– Authentic period hōrō kanban (vitreous-enamel shop sign) from the Shōwa era – the great Japanese vintage-advertising category – Promotion for the Japanese household-condiment brand “Tsubasa Tonkatsu Sauce” – Strong vertical proportions for hanging beside a shop entrance or as a wall statement: approximately 60 cm × 14 cm Summary: An authentic Shōwa-period Japanese enamel advertising sign (hōrō kanban) for Tsubasa Tonkatsu Sauce, the kind of bold, graphic shop-front signage that once defined small Japanese commercial streets. Most hōrō kanban were scrapped during postwar modernisation and the disappearance of family-run grocers, which makes surviving examples now a genuinely collectible category – particularly food and beverage signs, which speak directly to the everyday life of mid-twentieth-century Japan. A strong piece for collectors of Japanese vintage advertising and for European enthusiasts of Showa-retro design. Hōrō kanban (literally “enamel signboards”) were produced in Japan from the late Meiji period through the Shōwa era, using vitreous enamel fired onto steel plate. The technique gave signs a vivid, light-fast surface that could survive years of outdoor exposure – the same reason they have come down to us decades later still legible and bright. Today, hōrō kanban for soy sauce, sake, soap, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and tonkatsu sauce sit at the heart of the Shōwa-retro design movement. Tonkatsu – breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet – has been a beloved Japanese household dish since the Taishō era, and a generation of regional sauce brands built their identities around the dish’s success. Tsubasa is one such brand, advertised here in the punchy, brand-forward graphic language of the period: bold Japanese typography against a high-contrast field. The piece carries the honest patina of outdoor commercial use – surface scuffs, rust spotting, edge wear, and the integrated character of a real working sign rather than a polished reproduction. These traces are part of what makes hōrō kanban so atmospheric and are not faults to be removed. At approximately 60 cm × 14 cm, the sign has strong vertical proportions – the format historically used beside shop doors or pasted to a vertical pillar at street level. It hangs well in a contemporary kitchen, a vintage-Japanese bar, a Japanese-themed café, or as a standalone graphic statement in a more pared-back interior. Condition: honest period wear – surface marks, rust patches, paint and enamel chipping at edges. White cushion material and tape on the reverse from previous hanging may be present. Please review carefully. A characterful slice of Shōwa-era Japanese commercial culture, ready to anchor a wall. Shipping & Handling We ship worldwide via DHL or EMS with full insurance and tracking. Professional packing ensures safe arrival; combined shipping available for multiple wins. Local customs duties are the buyer’s responsibility. Seller Guarantee We specialise in authentic Japanese collectibles and guarantee this piece’s authenticity. Questions welcome – we reply within 24 hours. 1616