A sense of confidence and pride in the nation developed after Japan’s victories against China (AD 1895) and Russia (1905). The acquisition of an empire accelerated in 1910 with the annexation of Korea. Japan now felt itself equal to the Western powers diplomatically and strategically.

The expansion of public transportation, communications, higher education, and journalism during the Taishô period (1912-26) helped build a truly 'popular' culture, accessible to a far greater number of people than Meiji-era 'civilisation and enlightenment' trends. In particular, the lives of middle-class urban dwellers closely followed the patterns and products of European lifestyles. The young men and women of the cities were in the vanguard of fashion, with so-called 'modern boys' and 'modern girls' (mobo and moga in their slang abbreviations) emulating their Western peers in fashion and manners.

The reconstruction of Tokyo after the Great Kantô Earthquake of 1923 furthered the capital’s transformation into an international city. The phonograph and radio brought Western music into people’s homes, and moving pictures were very popular, with narrators in the cinemas bringing the silent films to life. This period also saw the introduction of several foreign sports, including the Japanese passion for baseball.