationship between the protagonists, the friction between the women, etc. They are things that could have happened to you, and that makes it interesting.

- in 2005 it was adapted to live action.

➳ POP LIFE 2016-2018

- demographic: seinen

- genre: slice of life

- English

Sakura, a mangaka, and Akemi, an event organizer, are two single mothers who end up living together and supporting each other in raising their children. The two families live in a somewhat small apartment, which could suggest that it makes it difficult for two small children, a 16-year-old teenager and two women, leading a comfortable life. But the reality is completely different and mothers seem to be happier in their new lifestyle than in the life they led before.

A breath of fresh air on motherhood, taken in a realistic way, showing broken families, but in a certain way complete. Although it is not only about motherhood, but also about death or how to handle a divorce. Many of the experiences that we see in both women are taken from the author's life, narrated from another perspective.

➳ HANDS OFF MY GIRL 2005

*It contains adult material*

- demographic: josei

- genre: slice of life

- Spanish

It is a compilation of a total of 8 stories, each one with a different genre, but all with the Q-ta Minami touch, so it cannot be classified into a specific genre, although the most abundant is slice of life.

The vast majority of these stories contain explicit sex, from TL to GL (yuri). But it is much deeper, it is not only simple eroticism. Hands off my Girl also deals with topics such as lies, jealousy, infidelity, unrequited romance, etc. Like in the second story, Broken Into Pieces, where the protagonist has sex with the man she loves, but he has a girlfriend, and he is supposed to love her more than the protagonist.

But there is something very curious, and it is that the last two stories have nothing to do with the rest. Diary of Another Young Girl narrates the life of a 10-year-old girl who is always in the clouds, has no friends and only trusts her cousin. And Days Spent with Her is an autobiographical chapter of the mangaka that narrates what a day is like with her and her daughter, who is still a baby.

➳ THE BLOOD RED BOY 2022

- English/ Spanish

- genre: drama, romance, bl

It is a very interesting one shot and only has 16 pages. The protagonists are nothing alike, they lead completely different lives and the only thing they have in common is the bar where they are going to drink and the reality from which they are fleeing. It is a story that touches on topics from gender to loneliness and the search for self-love. These are like pieces of an incomplete puzzle and you are the one who has to fill in the missing gaps.

➳ NOT ALL GIRLS ARE STUPID 1996-1997

*It contains adult material*

- demographic: josei

- English

Guess what? Another compilation of interesting short stories. Where girls start to discover their sexuality, fall in love, get disappointed and live their lives the way they want. Although there will be misfortunes, toxic relationships, unwanted pregnancies, infidelities and a lot of detail from the Q-ta Minami brand.

Q-ta Minami's stories are not characterized by being extraordinarily long so these are ideal to read when you don't have much time, but I really don't know what you are waiting for to give them a chance.

[mybeingthere]

Noriko Okawara was born in 1976 in Tokyo. She graduated from Joshibi University of Art and Design in 1999, majoring in Nihonga. In the following year, 2000, she was accepted for the first time into the 85th In-ten Exhibition. She exhibited her work in the 12th Scholarship Student Art Exhibition held at Sato Museum in 2003. In the next year, she completed her PhD at the graduate school of Tokyo University of the Arts, and her PhD research received the Nomura Award. She held her solo exhibition, L’espoir, at Ginza Suruga-dai Gallery in Tokyo in 2005. In 2010, she presented her work in the exhibition “Resistance and Obedience – Joshibi 110 Years, Leaders of Beauty” that was held at the Ueno Royal Museum in Tokyo. In 2009 and 2011, she held a “training seminar for cultural properties conservation experts” at Tokyo National Museum. In 2012, she presented her work in “The Exhibition of Contemporary Suiboku-ga Artists” that was held at the National Art Center. In 2013, she received honorable mention for her work in the 1st Ohka-sho, Annual Sakura Exhibition held at Sato Sakura Art Museum in Tokyo. Currently, she is an Inyuu rank member of Japan Art Institute (Nihon Bijutsuin), a visiting researcher at Tokyo Research Institute for Cultural Properties, and an associate professor at Kamakura Women’s University. 

https://www.satosakuragallery.com/noriko-okawara

[thekimonogallery]

Joshibi University of Art and Design, Japan, about 1910

[logwire]

"Announcement of Love's Reception" by Natsumi KAMBE

[questintheskies]

8/1/24 Hiyori Sakurada at Blue Period stage greeting at Joshibi University of Art and Design in Tokyo

[osharenippon]

The Muses of 1980s JJ

JJ and the Rise of the Akamoji-kei

In the early 1980s, the most glitzy clubs, restaurants, and boutiques were taken over by "JJ girls," and JJ's influence was palpable. 

During this period, the magazine shifted away from relying on haafu models and instead featured full-Japanese women as its primary models. This shift represented a move from exotic beauty to models who resembled the average reader more closely. Many of these models were also active college students attending prestigious institutions.

The first JJ muse of that period was 20-year-old Ryoko Takahashi, who replaced Marie Krabin as the cover model in 1981. Takahashi possessed a refined and classic look that seamlessly complemented the "newtra" fashion style heavily promoted by the magazine.

She got married and retired when she was still in her 20s. After a long hiatus, she returned in the mid-2000s to Kobunsha fashion titles targeted at women in their 40s and 50s. She now goes by the name Ryoko Tamai.

21-years-old Chikako Kaku took over as JJ's cover girl in 1982. That same year, she made her debut as an actress in an afternoon drama. From a traditional wealthy family, she graduated from the Joshibi University of Arts and Sciences Junior College.

Although her tenure as the primary model lasted only a year, Chikako made a return as a cover girl for three issues in 1985 and also appeared several other times to promote her acting projects. Remarkably, at the age of 60, she continues to be active in the entertainment industry, maintaining her roles as both an actress and a model.

Chieko Kuroda, known as Chieko Kashimoto at the time, stands out as perhaps the most prominent JJ model of the 1980s. While most models typically held the position of cover girl for about a year, she maintained her role for over two years.

Chieko made her debut in the magazine while still a student at Seijo Junior College. Initially, she was discovered by the editor in charge of the sports fashion section, and her appearances were primarily confined to the sports pages. However, readers quickly grew fond of her, and her presence in the magazine expanded. Ultimately, in 1983, she was appointed as JJ's cover girl. Her rise to prominence paralleled the ascent of the editor who had initially spotted her, and he eventually became the editor-in-chief.

At the age of 24, Chieko retired from modeling and pursued a conventional career. She got married at 28, and the following year, she welcomed her daughter into the world.

In 1995, a decade after her departure from modeling, Kobunsha decided to launch a groundbreaking fashion publication, the first one aimed at married women in their 30s. The former JJ editor-in-chief who had originally discovered her invited Chieko to lead this innovative project. She accepted the offer and came out of retirement. The magazine, VERY, achieved tremendous success, reestablishing Chieko as a fashion influencer for women in her age group.

As of 2022, she continues to be actively involved in the entertainment industry, working as a model, actress, and TV personality.

In 1985, Towako Kimijima, then known as Towako Yoshikawa, became the new "signboard model" for JJ.

Similar to her predecessors at JJ, Towako received her education in prestigious institutions. Her journey into the world of modeling began during her junior high school years, where she appeared in influential teen publications like MC Sister and Seventeen. At the age of 19, she was appointed as the star model for JJ. Towako concluded her tenure with the magazine in 1987, and the subsequent year marked her debut as an actress.

Following her JJ graduation, she had an eventful career marked by a lot of family drama.

In 1995, she publicly announced her marriage to dermatologist Akira Kimijima, who happened to be the son of the renowned fashion designer Ichiro Kimijima. Although initially planning to retire from the entertainment industry after their lavish wedding, their union instead opened the doors to a series of family dramas that drew intense media scrutiny. Akira, raised by his grandmother as an out-of-wedlock child, found himself entangled in conflicts with his siblings over their roles in the Ichiro fashion empire. Tragically, Ichiro Kimijima passed away from a heart attack in 1996, further intensifying the feud. Eventually, Akira assumed control of his father's empire, though it was laden with substantial debt.

Towako's personal charisma proved to be the savior of the family's fortunes. Her striking beauty and impeccable style allowed her to successfully establish herself as a leader in the beauty and fashion industry for women. Her cosmetics and skincare line enjoyed remarkable success, solidifying her position as an authoritative figure on aging gracefully and embracing girly, "conservative" fashion. What made Towako particularly groundbreaking was her ability to maintain popularity among women in their 20s, despite the ageist nature of Japanese society, while she herself was in her late 30s.

Now in her late 50s, Towako is a mother to two adult daughters. Her cosmetics and skincare line continues to thrive and is distributed through her husband's company.

Analyzing the history of JJ cover models reveals a significant cultural shift between the 1970s and the 1980s. Interestingly, every cover muse from the 1970s has long since retired from public life, with limited information available about their activities after leaving the magazine. During that era, the "shelf life" of a young model was quite brief, and societal expectations often pushed women to marry at a young age and leave their careers behind. Even Momoe Yamaguchi, a top idol and pop star of the 1970s, chose to retire at the height of her career in 1980 to fully dedicate herself to married life.

In stark contrast, nearly all of the 1980s stars who graced JJ's covers remain active in various fields. While a few, such as Reiko Tatami and Chieko Kuroda, briefly retired, both eventually returned to modeling once their children had grown up.

However, some of JJ's stars from the 1980s have chosen to maintain a degree of anonymity in their post-modeling lives. This is particularly true for Kae Miyadai, JJ's "super dokumo" from the early 1980s. Miyadai is the first and only "dokumo" to ever grace the magazine cover, which she did 3 times between 1987 and 1988. Since then, however, very little is known about her.

Risako Miura, formerly known as Risako Shitara, held the distinction of being the last JJ signboard model of the 1980s. Her modeling journey began in 1987, and she maintained her status as the magazine's top model until 1991, marking the longest tenure during that era. Interestingly, she appeared on the magazine's cover relatively few times, with just seven covers to her name. This was because her tenure coincided with a period when actresses and celebrities were prominently featured on the front covers.

Risako left a lasting impression on JJ's readership. Born in New York City and the daughter of a Mitsubishi director, she completed her education at Tamagawa University. In addition to her modeling career, she ventured into acting in the early '90s. In 1993, she married the renowned soccer star Kazuyoshi Miura in a lavish ceremony attended by numerous celebrities.

Following her marriage, Risako devoted herself to family life for a few years. However, in 2000, she stepped into the role of the main star for VERY Magazine, succeeding Chieko Kuroda, and continued in this capacity for six years. Since then, she has occasionally returned to modeling and remains active on social media platforms..

Mariko Ishihara played a pivotal role in the evolving landscape of JJ magazine when actresses and young celebrities began dominating the magazine's covers. During the period spanning 1986 to 1987, she held the distinction of being the magazine's primary muse, gracing its cover on six separate occasions.

Ishihara's most distinctive feature was her thick eyebrows. In the late '70s, Brooke Shields, known for her appearances in commercials for cosmetic company Kanebo and others, gained immense popularity in Japan. Her signature unruly brows were an integral part of her appeal. Mariko Ishihara demonstrated that this striking look could also work on Japanese women, significantly influencing beauty standards of the era.

She is also widely remembered by her role in the TV drama "Fuzuroi no Ringotachi," which revolved around a group of college students navigating the complexities of love. As an actress, Ishihara projected an image of innocence combined with a wild and unpredictable streak. Over time, her untamed personality began to overshadow her acting career, and in recent decades, she has become more recognized for her involvement in media scandals. Nonetheless, her legacy as a fashion and beauty icon from her past remains indelible.

In the summer of 1988, Fuji TV aired a drama called "Dakishimetai." The show style gained the moniker of "trendy drama" because everything in it was very trendy: the settings, the actors, and the outfits. It really captured the glamour of the bubble years of Japan. And it was a success, especially among young women, turning the show's lead actresses -- Yuko Asano and Atsuko Asano (who, despite the same last name, are not related) -- into the most prominent fashion influencers in the country.

Fueled by the "W Asano" boom, Atsuko and Yuko became cover girls of all akamoji titles between 1988 and 1990. And JJ was no exception. Atsuko graced JJ's cover 5 times, while Yuko (center) amassed 4 front covers, giving "W Asano" a total of 9 covers between 1989 and 1990.

Honami Suzuki is the actress with the most JJ covers, gracing the front of the magazine on a remarkable 10 occasions spanning from 1987 to 1992.

Her first appearance was in the June 1987 issue, shortly after she debuted as an actress. Throughout her ascent, she kept being featured in the magazine. Honami finally reached mega-stardom in 1991 when she starred in "Tokyo Love Story," one of the most popular TV dramas of all time. At the peak of her popularity, she retributed the magazine support during her ascent, appearing 3 times on the cover. Her last appearance was in the October 1992 issue. 

In the subsequent year, JJ departed from featuring celebrities and returned to showcasing their signboard models as cover girls starting from 1993.

[kentarouchikoshi]

女子美術大学の卒業制作展にお邪魔しました。同大学，英語では"JOSHIBI UNIVERSITY OF ART AND DESIGN"という名前なのですね🙂 (女子美術大学杉並キャンパス) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp2r-dAShlL/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[printstamps]

Public lecture this Thursday, October 12 at 1:40pm, Stamps Printmaking Studios, room 2143 by Taida Jasarevic Hefford, a Weiser Center for Emerging Democracies Fellow at the University of Michigan.