Jogaku zasshi

[3] Early editions of Jogaku zasshi featured plain informative articles which soon became more sophisticated and more literary-oriented to compete with its rival Kokumin no Tomo which was started in February 1887.

[3] In May 1887 Iwamoto Yoshiharu published an article in Jogaku zasshi criticizing Japanese prime minister Ito Hirobumi who held a costume party at the official residence.

[3] It targeted women and played a significant role in introducing Christianity to the Japanese society and in advocating the western lifestyle.

[5] Although Jogaku zasshi was a women's magazine, the early contributors were mainly male with some exceptions such as Nakajima Shôen (1863-1901), Shimizu Shikin (1867-1933), Miyake Kaho (1868-1944) and Wakamatsu Shizuko (1864-1896).

[8] The contributors and particularly, the editor of the magazine, Iwamoto Yoshiharu, encouraged women to become active in life, including becoming writers instead of being passive readers.