ABSTRACT
One of the industry's most important products was furniture designed after Western mainstream models, as well as traditional handicraft furniture. The variety of furniture styles produced in prison since World War II was a direct consequence of post-war reconstruction processes. Japanese furniture production underwent a huge change after World War II. What constitutes prison industry is largely categorised into three fields: productive work; vocational training; and self-supporting work. An appetite for Western-style furniture had existed since Japan opened to the West in the mid nineteenth century. The prisons in the cities of Kofu and Fuchu were quick to introduce these furniture types in the Western styles. The karaki products always received commissions despite their high price. The corrections fairs offered a view into how prisons supported Japanese consumer culture from different angles. The making of Japanese furniture has been discreetly supported by the prison industry for decades.
