Ricard Bru is a renowned specialist in Japanese culture and history. Following his initial studies in Barcelona, Ricard expanded his field of work with long research stays in Tokyo and Kyoto. He has produced several important studies and publications on the influence of Japanese art on Western art.

The interview covers part of Japan’s modern history as seen through the country’s earliest stamps, a historical period that goes from the Meiji Restoration to the Second World War. In this journey through the past, we shall see the ways in which historical events are linked with stamps, and how Japanese philately gradually adapted to European aesthetic criteria and production methods.

Welcome! Today we will be embarking on a journey through the recent history of the Empire of the Rising Sun.