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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
City Views
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# 160307-0027 Tokyo 1870s • Windmill at Ueno-Hirokoji Meiji • Buildings • City Views Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown |
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# 160301-0026 Tokyo 1880s • Shinagawa Station Meiji • Railways • City Views Kuichi Uchida • Albumen Print • Kuichi Uchida |
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# 70219-0004 Osaka 1910s • Prefectural Office Meiji • Buildings • City Views Unknown • Postcard • Unknown |
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# 100908-0008 Tokyo 1890s • Nihonbashi Fishmarket Meiji • City Views • Transport Henry Strohmeyer • Stereoview • UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOD |
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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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# 70602-0009 Tokyo 1880s • Asakusa Theaters Meiji • Buildings • City Views Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown |
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# 70301-0020 Kobe 1910s • Kobe City Hall Taisho • Buildings • City Views Unknown • Postcard • Kobe City Hall |
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# 70222-0003 Tokyo 1920s • Manseibashi Station Showa • City Views • Transport Unknown • Postcard • Unknown |
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# 71204-0002 Tokyo 1890s • Koamicho, Nihonbashi Meiji • City Views • Transport Kazumasa Ogawa • Collotype Print • Kazumasa Ogawa |
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# 70206-0038 Osaka 1930s • Central Wholesale Market Showa • Buildings • City Views Unknown • Postcard • Unknown |
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# 70206-0006 Yokohama 1910s • Yokohama Pier Taisho • City Views Unknown • Postcard • Unknown |
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# 71204-0006 Tokyo 1890s • Streetcar in Ueno Meiji • City Views • Transport Kazumasa Ogawa • Collotype Print • Kazumasa Ogawa |
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# 71204-0003 Tokyo 1890s • Geisha Houses, Shinbashi Meiji • City Views Kazumasa Ogawa • Collotype Print • Kazumasa Ogawa |
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 …