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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
Buildings
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# 80421-0009 Osaka 1870s-1880s • View from Enokojima Meiji • Buildings • City Views Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown |
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# 80717-0016 Osaka 1900s • Osaka Station Meiji • Buildings • Railways Unknown • Glass Slide • Unknown |
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# 70216-0058 Osaka 1920s • Osaka City Hall Taisho • Buildings • City Views Unknown • Postcard • Unknown |
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# 80122-0012 Kyoto 1934 • City Hall Showa • Buildings • City Views Unknown • Glass Slide • New York State Education Department |
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# 70606-0003 Yokohama 1890s • Nectarine No. 9 Brothel Meiji • Buildings • Prostitution Kimbei Kusakabe • Albumen Print • Kimbei Kusakabe |
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# 80122-0014 Nara 1934 • Rural Houses Showa • Buildings • Rural Unknown • Glass Slide • New York State Education Department |
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# 80121-0003 Tokyo 1924 • Large Private Garden Taisho • Buildings • Customs Unknown • Glass Slide • New York State Education Department |
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# 80121-0001 1924 • Entrance of a House Taisho • Buildings • Women Unknown • Glass Slide • New York State Education Department |
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# 70602-0014 Kyoto 1880s • Kiyomizudera Meiji • Buildings • Temples & Shrines Reiji Esaki • Albumen Print • Reiji Esaki |
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# 70208-0016 Tokyo 1890s • Yoshiwara Brothel Meiji • Buildings • Prostitution Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown |
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# 70124-0019 Kobe 1910s • Oriental Hotel Taisho • Buildings • Hotels Unknown • Postcard • Unknown |
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# 70222-0026 Nagasaki 1900s • Buildings on the Bund Meiji • Buildings • City Views Unknown • Postcard • Ueda |
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# 70419-0004 Himeji 1910s • Himeji Castle Meiji • Buildings • Castles Unknown • Postcard • Kokkidou |
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# 70420-0027 Kobe 1920s • Mercantile Houses Taisho • Buildings • City Views Unknown • Postcard • Taisho Hato |
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.
@Noel: You have amazing eyes, Noel. Without you attracting my attention to the location of the …
As I have that photo in my digital archive it spiked my interest, so I …
@Paula Jeannet: Fascinating. There is an image of Amidabashi Bridge in the Kimbei catalogue, but it …
This image of Amidabashi Bridge is found in a photograph album that appears to be …
@Noel Yes, having that collection will be very helpful. Thanks for the link to Rob’s page …