The Edo Period in Japan (1615–1868) was marked by domestic peace and rapid economic and cultural development with a thriving merchant class. Commercial streets in the major cities were lined with handmade shop signs known as Kanban that advertised goods and services. These were crafted by professional artisans known as kanban-shi.
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| Early-20th-century shitta kanban for eyeglass shop |
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| A 19th-century mokei kanban for geta shop |
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| Front view of a late-19th-century shitta kanban for a blade shop |
About 60 examples of kanban are currently on view at San Diego’s
Mingei International Museum in
an exhibition curated by Alan Scott Pate.
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