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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
Customs
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# 80115-0043 Kobe, 1906 • New Year Celebrations 19 Meiji • Customs • New Year Kozaburo Tamamura • Collotype Print • Kozaburo Tamamura |
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# 80115-0044 Kobe, 1906 • New Year Celebrations 20 Meiji • Customs • New Year Kozaburo Tamamura • Collotype Print • Kozaburo Tamamura |
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# 80115-0045 Kobe, 1906 • New Year Celebrations 21 Meiji • Customs • New Year Kozaburo Tamamura • Collotype Print • Kozaburo Tamamura |
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# 80115-0046 Kobe, 1906 • New Year Celebrations 22 Meiji • Customs • New Year Kozaburo Tamamura • Collotype Print • Kozaburo Tamamura |
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# 80115-0047 Kobe, 1906 • New Year Celebrations 23 Meiji • Customs • New Year Kozaburo Tamamura • Collotype Print • Kozaburo Tamamura |
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# 80115-0048 Kobe, 1906 • Setsubun Meiji • Customs • New Year Kozaburo Tamamura • Collotype Print • Kozaburo Tamamura |
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# 70223-0002 1920s • Bride and Groom Showa • Customs • Weddings Unknown • Silver Gelatin Print • Unknown |
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# 70209-0017 1920s • School Children doing Exercises Taisho • Children • Customs Unknown • Postcard • Unknown |
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# 70219-0029 Kyoto 1890s • Gion Matsuri Meiji • Customs • Religious Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown |
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# 80121-0012 1920s • Having Tea Taisho • Customs • People 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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# 70221-0001 1910s • Children Carrying Children Meiji • Children • Customs Unknown • Postcard • Unknown |
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# 70221-0003 1910s • Drinking Tea Meiji • Customs • People Unknown • Postcard • Unknown |
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# 70302-0002 Okayama 1935 • Playing Toryanse Showa • Customs • Women Yusa Studio • Silver Gelatin Print • Yusa Studio |
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 …