Shizuoka 1880s
Bridge on the Tōkaidō
A bridge on the Tōkaidō with Mount Fuji in the back. Bridges on the Tōkaidō were far more common than is generally thought.
Shizuoka 1880s
Shizuoka 1860s
Piggybacking the Tōkaidō's Mightiest Rivers
Japanese porters carrying travelers across a wide river. For centuries this was the only way to cross several rivers on the storied Tōkaidō highway.
Kawasaki 1870s
Crossing Japan's 'Raging Rivers'
Three boatmen transport passengers and a rickshaw on the famed ferry at Kawasaki, the second station on the Tōkaidō. Although this scene is peaceful, river crossings rightfully terrified travelers in old Japan.
spotlight
Minka Floor Plan
Rediscovering Japan’s Irori shows a floor plan of a minka. Here are photos of that minka, a documentary, recommended books, and museums with minka.
Inside 1880s
Rediscovering Japan's Irori
Illustration of a Japanese irori (firepit) by American scholar Edward S. Morse (1838–1925). This article looks at the form of the irori, its location in the house, its drawbacks and dangers, the social roles it reflected, and how it has survived.
Inside 1900s
Staying Warm in (C)Old Japan
A man and a woman are adjusting the fire of an irori (囲炉裏), an open fire centrally located in the main room. For centuries it was the primary source of heat in many Japanese dwellings, as well as the seat and beating heart of family and village life.