(510x375mm) single leaf French style, commercial chromolithographic advertising poster depicting a woman in a red French Comedy Pierrot style costume pouring a sparkling drink into her hat, verso blank, with two Japanese soft drink labels to the corners.  Printer and illustrator unknown.

First Showa Era, circa 1910.  Faint edge wear, corners slightly rounded, small edge repair to verso, else Near Fine.

Carbonated drinks were first introduced to Japan by Commodore Perry in 1853 when he served lemonade to Japanese officials.  Western habits, fashions and products were quickly adopted in many areas of life as Japan opened to the West.  Soft drinks became popular after the various cholera outbreaks of the late nineteenth century as they were often marketed as safer than local water supplies.  Many water companies and utilities began to manufacture soft drinks during the late nineteenth century.  Yokohama was a particular centre for their production.  The drinks were often sealed in 'crown-top' bottles (as can be seen in the illustration). 

'Cider' was the generic name given to  an American soda style drink; carbonated, usually fruit-flavoured; nothing to do with the European concept of apple based brewed cider.   'Citron' was the name given to a Japanese soda flavoured with lemon,  Citron became popular after 1909 and by 1919 Japanese soda style drinks were widely available.  In 1865 torpedo style and  marble stopper bottles began to be used for some drinks - which became known as 'Ramune', but are similar to 'Cider' and 'Citron'.  By 1921 as mechanical production was widespread and there were over 2000 Japanese soft drink companies producing 'Cider', 'Ramune' and 'Citron'.

Rare.  A fascinating example of the influence of  nineteenth century Western food and drink culture on Japanese consumers in the Meji and Showa Eras.

§  Apparently unrecorded.  No reference to the commercial image could be found.