Billboard for BIGANSUI Acne Lotion in Shinsaibashi (Osaka)

These are old photo postcards with a nostalgic scene of the area of Shinsaibashi.

Many people may associate billboards representing Osaka with those for the Glico Running Man or the crab restaurant Kani Douraku. In certain periods in the past, BIGANSUI Acne Lotion, which celebrates its 135th anniversary this year, was advertised using a billboard on the streets. Take a close look at the billboard on each photo postcard, and you will see the name of "Momotanijuntenkan" at the bottom of the billboard, together with the company emblem depicting a "dragonfly sitting on a peach" on the left side of the billboard and "Kasa-bijin" (beautiful woman in kimono holding an umbrella), which was registered as a trademark in 1902, on the right side.

Neither the exact date nor the period of the placement of the billboard is known. The Japanese characters written from right to left on the billboard indicates that these photos were taken before 1945.

BIGANSUI Iroha Karuta Cards

BIGANSUI Acne Lotion has long been appreciated by people even though the times are changing. The development of the product opened a new chapter in the history of the pharmacy "Masakiya," established about 400 years ago in the Keicho era. It evolved into a cosmetics manufacturer named "Momotanijuntenkan."

These are BIGANSUI Iroha Karuta* cards, which were used for a game using cards with words and pictures. (* The term "Karuta" derives from the Portuguese word "carta," meaning "card" in English.)

The Japanese alphabet today starts with "A, I, U, E, O." In certain periods in the past, however, it started with "I, Ro, Ha, Ni, Ho, He, To." There was a set of popular short poems called "Iroha-uta poetry," which was used as a tool for Japanese children to learn the Japanese alphabet series.

＜いろはうた＞
いろはにほへと　ちりぬるを → 色は匂へど　散りぬるを
わかよたれそ　つねならむ → 我が世誰ぞ　常ならむ
うゐのおくやま　けふこえて → 有為の奥山　今日越えて
あさきゆめみし　ゑひもせす → 浅き夢見じ　酔ひもせず

It is said that "Iroha-uta" poetry using the 47 characters of the Japanese alphabet also played an important role in teaching the spirit of Buddhism.

In the Iroha Karuta game, which is said to originate in the latter part of the Edo period (1603-1867), players compete to find picture cards that match the card with an iroha-uta poem being read aloud. In the game, there were 48 cards with a poem each, which began with one of the 47 characters or the character representing "Kyo."

The following are some poems from BIGANSUI Iroha Karuta cards, which were modeled after the Iroha Karuta cards. (Note: Although in Japanese, each poem starts with one of the Japanese alphabetic characters; the English translation below conveys the meaning of each poem only. )

"Once you start using BIGANSUI, you can no longer stop it."
"Proof is better than argument: BIGANSUI is favored by many people."
"The earlier you start to apply BIGANSUI, the earlier you become beautiful."
"If you are troubled with acne, just apply BEGANSUI."
"The middle-size bottle of BIGANSUI costs 15 sen*." (* The term "sen" is an old Japanese monetary unit.)
"BIGANSUI is very popular among young ladies in particular."
"BIGANSUI is perfect for treatment of pimples."
"BIGANSUI leads to soft, smooth and glowing skin."
"It is a great honor to offer BIGANSUI to noble persons."

It is very fun to see the BIGANSUI Karuta cards, which clearly and concisely communicate the major features and efficacy of BIGANSUI Acne Lotion.

"Zoku Gofun-kan Denki" ("Five-minute Biography Continued"): Highlights of 45 Great Persons in the World

There is a book featuring the biographies of 45 great persons. It is titled "Zoku Gofun-kan Denki" ("Five-minute Biography Continued"), published in 1956.

A radio program introducing the episodes of great persons in the world was aired from 1952 to 1955. During the four years, more than 200 great persons were featured in the program.

From among them, 45 persons were selected, and their stories were compiled into a book titled "Five-minute Biography Continued."

The well-known great persons taken up in the book include Walt Disney, the founder of Disneyland and Walt Disney World; Frederic Francois Chopin, a Polish composer and pianist; the Wright brothers, renowned for inventing the airplane; Michelangelo Buonarroti, an Italian sculptor and painter; Thomas J. Lipton, famous for black tea; and Albert Einstein, a theoretical physicist.

Masajiro Momotani had the honor of being selected one of the 45 great persons and being introduced as a "business person of love" in the book. It depicts what drove him to step into the world of drug development, what he was like, and why and how he created "BIGANSUI Acne Lotion" for his beloved wife.

Hana-Densha (decorated streetcar) by Cosmetic Company Momotanijuntenkan

The history of Hana-Densha (decorated streetcar) dates back to 1905. The term "Hana-Densha" means a streetcar decorated with flowers, red-and-white curtains, and lights for a celebratory event or festival.

The festival to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the dedication of Meiji Shrine was held for three days from November 1, 1930, during which gorgeously decorated Hana-Densha ran through the city.
Momotani Juntekan contributed to the celebration event by decorating a streetcar with a unique design marking its presence as a cosmetics manufacturer, a picture postcard of which remains today. Other companies sponsoring the Hana-Densha included Kao, Utena, Lion, Marumiya, and Ida Kyoeido.

In those day, these companies had been using a common catchphrase to encourage people to buy home-manufactured products. So, you can see the term "Japan-made" printed on the front and side of Momotanijuntenkan’s Hana-Densha.

Initially, Hana-Densha carried passengers, but they later came to be operated only for ornamental purposes. Finally, the custom of running Hana-Densha for celebratory events was abolished due to the worsened traffic situation.

Prominent People who supported Momotanijuntenkan: Dr. Ikujiro Sakurai

Have you ever heard of "Dr. Ikujiro Sakurai"? He was the founder of the department of gynecology of the University of Tokyo, Japan’s first obstetrician-gynecologist, who delivered Emperor Taisho, and a medical and pharmaceutical educator at the University of Tokyo. He was such a popular educator and researcher that many students came to see him from across the nation to study under him. One of such people was Masajiro Momotani, who later became the founder of Momotanijuntenkan.

In the times when the rail system had not been developed yet, Masajiro traveled long distances from his hometown in the Kishu region (present-day Wakayama Prefecture) to Tokyo, hoping that he would be able to study the latest pharmaceutical science under Dr. Sakurai of Tokyo Imperial University (currently the University of Tokyo), who was renowned as a scientist of Western medicine. Due to his earnest persuasion, Masajiro was able to become a disciple of Dr. Sakurai and learn the latest pharmaceutical technology. Under the guidance of Dr. Sakurai, Masajiro finally succeeded in developing three types of medical agents: "BIGANSUI Acne Lotion," the dermatological drug "Namazutori-yaku," and the female-specific drug "Washungan." Later, they became three of Momotanijuntenkan’s five medical products that took the industry by storm.

For more than 135 years since its development, BIGANSUI Acne Lotion has been sold with no change in its formula. It has been awarded "Chemical Heritage" status for being Japan’s first Western medicine formula.

In the times when there was no concept of skin lotion, BIGANSUI Acne Lotion, which contains salicylic acid as the main ingredient, was marketed as a medicine to cure acne.

The development of BIGANSUI Acne Lotion became a major turning point for the pharmacy "Masakiya" to embark on the manufacturing of cosmetic products under the new trade name of "Momotanijuntenkan."

Looking back on that time, Dr. Ikujiro Sakurai is said to have said this about his impression of Masajiro Momotani: "When I met Masajiro Momotani for the first time, he was young, just out of college. But he was a dedicated person with a strong sense of duty, the type of person capable of achieving great success."

Prominent People who supported Momotanijuntenkan: Dr. Jun (Ryojun) Matsumoto

From the late Edo period to the Meiji period, there was a nationally highly respected physician named Dr. Jun (Ryojun) Matsumoto.

As the first Army Surgeon General, he contributed to establishing the army’s military physician system and hygiene system.

Even many decades after his death, Dr. Matsumoto appears as a character in various historical novels, TV dramas, and films. So his name may be familiar to many people. For example, in "JIN," which was adapted into a TV drama (TBS) from the comics and became a huge hit, he was depicted as a physician showing a cooperative attitude toward the main character.

When he was young, Masajiro Momotani, who later became the founder of Momotanijuntenkan, was introduced to Dr. Jun (Ryojun) Matsumoto by Mr. Yukichi Goto, who at that time was vice director of Wakayama Prefecture’s medical school hospital.

Under the teaching of Dr. Matsumoto, in the Meiji period, Masajiro created the fever-reducing drug "Kainetsugan" and the liquid toothache drug "Haita-eki." It is recorded that these drugs, along with "BIGANSUI Acne Lotion," "Washungan," and "Namazutori-yaku," came to be known as the "five blockbuster drugs of Momotanijuntenkan" in the industry.

These drugs were displayed in the special exhibition "A Thousand Wonders of Japanese Technology" held at the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, from 2018 to 2019 in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Meiji Period. Presently, they are kept with great care at Momotanijuntenkan as valuable materials.