We invite you to explore an exhibition of rare nishiki-e (multicolored woodblock prints), kamishibai (paper plays), and other compelling material from the collections of the Hoover Institution Library & Archives on the history of modern Japanese propaganda, encompassing the Meiji Era (1868–1912) through to the Pacific theater of World War II (1941–45).

Fanning the Flames: Propaganda in Modern Japan highlights the top-down delivery of propaganda, its pervasive influence on ordinary people, particularly young children, and grassroots participation in the consumption of propaganda.

This exhibition is part of a larger project, which includes an interactive website, richly illustrated publication, and on-going speaker series.

To see the new temporary exhibition Fanning the Flames: Propaganda in Modern Japan as well as the re-opening of Hoover@100, please review the Hoover Tower galleries open hours and visitor information for more details. Exhibitions are free.

Closed on July 15, 2022. Reserve your entry ticket today to Hoover Tower on our eventbrite webpage!

 


Fanning the Flames: Teacher's Guide

A free teacher’s guide that teaches students visual media literacy by utilizing primary source documents from the Hoover Institution Library & Archives is a new resource courtesy of a SPICE-Hoover collaboration. Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE) Curriculum Specialist Waka Brown has led the crafting of this new curriculum that engages students in the analysis of primary sources from the website, Fanning the Flames: Propaganda in Modern Japan, which features Japanese propaganda during the Meiji Era (1868–1912) through to the Pacific War (1941–45). Brown developed activities that introduce students to the importance of understanding and interpreting propaganda and engage them in a critical analysis of the primary sources. The teacher’s guide was made possible with a grant from the Japan Fund of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies.

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Wednesday, October 29, 2025
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The Alliance for Civics in the Academy hosts What is the Alliance for Civics in the Academy? with Josiah Ober, Mary Clark, Jenna Storey, Peter Levine… Hoover Institution, Stanford University
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