Housewife's Friend - Shufu no Tomo

A long-established Japanese monthly women's magazine that was published from 1917 (Taisho 6) to 2008 (Heisei 20). It was published by Shufunotomo Co., Ltd. It was a household magazine that consistently featured practical articles on everyday life such as cooking, childcare, housework, and money-saving methods, and was known as the first magazine to include a household account book and clothing patterns as an appendix. From the time of its launch, it featured "wisdom for daily life," which helped establish the term "housewife" in Japan.

It was first published in 1917 by publisher and editor Ishikawa Takeyoshi (1887-1961). At the time of its launch (circulation of 10,000 copies, list price 15 sen), it advocated "family happiness and improving the status of women," and the year after its launch, it set the precedent for a separate supplement. By 1943 (Showa 18) during World War II, it had become a popular magazine with a circulation of approximately 1.64 million copies. It was one of the four major women's magazines, along with Fujin Kurabu (Fujin Club) (1920-1988), Shufu to Seikatsu (Shufu and Lifestyle) (1946-1993), and Fujin Seikatsu (Fujin Lifestyle) (1947-1986). Since its launch, the title was "Shufu no Tomo," but in 1954 (Showa 29), it was changed to Shufu no Tomo. The March 1956 issue was enlarged to B5 size, and the January 1966 issue was AB size. From 1964, the magazine used the catchphrase "If you get married, you'll be a Shufu no Tomo" and in 1989 it reached a postwar record of around 1.62 million copies. However, as the number of working women increased, the number of copies sold gradually decreased, and in 1993, the magazine stopped using its standard color cover featuring actresses and revamped it into a lifestyle information magazine, but competition from the proliferation of women's magazines and the spread of digital information meant that the number of copies sold continued to decline, and the magazine was suspended with its June 2008 issue. At the time of suspension, the number of copies in circulation was around 70,000, and according to a survey by the magazine, 95% of its readers at the time of suspension were married women. Since 2014, the magazine has been relaunched as a mook magazine, Shufu no Tomo Deluxe, which is issued about once a year.

[Takeshi Yano June 19, 2018]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

1917年（大正6）から2008年（平成20）まで発行されていた日本の老舗(しにせ)女性月刊誌。発行は株式会社主婦の友社。一貫して料理、育児、家事、節約方法など暮らしに密着した実用本位の記事による家庭誌で、初めて付録に家計簿や衣服の型紙をつけた雑誌として知られる。創刊当時から「暮らしの知恵」特集を売り物にし、主婦ということばを日本に定着させた。

　出版社経営・編集者の石川武美(たけよし)（1887―1961）が1917年に創刊した。創刊時（発行部数1万部、定価15銭）に「家庭の幸福と女性の地位の向上」を標榜(ひょうぼう)し、創刊翌年には別冊付録の先鞭(せんべん)をつけた。第二次世界大戦中の1943年（昭和18）には約164万部を発行する人気雑誌となった。「婦人倶楽部(クラブ)」（1920～1988）、「主婦と生活」（1946～1993）、「婦人生活」（1947～1986）とならぶ4大婦人誌の一角を占めていた。発刊以来題字は「主婦之友」であったが、1954年（昭和29）に主婦の友に変更。1956年3月号からB5判に大型化し、1966年1月号にAB判となった。1964年からは「結婚したら主婦の友」というキャッチコピーを使い、1989年には戦後最高の約162万部を記録した。しかし働く女性の増加とともに徐々に部数を減らし、1993年（平成5）には定番であった女優のカラー表紙をやめて生活情報誌に刷新したが、乱立した女性誌との競争やデジタル情報の普及に押され、部数低迷に歯止めがかからず、2008年6月号をもって休刊した。休刊時の発行部数は約7万部で、同誌調査によると休刊時の読者の95％が既婚女性であった。なお2014年からは年1回程度発行のムック誌「主婦の友Delux(デラックス)」として復刊している。

［矢野　武　2018年6月19日］

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