Connecting Shiseido's 100-Year-Old Owned Media
“Hanatsubaki” to the Future

“Hanatsubaki” has been loved by many readers for years as Shiseido’s corporate culture magazine. In November 2024, the magazine was renewed and become an art book. An art book is a publication that is gaining popularity as a medium for artists and creators to express their worldview and present their works using photographs and images. While adapting to the changing of times, “Hanatsubaki” has continued to pursue the possibilities of "beauty" for 100 years. This time, we look back on the history of “Hanatsubaki,” its impact on Shiseido and Japanese "beauty," and its future prospects. We talked to Editor-in-Chief Tsukada-san.

Tsukada:　“Hanatsubaki” is currently published as a print medium once a year and is also available on an irregularly updated website. The paper version is distributed at Shiseido-related facilities, bookstores, and lifestyle shops nationwide. It is generally distributed for free, and people can pick one up themselves at bookstores, read it online on the website, or request via mail for one to be sent to them.

The magazine was suspended during the war but revived in 1950. With the period of rapid economic growth, its circulation continued to grow, reaching over 6.55 million copies in the late 1960s, becoming a national magazine. There is even an anecdote that a train ran solely to transport “Hanatsubaki”!

In the 1980s, under Art Director Masayoshi Nakajo and Editor-in-Chief Keiko Hirayama, an editorial policy of "visual entertainment" was set, making the publication a cutting-edge culture magazine with a graphical layout. In 2012, it returned to its roots as a corporate culture magazine to allow for the expression of Shiseido's uniqueness. In 2016, the publication transitioned from a monthly to a quarterly magazine, and the web version was launched, leading to the present.

Tsukada:　In the 1970s, the main readers were Shiseido's customers, but from the late 1980s, as the graphic design aspect became more prominent, it began to attract attention from a wider audience interested in art, culture, and fashion. Accordingly, distribution locations expanded to bookstores and select shops. From the 2016 renewal to 2023, the main target of the magazine has been the younger generation in their 20s and 30s. However, it is widely picked up by readers of all ages and genders who have loved “Hanatsubaki” all these years.

Tsukada:　In this renewal, we set a vision to become an "Aesthetic Visionary," that is, an "Explorer of New Beauty." “Hanatsubaki” is now entering a new phase; following the era of "awareness" at its inception, to an era of subsequent "empathy." It is a time for each of us to discover and enjoy new expressions of beauty. We are consciously creating a magazine in which people can find new expressions of beauty while also preserving our unvarying stance of proposing a "rich and beautiful lifestyle."

When I consulted Clarisse, she said she felt a sense of "art de vivre" from looking through the back issues. This French term means living a beautiful and rich life (referring to the art of living) and was actually a part of Shiseido's corporate message in 2000. She had never looked through “Hanatsubaki” before, nor had she ever been to Japan. Yet, I was surprised and deeply moved when she expressed “Hanatsubaki” with that word. I was convinced that I could create “Hanatsubaki” with her.

Tsukada:　Through online meetings and emails with Clarisse, she suggested that the words of French philosopher and psychoanalyst Cynthia Fleury, "Society cannot exist without care," to be very important in today's world. And I felt that this resonated with Shiseido and “Hanatsubaki.” Shiseido has long been involved in promoting self-care and care for others, as well as running the Shiseido Art House and Gallery, caring about artwork and heritage. Realizing that "care" was an important element for Shiseido, we decided on this theme and incorporated it into each feature from multiple perspectives.

Tsukada:　Graphic design is a very important element in “Hanatsubaki,” but in this renewal, we are prioritizing elegance, returning to its original essence. Each photo in the art book is of a quality that one could display at home like an art piece. We have been conscious about creating something that you would want to keep close to you. We have also changed the quality of the paper in accordance with each content, so I think people can have an experience in which their five senses get stimulated. We are committed to including content that transcends time and can be continued to be read and not end up being a mere information magazine.

Tsukada:　The printed version is the main focus, with the web version playing a complementary role. Until 2021, the targets for the paper version and the web versions were different, but we have unified our worldview and started creating content for both the printed version and the web version. After this renewal, we aim to have people who do not have the opportunity to have a printed version also experience the content of “Hanatsubaki” and get a feel for Shiseido's aesthetics by posting selected content from the printed version on the web.

Tsukada:　It is to continue being a "beautiful gift" for readers. Also, for the editorial team and creators, it is a place where they can create with originality, new and diverse beauty. Even when talking with past editors-in-chief, I get a sense that the spirit of Shiseido is cherished and that a foundation where people can take on the challenge of free and new methods of expression is nurtured. More so, the presence of art directors and creative directors is significant in “Hanatsubaki.” This is a something that differs from other media, and it makes me think that the commitment to aesthetics is continuously being inherited.

Tsukada:　I think this is a unique thing about Shiseido. It is important in our cultural activities that employees who deeply understand Shiseido's philosophy and ideas express beauty as editors, and similarly, in the "Shiseido Gallery" (Ginza, Tokyo), in-house curators bear the responsible for curation.

Tsukada:　We, at the Art & Heritage Management Department, run the "Shiseido Gallery," "Shiseido Corporate Museum," and "Art House" (the latter two both in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture). Shiseido has considered the culture it has cultivated as an important asset and has continued to cherish and protect it.

“Hanatsubaki” is also included as one of Shiseido's cultural activities. The activity of preserving and disseminating culture is firmly rooted within the company. I think this is what differentiates us from others. While we sometimes describe “Hanatsubaki” as owned media to explain it in simple terms, in reality, its role is significantly different from the current, standard owned media, and I think its presence at Shiseido is indispensable.

Tsukada:　Next year, we plan to team up with another creative director. We want to continue taking on the challenge of various expressions by collaborating with a variety of people and playing with “Hanatsubaki”—with free ideas. As for themes, while we will continue to focus on matters related to beauty, we want to “create” by taking into consideration societal trends and the direction that the company is aiming for.

I believe that beauty is the most powerful force in the world. Beauty nurtures love, and love is life itself. Yet beauty manifests in countless forms. I am particularly drawn to a beauty that is intertwined with health, nature, and well-being—a beauty that inspires harmony and renewal. My hope is that the revitalized Hanatsubaki carries this vision of beauty to its readers, offering inspiration and a deeper appreciation of life.