Why Japan’s Youth Is Ditching Screens for Printed Zines
Japan’s independent print media is experiencing a major resurgence, driven by younger readers seeking an alternative to digital screens. The country’s self-published zine market has doubled in the past four years to over US$900 million. As major Japanese bookstore chains clear shelf space for these indie creations, this unique analog nostalgia economy may be gradually returning to the mainstream.
Surrounded by the smell of ink and humming printing presses... 40-year-old photographer Obara Kazuma and his creative partner are here to check up on their latest publication...
Without a professional publishing house... the pair has found editorial freedom and a niche, younger fanbase through their rather old-school creation – a zine.
Obara says print media has the power to bring people closer... especially in the digital age.
OBARA KAZUMA, PHOTOGRAPHER (Kyoto, Japan):
"I think print media is incredibly open. You can hand it to someone, you can read it together. Phones, by contrast, feel like they are very insular. Everyone is each in their own little space, enjoying their own little world."
This printing factory in Kyoto has served more and more artists like Obara. While traditional print media dwindles in number and sales... self-published zines are on the rise... all thanks to younger readers.
OKAZAKI YOSHIHIKO, KYOTO SHIMBUN PRINTING (Kyoto, Japan):
"People in their 40s and 50s might even be the generation that calls them ‘old media’. But as I do this kind of work now, I’m finding that, surprisingly, it resonates with younger people in their 20s and early 30s. I even hear comments like, ‘It’s interesting precisely because it’s old.’"
At this zine fest in Tokyo, some say it’s nostalgia... some say it’s the sensory experience of the rustling pages and the smell of ink.
KISHINO WATASHI, ZINE CREATOR (Tokyo, Japan):
"I simply love paper and books. I think AI and digital tools make it possible to create all kinds of things now, and the range of possibilities is really broad. But with analog, there’s this quality of having something that actually remains in your hands, and I find that really appealing."
The zine publishing market in Japan is estimated at over 900 million US dollars... and it has doubled in the past four years.
Now, with a big Japanese bookstore chain putting zines on its shelves... the nostalgia economy of print media seems to be moving back into the mainstream... bringing people out to share what they love.
