Amazing Pre-war Japanese Magazine Covers

OK, so “modernist” and “art deco” aren’t the first words that come to mind when we usually think of imperial Japan, but certain segments of the society enthusiastically embraced Western ideas and styles. I have no idea what any of these magazines were about, but I’ve had a good time making up various strange possibilities.

Personally, I’m a sucker for this early-century ultra-modern stuff, and it’s fun to see how far-flung countries made what we think of as a quintessentially American style their own.