Kody Shafer

Neon Spectacular Kody Shafer

As defined by the outdoor advertising legend, Douglas Leigh, a neon spectacular is "an oversized advertising display with neon or lamps in unusual animations". As the roaring twenties took off in America, outdoor advertisers had a field day creating gigantic and unusual signs to appeal to the public. It was a competition to see who could create the most outstanding display. From steaming coffee pots to flying neon signs on blimps, it could be argued that the United States was at the top of the outdoor advertising game. In a short period of time, Japan recovered from the destruction of World War II and swiftly reindustrialized. Japan's neon industry, which had sprouted in the 1920s, made a great comeback as the country achieved economic prosperity. Japan is now known to be the world's neon mecca. Whether a beer company, bank, or restaurant, huge neon signs could be seen in abundance along highways, skyscrapers, and train tracks. Over the years, Japan developed their own production methods, materials, and designs for neon lights. From the neon bans during the war, to the sprawling economic booms, Neon Spectacular: Japan provides an inside look into the history of the Japanese neon industry with stories and photographs from over 100 years' time.
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