The first 50 Years of Children's and Girl's Magazines

Magazine List as given in the September, 2009, issue of Gekkan Bijutsu. (Monthly Artwork) magazine.  Focus is on girl's magazines, but does include some women's, boy's and children's titles.  Some end dates, and notes on name changes were added based on Japanese google searches.

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Romaji Title Original Title English Translation Launched Folded Duration
Myoujou 明星 Morning Star 1900 1908 8 years
Jogaku Sekai 女学世界 Woman's Learning World 1901 1925 24 years
Shojo Kai 少女界 Girl's Kingdom 1902 1912 10 years
Shojo Sekai 少女世界 Girl's World 1906 1931 15 years
Shojo no Tomo 少女の友 Girl's Friend 1908 1955 47 years
Shirakanba 白樺 White Birch 1910 1923 13 years
Fujo Kai 婦女世 Woman's Kingdom 1910 ??? ???
Seitou 青踏 Blue Stocking 1911 1916 5 years
Kodansha Kurabu 講談倶楽部 Kodansha Club 1911 1962 51 years
Shojo Gahou 少女画報 Girl's Illustrated 1912 1942 30 years
Kodomo no Tomo 子供之友 Child's Friend 1914 1943 29 years
Shonen Kurabu 少年倶楽部 Boy's Club 1914 1962 48 years
Fujin Kouron 婦人公論 Woman's Opinion 1916 Present On-going
Shufu no Tomo 主婦之友 Housewife's Friend 1917 Present On-going
Akai Tori 赤い鳥 Redbird 1918 1936 18 years
Kin no Fune 金の船 Gold Ship / Gold Star 1919 1922 10 Years
Fujin Kurabu 婦人倶楽部 Woman's Club 1920 1988 68 years
Myoujou (Reissue) 明星 Morning Star (Reissue) 1921 1927 6 years
Reijo Kai 令女会 Reijo World 1922 1950 28 years
Sande- Mainichi サンデー毎日 Sunday Everyday 1922 Present On-going
Shuukan Asahi 週刊朝日 Weekly Asahi 1922 Present On-going
Kodomo no Kuni コドモノクニ Child's Country 1922 1944 22 years
Bungeishunjuu 文藝春秋 Literary Seasons 1923 Present On-going
Shojo Kurabu 少女倶楽部 Girl's Club 1923 1962 39 years
Kingu キング King 1924 1966 42 years
Fuji 冨士 Fuji 1928 ??? ???
Hinode 日の出 Sunrise 1932 ??? ???
Shin Joen 新女苑 New Woman's Garden 1937 ??? ???
Soreiyu それいゆ Soleil 1946 1960 14 years
Himawari ひまわり Sunflower 1947 1952 5 years
Manga Shonen 漫画少年 Manga Boy 1947 1955 8 years
Bokura ぼくら Us 1954 1969 15 years
Shukan Shojo Furendo 週刊少女フレンド Weekly Girl's Friend 1962 1996 37 years
Garo ガロ Garo 1964 2002 38 years

  

Notes:

Not all of the magazines mentioned in the September, 2009, issue of Gekkan Bijutsu have information about them on the net.  Specifically, I can not information on Fujo Kai, Fuji, Hinode and Shin Joen. They seem to be primarily women's fashion magazines but I can't tell that for sure.  In any event, I don't have end dates for them.

I added Bokura, Garo and Manga Shonen to the list to make my own life easier.  Specifically, Bokura replaced Shonen Club; Garo was an experimental manga magazine that has been getting some attention in the U.S. press lately; and, Manga Shonen was the focus of an exhibit in Tokyo at the end of 2009.

In 1922, the company producing 金の船 (Gold Ship) changed its name to 金の星 (Gold Star), which was reflected in the changing of the name of the magazine as well.  In 1929, the 金の星 magazine was discontinued.

In 1942, the Japanese military government issued an order to reduce the number of magazines, and to ban "pure entertainment" publications ostensibly to conserve printing paper, but also to ensure that publications would churn out war-time propaganda.  Under this order, Shojo Gahou was absorbed by Shojo no Tomo.

In 1946, 少年倶楽部 (Shonen Kurabu) changed it's name to 少年クラブ (Shonen Club). In 1962, Kodansha decided that it didn't need both Shonen Club and Bokura, which were both aimed at young males, and decided to discontinue Shonen Club in favor of Bokura.

In 1946, 少女倶楽部 (Shojo Kurabu) changed it's name to 少女クラブ (Shojo Club). In 1962, it was supplanted by the new start-up, Weekly Shojo Friend.

In 1953, 主婦之友 (Shufu no Tomo) changed it's name to 主婦の友 (Shufu no Tomo).

  

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All text copyright Curtis Hoffmann, (2009) ThreeStepsOverJapan. Do not reproduce or distribute without permission of the author. All rights to the images belong to their respective owners and are used here for educational purposes only.