What a wonderful and relaxed scene. Three women and two small kids, all wearing traditional clothing, having a welcome tea break at the engawa1 (veranda) of a thatched house.
The women’s clothing does not seem to be the working wear for these farm women. Perhaps this was a small social gathering of neighbourhood women for tea rather than a break during a day of hard work. Or perhaps they changed clothes for the photographer.
Nonetheless, the pile of fire wood seems to imply that these moments of rest were rare. Life was hard for farm women, and they worked long days, both at home and out in the fields.
Notes
1 An engawa (縁側 or 掾側) is a veranda, either partly inside the building or completely exposed.
Published
Updated
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
Reference for Citations
Duits, Kjeld (). 1910s: Drinking Tea, OLD PHOTOS of JAPAN. Retrieved on October 7, 2026 (GMT) from https://www.oldphotosjapan.com/photos/426/drinking-tea
There are currently no comments on this article.