The "Human Horses" of the Rickshaw
Interesting about left side driving! I did not know that connection. The only places I’ve recently seen the jinrikisha are in Kamakura and Kyoto- of course high tourist destinations.
The three wheeled vehicles are still everywhere and and are so practical! I wish they were popular in US urban areas.
Ruins of the American Legation
@glennis: I wonder if the silks survived the rough handling during the fire. In his first letter, Pruyn wrote that many of the items were thrown in the pond to protect them from the flames, including the books and even boxes with paper money… As the samurai were familiar with silk, I would like to think they did not throw these in the pond as well!
a great and focused history lesson that tells us a lot about the culture of the time as well. You know I would be interested in the packing up of the silks! My next walk through the port area of Yokohama I will be reminded of this violent period in that area. Fascinating!
How Radio Gymnastics Conquered Japan
@Wendy Bigler: I love hearing personal anecdotes like this, Wendy. Thank you for sharing. Glad this article solved a mystery!
Your article solves a mystery for me. We participated in our Nagano community’s sports day, where the various subsections of town have teams of adults competing in games. At one point, everyone got on the field for calisthenics and seemed to magically know what exercise was next, while we randomly flailed around trying to keep up and blend in. Now I even have a video to practice for this summer. Brilliant, thanks!
"The Rice in Japan"
@Hans Brinckmann: Dank je Hans! Ja, de passie voor geschiedenis, Japan, schrijven en oude foto’s brand heftig door ❤️
Geweldig, Kjeld! Je passie voor oude foto’s is nog steeds levend!
Hans
Running the Mail
Yet another terrific post. In a martial arts seminar held two decades back in Chiba, Kono Yoshinori held a lecture/practical on that ipsilateral gait, known as “namba aruki.” So it was indeed a thing.
How do you Wash a Kimono?
Feeding Silkworms
Maiko at Japanese Garden
i clicked here to see if this was Sankeien. Too bad this was destroyed. You might consider Sankeien as a topic some time. My Saint Maur classmate’s family was the owner of Sankeien which was also connected to the silk industry. (wasn’t everything?) Beautiful. Went there many times as a child and even recently. It was not far from our house in Negishi/Yamate area
Feeding Silkworms
and Unbeaten Tracks is a favorite of mine! an interesting viewpoint…
i never heard of feeding silkworms on the ash of mulberry leaves. Is there a citation for this? Seems a little contrary to nature as the caterpillars get all their water/hydration from the leaves and ash would not provide this. Maybe a translation thing. I’ve seen lots of weird translation issues in regards to sericulture. There are two great museums for silk- the Silk Center in Yokohama and the newly reconstructed one in Okayama.
How do you Wash a Kimono?
great set of photos and info on washing clothes in early Japan. I was not aware of the washing boards and starching.
Ebisu Shrine and Harbor
The artist is “unknown”, but isn’t that a Tamamura Kozaburo’s signature caption/ label?
Thanks to the fact that Meiji photographers used to take multiple shots of the same locations we can see how certain places changed and evolved through the decades.
@Glennis: The connection with left side driving was a new discovery for me as well. I had never seen it mentioned in popular articles. Shows again how important it is to check scholarly and primary sources.
Did you know that the United States Postal Service used three wheeled vehicles? I came across photographs in my research. They were used in the 1950s and 1960s.