1955-64 Japan (Help still needed, plot bunny hint added)

[Spokavriel]

I'm plotting a fic which the more I go over the idea the more clear it is to me I will be setting it some time between 1957 and 1965 So I was wondering what are some good resources for what life was like in Tokyo at that time especially in schools and family life. But any resources on that time frame in Japan will be helpful. If I knew Japanese I'd see about periodicals and News papers but I don't so I'm cut off from those sources.

So far my best resource is the Miyazaki movie "Only Yesterday" If it wasn't my only current resource I'd feel a bit better. And I'm not even sure if it's the right time frame.

[J. St.C. Patrick]

If you have a good Used Book store near you have a look for these:

While not the greatest, "Japan" published by Life in 1961 as part of their World Library series would be a good start, if only for the pictures.

National Geographic ran an article on Tokyo in 1964 prior to the the Olympics.

[Spokavriel]

I know my library system has been maintaining collections of both those publishers works. So I might be able to find them there. Thanks for the leads J.St.C.Patrick.

Still any more anyone else wants to offer even online so long as it isn't baseless fiction.

[stratagemini]

I would recommend looking at the television aired in that time period. the news is helpful, but more helpful are entertainment programs because tehy give you a window into the popular thought of the time.

[Spokavriel]

It's hard to find ones from that part of the reconstruction. It's almost like they didn't have time to archive any of it until the 70's Japan was still a big mess picking up after WWII and I'm guessing that may be part of why I'm having so much trouble finding things on my own.

[Spokavriel]

Continual fragmentation of parties and a succession of minority governments led conservative forces to merge the Liberal Party (Jiyuto) with the Japan Democratic Party (Nihon Minshuto), an offshoot of the earlier Democratic Party, to form the Liberal Democratic Party (Jiyu-Minshuto; LDP) in November 1955. This party continuously held power from 1955 through 1993, when it was replaced by a new minority government. LDP leadership was drawn from the elite who had seen Japan through the defeat and occupation; it attracted former bureaucrats, local politicians, businessmen, journalists, other professionals, farmers, and university graduates. In October 1955, socialist groups reunited under the Japan Socialist Party, which emerged as the second most powerful political force. It was followed closely in popularity by the Komeito (Clean Government Party), founded in 1964 as the political arm of the Soka Gakkai (Value Creation Society), a lay organization of the Buddhist sect Nichiren Shoshu. The Komeito emphasized traditional Japanese beliefs and attracted urban laborers, former rural residents, and many women. Like the Japan Socialist Party, it favored the gradual modification and dissolution of the Japan-United States Mutual Security Assistance Pact.

This Wikipedia information has helped a little and may help others in pointing me to the right places to find information. I really want to know what it was like just after the LDP came into existence but before the Komeito.

I plan to use the Soka Gakki and Komeito as part of the reasons why Nodoka ends up so Traditional after the events in my idea take place. I need the earlier information to help get an idea of how the story characters should be in relation to how the environment was.

Edit hint of the story concept so far:

There are many survivors of the Silver Millennium on Earth. Including some of the Families of the Nerima area of Japan. I want the story to take place when Principal Kuno, Nadoka, and Soun Tendo would all be attending High School. While they are going to school the Parents of the Kuno family end up sacrificing their souls and sanity repairing a rift created in Queen Serenities' Seal on the Negaverse. Unfortunately some Youma get out. Ones that if they still existed later would have taken out Usagi easily before finding Mercury. So other decedents of the Millennium have to deal with them before life can get back to normal for Nerima.

I've even come up with some Nerima martial arts sytle evolution concepts for the Kuno line. From Martial Arts Bonsai Topiary, To Martial Arts Beautician after Principal Kuno's Father falls for a woman working as a hair dresser and refining it as they work as effectively base barbers during the American Occupation.

I'm excellent at imagining back story but I need to know more of the environment of Post WWII Japan between 1955 and 1964 just because it was so hectic and I'd like to have the right setting.

Happosai and Genma will end up involved too but I don't want to give too much away before I have the information I need to really flesh out the concept.