Discover the Beauty of 1930s Japan through Authentic Travel Posters

Dreaming of vintage Japan? These beautiful 1930s Japanese travel posters are packed with bold colours, scenic landscapes and retro charm. Best of all, they’re high-resolution and free to download. Perfect for wall art, crafts and creative projects.

If you love vintage travel posters, you’re in for a treat. This collection of Japanese posters from the 1930s is full of bold colours, striking compositions and that classic retro style that still looks great today.

They were originally created to promote travel across Japan, with many produced by railway companies and tourism boards. You’ll spot familiar scenes like Mount Fuji, Kyoto temples, coastal views and hot spring resorts—each one showing off a different part of the country.

What I like about these posters is how graphic they feel. The colours are strong, the shapes are simple, and they sit somewhere between traditional Japanese woodblock prints and Art Deco design. That mix makes them really easy to use in modern projects.

All of the images here are high-resolution and free to download, so you can use them however you like. They’re perfect for wall art, but also great for crafts, think decoupage, cards, scrapbooking or junk journaling.

A Little Bit About Japan

Japan is the fourth-largest island country in the world and the second-most populous, with a population of about 126 million. The country lies off the eastern coast of the Asian continent; it’s known as “the land of the rising sun.”

Japan is a highly developed country with one of the world’s lowest infant mortality rates and one of the highest life expectancies. The Japanese passport is considered the world’s number one passport. Holders of a Japanese passport can travel visa-free or visa-on-arrival to 189 countries and territories worldwide.

These vintage Japanese travel posters include some of the country’s most popular natural sites and mountains. Natural elements are a common theme in Japanese art, as seen in these prints from the Shin-bijutsukai magazine.

With a population of over 38 million,  Greater Tokyo may be the most populous metropolitan area in the world. However, almost 75% of Japan is either forest or mountains, making it difficult to farm and industrialise.

Not only is the terrain difficult to colonise, but the country also sits along the “Pacific Ring of Fire”. This is why Japan has many volcanoes and experiences many earthquakes.

The Vintage Travel Posters Of Japan

The following Japanese travel posters are from the 1930s. They were made by the Japanese Government Railways. You might want to check out these vintage maps of Japan.

To download the poster you want, click on the title above. A larger image will open in a new tab; you can then print or save it.

Travel Posters 1-9

1. Japan Travel Poster – Yamanashi

The first Japanese travel poster illustrates the natural scenery of the Yamanashi area of Japan. The area is a popular tourist destination due to the prefecture’s proximity to Tokyo and great rail connections.

The favourite tourist spots to visit are  Mount Fuji, the Fuji Five Lakes region, the highland resort region of Kiyosato, the city of Kōfu, the Senga Falls, and Koshuwinerie.

2. Autumn in Nagoya

This next vintage Japanese travel poster illustrates autumn in Nagoya. The famous Nagoya Castle is the building in the picture. Built in 1612, Nagoya Castle is one of Japan’s most well-known castles and is considered a national treasure.

3. Tenryu River boat tour

The Tenryū River Valley is within the Tenryū-Okumikawa Quasi-National Park, which includes the Tenryū-kyō gorges. It is a popular tourist destination, having been designated a national scenic beauty spot in Japan.

4. Obama, Fukui, Japan

This next Japanese travel poster is of Obama in Fukui.

5. Yunoyama Onsen

Another vintage travel poster in this collection features an autumnal scene of red leaves. This one is of the Yunoyama Onsen, famed for its hot springs.

6. Yōrō Falls, Japan

This next poster is a summer scene at the Yōrō Falls.

7. Hakusan

Another lovely old tourist print of Japan. This one is of Mount Hakusan (white mountain), a dormant volcano. Along with Mount Tate and Mount Fuji, it is one of Japan’s “Three Holy Mountains“.

8. Mount Kirishima

This beautiful Japanese travel print depicts Mount Kirishima, an active volcano.

9. Mount Tate

Mount Tate, along with Mount Fuji and Mount Hakusan, is one of Japan’s “Three Holy Mountains.” On clear days, climbers can see Shōmyō Falls (the tallest waterfall in Japan) across the valley.

Japan Travel Posters 10-19

10. Matsushima Bay

Matsushima Bay with pine-covered rocky islets, sailboats, seagulls, and green birds amid golden and blue tones, a vintage Japanese travel poster

11. Steam Locomotive

Memorial poster for the 70th anniversary of Japan’s railways (1942).

12. Women and Mt Fuji

13. Snow Capped Mt Fuji

Print 14: Japanese Shinto Shrine

Print 15: Spotted Deer

16. Geisha With Fan

Geisha in red kimono holding a fan amid cherry blossoms for Osaka Shosen Kaisha steamship, vintage Japanese travel poster

17. Girl With Fan

18. Mt Fuji & Pine Trees

Mount Fuji in a golden fan framed by green pine branches against a pale sky, vintage Japanese travel poster

Poster 19. Children Waving Steamship

Final Thoughts & More

There is another Japanese travel poster print with this Cherry Blossom drawing collection.

These vintage Japanese travel posters are such an easy way to add a bit of colour and history to your projects. If you’re in the mood for more Japanese-inspired prints, there’s plenty more to explore on Pictureboxblue. Have a browse through the wider Japanese collection, which includes everything from maps and old photos to beautiful woodblock-style designs and botanical prints.

You might also like the decorative designs from Watanabe Seitei prints and the bold patterns from the Shin-Bijutsukai magazine, which have a similar graphic feel and work really well for crafts and journaling.

And if you enjoy these travel-style posters, don’t miss the vintage airline poster collection. It’s full of nostalgic adverts and route maps from the golden age of flying. They have the same mix of travel, design, and history, so they pair really well with Japanese posters if you’re creating themed wall art or craft projects.

You might also want to check out these other collections on Picture Box Blue.

• Traditional Chinese Patterns
• Vintage Circus Posters
• Antique World Maps

If you fancy, you can Buy Me A Coffee Here.