{"product_id":"ephemera-3","title":"Celery Tsukemono, Japanese Product Label","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis Japanese product label from the early Showa period showcases the sophisticated graphic design of pre-war commercial art. Produced for Marushin Farm in Kita-Hotaka, Nagano Prefecture, the label advertises \u003cem\u003eCelery Tsukemono\u003c\/em\u003e: pickled celery made from a Western vegetable that was still relatively novel to many Japanese consumers and increasingly promoted as a modern food.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe striking composition centers on a fan-shaped bundle of pale yellow celery set against the snow-capped Japanese Alps. The imagery associates the product with the pure water, high altitude, and agricultural landscape of the Shinshu region, while the celery itself spreads dramatically across the mountains like a rising sun or peacock display. Japanese Alps imagery became a powerful marketing device for regional producers, suggesting freshness, purity, and natural abundance to an increasingly urban consumer market.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBold katakana lettering spells \u003cem\u003eserurī\u003c\/em\u003e (セルリー), the Japanese phonetic rendering of the English word “celery,” reflecting the incorporation of Western foods and vocabulary into everyday Japanese life. The circular trademark prominently features the character \u003cem\u003eshin\u003c\/em\u003e (新), meaning “new,” reinforcing the modern identity of the farm and its products.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCombining Western-influenced modernist design with distinctly Japanese typography and imagery, the label documents both the changing Japanese diet and the sophistication of regional food marketing during the early Showa period. As packaging intended to be used and discarded, surviving pre-war food labels offer a particularly charming glimpse into Japan’s commercial and agricultural history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 7.25\" x 10.25\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very Good, Age-appropriate wear. Paper toning in accordance with the print's age. Marks\/stains as per photo. Wear around the edges and minor paper loss might be present in some prints. Some ads may have writing or images on verso. Please refer to each print's image to get a better understanding of the condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Authentic Vintage Posters","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45333252702323,"sku":"VA8479","price":74.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0088\/3005\/8556\/files\/edited_647a57f9-cbe0-41d1-a065-3d9f41d56f0f.jpg?v=1787083557","url":"https:\/\/www.authenticvintageposters.com\/en-nl\/products\/ephemera-3","provider":"Authentic Vintage Posters","version":"1.0","type":"link"}