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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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MeijiShowa
License all the photos on this site at our boutique photo agency for vintage photographs, illustrations and maps of Japan between the 1860s and 1930s (Meiji, Taisho, early Showa)
Periods
Themes
Ainu
At Work
Bridges
Buildings
Castles
Children
City Views
Customs
Disasters
Hotels
New Year
People
Prostitution
Railways
Religious
Rural
Scenic Views
Shops
Temples & Shrines
Tokaido
Transport
Weddings
Women
At Work
Bridges
Buildings
Castles
Children
City Views
Customs
Disasters
Hotels
New Year
People
Prostitution
Railways
Religious
Rural
Scenic Views
Shops
Temples & Shrines
Tokaido
Transport
Weddings
Women
Places
Arashiyama
Arima
Beppu
Enoshima
Hakone
Himeji
Hiroshima
Inside
Kinosaki
Kobe
Kyoto
Miyajima
Mount Fuji
Nagasaki
Nagoya
Nara
Nikko
Okayama
Osaka
Outside
Shikoku
Studio
Tokaido
Tokyo
Utsunomiya
Yokohama
Arima
Beppu
Enoshima
Hakone
Himeji
Hiroshima
Inside
Kinosaki
Kobe
Kyoto
Miyajima
Mount Fuji
Nagasaki
Nagoya
Nara
Nikko
Okayama
Osaka
Outside
Shikoku
Studio
Tokaido
Tokyo
Utsunomiya
Yokohama
Photographers
Meiji
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# 80129-0039 1890s • Women Having Tea Meiji • Customs • Women Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown |
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# 80129-0041 1870s • Basket Craftsman Meiji • At Work Yamamoto • Albumen Print • Yamamoto |
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# 80129-0019 1890s • Broom Vendor Meiji • At Work Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown |
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# 100908-0008 Tokyo 1890s • Nihonbashi Fishmarket Meiji • City Views • Transport Henry Strohmeyer • Stereoview • UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOD |
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# 90415-0015 Shikoku, 1880s • Kotohira-gu Shrine Meiji • Religious • Temples & Shrines Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown |
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# 70130-0017 Yokohama 1900s • Tomitake Theater Meiji • Buildings • City Views Unknown • Postcard • Unknown |
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# 80421-0001 Kobe 1870s • View from Mount Suwa Meiji • City Views Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown |
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# 70602-0002 Tokyo 1890s • Koganei Meiji • Scenic Views Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown |
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# 70602-0001 Nagoya 1880s • Nagoya Castle Meiji • Buildings • Castles Kozaburo Tamamura • Albumen Print • Kozaburo Tamamura |
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# 70602-0009 Tokyo 1880s • Asakusa Theaters Meiji • Buildings • City Views Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown |
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# 70330-0034 Yokohama 1890s • Grand Hotel Meiji • Buildings • Hotels Unknown • Albumen Print • |
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# 70314-0030 Yokohama 1900s • Samurai Shokai Meiji • Buildings • Shops Unknown • Postcard • Ueda |
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# 70219-0003 Osaka, 1905 • Yodoyabashi Bridge Meiji • Bridges • Buildings Unknown • Postcard • Ueda |
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# 80129-0029 1890s • Two Women Sleeping Meiji • Customs • Women Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown |
OldPhotosJapan.com — a photo blog about old Japan that reads like a book and works like an archive. All the photographs are from the Kjeld Duits Collection and available for licensing at MeijiShowa.com. Use when you need historical photos, maps or illustrations of Japan for your newspaper article, book, documentary, advertising or other project. For questions, contact us.
Hi Kjeld, I found Old Hotel Luggage Tags from the New Mori Hotel. in Tokyo, …
二枚目の写真は吉原のものだと思われます 訂正をお願いします
Hello, I read your article about the Denbighs with great interest. I believe George Denbigh …
Hi there - I’d like to request permission to use this photo in an 6-month exhibition …
Hello I have 8 early (1880’s?) Japanese colour air brushed photos of supposedly my great …