Vintage Japan Silk Advertising Label Sumo Wrestler Postcard

If you love culture and kitsch, you will enjoy these vintage advertising and product labels from the booming years of Japan’s silk trade. This vintage advertising postcard features a silk advertisement from Hakuko Sha featuring two sumo wrestlers. Luxurious silk has a long history with Asia. Worldwide demand for this silk gave birth to the “Silk Road,” a trade route that ran from China to the Mediterranean Sea. Silk was considered valuable—even more valuable than gold—and was often traded for precious metals and other high-quality items. During the twentieth century, silk production had dropped due to the two world wars. The industry picked up after World War II and Japan became the biggest producer of raw silk.