help save Japan’s visual heritage of daily life
support
70613-0007 - Japanese Men Having a Party, 1890s

1890s
Having a Party

Artist Kimbei Kusakabe
Publisher J B Millet Company
Medium Albumen Print
Period Meiji
Location Studio
Image No. 70613-0007
Purchase Digital File
Author

This hilarious scene, shot in the studio, recreates a group of working-class men having a wild party.

The man on the right is dressed up like a woman and is “playing” a broom, while the man on the left appears to be “playing percussion” with his chopsticks. The person next to him is serving himself sake, and the young man in the middle is about to put some food in his mouth. The man between him and the “musician” is reading lyrics from a book.

The floor in front of the group is covered with dishes filled with food. The expressions on the faces of these partying people are really wonderful and make this a very special photograph.

It is amazing how closely this scene resembles the stereotypical image of partying salariman during Japan’s bubble economy in the 1980s. But instead of a piece of cloth, they wound their necktie around their head.

Published
Updated

Leave a Comment

Reader Supported

Old Photos of Japan aims to be your personal museum for Japan's visual heritage and to bring the experiences of everyday life in old Japan to you.

To enhance our understanding of Japanese culture and society I track down, acquire, archive, and research images of everyday life, and give them context.

I share what I have found for free on this site, without ads or selling your data.

Your support helps me to continue doing so, and ensures that this exceptional visual heritage will not be lost and forgotten.

Thank you,
Kjeld Duits

support

Reference for Citations

Duits, Kjeld (). 1890s: Having a Party, OLD PHOTOS of JAPAN. Retrieved on January 12, 2025 (GMT) from https://www.oldphotosjapan.com/photos/278/having-a-party

Explore More

…

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.

…

Kyoto 1930s
Buddhist Monks

Buddhist monks walk in procession on the grounds of Tofuku-ji, a buddhist temple in Kyoto.

…

1890s
The Fine Art of the Japanese Bow

Two Japanese women greeting each other while seated on zabuton (座布団) cushions. Can you take a bow the Japanese way? Read on to learn how.

Add Comment

Wow! That is amazing! What’s going on with the tattoo?

·