shows photos of Japan between the 1860s and 1930s. In 1854, Japan opened its doors to the outside world for the first time in more than 200 years. It set in motion a truly astounding transformation. As fate would have it, photography had just been invented. As the old country vanished and a new one was born, daring photographers took photos. Discover what life was like with their rare and precious photographs of old Japan.

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07/21/2008 (Monday)

Tags: Unknown • Meiji • Kobe • Railways • Transport
Tools: e-card • map • license photo • license text

A steam locomotive pushes wagons on the Tokaido railway line. The photographer was standing on Aioibashi (Aioi Bridge), a railway overpass, looking east with his back towards Kobe Station. The railroad connection between Kobe and Osaka was opened in May 1874. It took 70 minutes to travel the 32.7 kilometer route. Today it is a little over 20 minutes. In 1877, the line was extended to Kyoto and by 1889 passengers could travel between Kobe and Shinbashi Station in Tokyo. Aioibashi connected Motomachidori, a major shopping street, with Tamondori, location of Minatogawa Jinja, one of the most important shinto shrines in Kobe.

Tags: Unknown • Showa • Kobe • City Views
Tools: e-card • map • license photo • license text

A view from Kobe’s Tamondori onto Sankaku Koen (literally Triangle Park) in Hyogo-ku. The road on the right is Daikaidori (大開道), the one on the left Yanagiharasen (柳原線). It lead to Hyogo Station, and still does so, today. Behind the photographer’s back is Shinkaichi (新開地), until WWII, Kobe’s main commercial and entertainment center, famous for its many theaters. Though visually unremarkable, this area is actually the birthplace of Kobe.

Tags: Unknown • Showa • Kobe • Buildings • City Views
Tools: e-card • map • license photo • license text

A view on stately buildings along Kobe’s Kaigandori, known among foreigners as the Bund, sometime between 1922 and 1927. This street originally directly faced the sea (see Kobe 1880s • Houses at Bund for the same location 40 years earlier). By 1921, reclamation work in the bay had increased the harbor’s capacity by 2.1 million ton¹. Kobe Port now handled 40% of Japan’s trade in monetary value. As can be seen on this image, the construction moved the street inland quite a bit. This photo was almost certainly taken from the roof of the Kobe branch of the major shipping company Nippon Yusen (日本郵船神戸支店). Finished in 1918 (Taisho 7), this building still stands and is known as the Kobe Yusen Building.

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