Women's Magazines and the Democratization of Print
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WOMEN’S MAGAZINES AND THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF PRINT AND READING CULTURE IN INTERWAR JAPAN by Shiho Maeshima A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (Asian Studies) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) August 2016 © Shiho Maeshima, 2016 Abstract This dissertation reconsiders the significance of a periodical genre hitherto marginalized in academia, namely, the Japanese mass-market women’s magazine, in the history of print/reading culture in modern Japan. The study also aims to investigate the interrelations among magazine genres, gender categories, and the formation of cultural hierarchy. Analysis of diverse periodicals from the late 19th century to the 1930s, their contemporary commentaries and various surveys reveals that, around the turn of the 20th century, magazine genres became increasingly gendered in terms of their formats, editing styles, content, and readership: magazines for adults evolved into either “serious” general magazines for men concerning “public” matters or “vulgar” women’s magazines on “light” issues related to the “domestic” sphere. It was the latter magazine genre that led to the democratization of print/reading culture in interwar Japan. Inclusion of various article genres written in highly colloquial styles, extensive use of visuals, stress on entertainment and people’s private lives, and increasing collaboration with other industries, were to become common practices among Japanese periodicals after WWII. The new editing style also contributed to the spread of a new reading style in Japan. With its accessible editorial and promotional styles, the interwar mass-market women’s magazine attracted readers from a wide range of ages and social classes, including men, and functioned as the “transfeminized” entertaining home magazine. Moreover, other periodicals, including the more “serious” types, also began adopting some of the strategies developed in the popular women’s magazine, a periodical genre that had formerly been regarded as “deviant.” Arguably, the subversive impact the mass-market women’s magazine had on the publishing world triggered severe criticism. ii Thanks to its highly developed readers’ involvement and “transparent” mode of expression, the interwar popular women’s magazine presented a seemingly democratic and egalitarian magazine community. Closer examination of its articles, however, reveals unequal relationships between its readers and editors as well as among the readers, which offers valuable insight regarding its relation with discursive formation of diverse modern discourses and global trends in publishing. iii Preface A part of earlier versions of Chapter One (Introduction) and Chapter Two has been published. Shiho Maeshima, "Chapter One: New Journalism in Interwar Japan." In Anthony Rausch, ed. Japanese Journalism and the Japanese News Paper: A Supplemental Reader, Amherst, NY: Teneo Press, 2014 (December), 3–29. A part of earlier versions of Chapter Three and Chapter Four has been published as “Rethinking Women’s Magazines: The Impact of Mass-Market Women’s Magazines on Reading Culture in Interwar Japan.” Windows on Comparative Literature. No. 4-5, Tokyo: 2009 (April), 50–65. A part of an earlier version of Chapter Five has been published as “Melodramatized Experiences: Textual Appeal of the Confessional Story in Interwar Japanese Popular Periodicals and Its Socio-Historical Implications.” Windows on Comparative Literature No. 6-7. Tokyo: 2011 (April), 9–17. A part of an earlier version of Chapter Six (Conclusion) has been published as “Print Culture and Gender: Toward a Comparative Study of Modern Print Media.” In Sung-Won, Cho, ed. Expanding the Frontiers of Comparative Literature Vol. 2: Toward an Age of Tolerance. Seoul: Chung-Ang University Press, 2013, 354–363. All of the above published studies are original, independent work by the author, Shiho Maeshima. While earlier versions of several pages included in this dissertation have already been published as stated above, the rest is original, unpublished, independent work by the author, Shiho Maeshima. iv Table of Contents Abstract ………………………………………………………………………………………………… ii Preface …………………………………………………………………………………………………. iv Table of Contents ……………………………….………………………………………………………. v List of Figures ………………………….…………………………………………………………... viii Acknowledgements ……………………….…………………………………………………………... ix Dedication …………………………………………………………………………………………….. xi Chapter 1: Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………... 1 The Interwar Mass-Market Women’s Magazine as Symbol of a New Print/Reading Culture……...…...…1 Genealogy of Studies on Interwar Mass-Market Women’s Magazines in Japan …….………..…...…….. 7 Studies in Publishing History: Marginalization of Women’s Magazines ……..………...…….……… 7 Studies in Women’s History: Referential Meaning and Repressive Theories of Mass Culture …..........10 A Holistic or Multidimensional Approach and Prospects for Further Studies …...…..…………….... 16 A Brief Overview of Each Chapter …………...…………………………….………………………... 21 Notes on the Terms “Democratic” and “Interwar”…...…………………………………………….24 Chapter 2: Beyond “Magazines for Women”: The Emergence of Mass-Market Women’s Magazines as Popular Magazines for Both Sexes and their Historical Contexts ………….…………. 30 Development of the Magazine in Modern Japan ……………………….……………...……………... 31 Industrialization of Magazine Publishing …………………….…...……….……………………… 31 Nation-Wide Systematization of Publication, Distribution, and Advertising ……...…….………….. 33 Gender- and Age-Based Differentiation of Magazine Genres …...……………………….………... 37 “Feminization” of the Women’s Magazine …...………………………………………….……….. 40 Emergence of the Mass-Market Women’s Magazine and its Increasing Popularity ……...……………. 43 Increasing Circulation before Kingu …...…..…………………..........……………………………... 43 Increasing Circulation after Kingu …...…………..……………………………………………….. 46 Expansion of Readership of Women’s Magazines among Women ……..……....………………….. 47 Expansion of Readership of Women’s Magazines among Men …...……..…….……………….….. 50 The Socio-Cultural Contexts ……………………...………………………………….……………… 53 Spread of Literacy ………...……………………………………..………………………………. 53 Limited Budget for Entertainment ………………...………………………...……………………. 54 Changing Lifestyle and the Craze for “Culture” …..……….…………...…………………………. 55 Craving Information Concerning the “Modern Family” and the “Home” ….....…...…….………… 58 The Media and the Spread of the Ideal of the “Modern Home Life” …...…….......………………… 63 Beyond the “Women’s Magazine”: Transfeminization of the Women’s Magazine …...………………... 65 v Chapter 3: Revolution in Publication: Changes Introduced by Interwar Mass-Market Women’s Magazines to Japanese Print / Reading Culture …………………………………………………….. 69 Developments in Formats and Modes of Expression …....…..……………...…………………………. 69 High Receptivity to New Systems and Technologies ….…….….......………………..…………….. 69 Orality, New Article Genres, and an Emphasis on Everyday Life .……...……….…………………. 72 Intense Visualization ………………………………………………………..……...…………….. 75 Emphasis on Entertainment and the Relative Retreat of the Moralistic Tone ………...…….………. 80 Practical Articles and Human Interest Stories as Entertainment ……………………...…….……… 84 Developments in Promotion ……..…………………………………...……...……….……………… 87 Promoting Reader Participation: Features of Reader Submissions and Media Events ……......……... 87 Commercialization: Advertisements, Special Gifts, and Mail Ordering ……………………......…... 91 Media Mixing …………………………………………………………………………….……... 94 The Mass-Market Women’s Magazine as New Media …………....………………………………….. 96 The Typical Formats of the Interwar Mass-Market Women’s Magazine …………..………………. 96 Differences from “General Magazines” and “Cultured” Women’s Magazines …….…………..……98 Differences from Other Popular Magazines and Pictorial Magazines ………………….....………..100 Differences from Kingu …………………………………………………………………...…..... 102 The Mass-Market Women’s Magazine: A New Media ………….…………….…………………….. 105 Chapter 4: Rethinking Interwar Japanese Mass-Market Women’s Magazines: The Democratization of Print/Reading Culture and Gender Categories ……………………. 108 Influences on Reading Habits ……………………..…..……………………………………………. 108 A New Media Introducing a New Mode of Reading …….…………….…………………………108 Multiplex Reading Habits …..…………………………………………..…………………….….111 Democratization of Print Culture ……………..…………………………………………………….. 113 In “Light” Periodicals …………………………….………………....………………………....... 113 In “Serious” Periodicals ……………………….…….………………………………...………... 114 “Home Section” in the Newspaper …………………..……...…………………………………... 117 The Controversies over Interwar Mass-Market Women’s Magazines …………….………...………... 120 Criticism of the Interwar Mass-Market Women’s Magazine ……..……………………………..... 120 Exclusive Condemnation of the Mass-Market Women’s Magazines ………..………...………….. 122 Labeling and Belittling New Strategies as “Feminine” ……………………...………………….... 124 Differentiation and Classification of Print/Reading Culture …………….………………………...….. 126 Maintaining a Hierarchy of Print Culture …………………..………………………………...….. 126 Democratization of Print Culture and Gender ………………………...……………………...…... 131 Maintaining a Hierarchy of Reading Culture ……………..………….………………………...… 133 vi Reader Trouble: Maintaining a Hierarchy of Readers …...…...…………………………………... 136 New Print/Reading Culture Rooted in Everyday Life ……………….………………...…………….. 141 Attempts to Overcome the Rigid Hierarchy of Print/Reading Culture ……………...…..………… 141 Establishment