A postcard showing an Ainu woman carrying wood. Although many postcards of Ainu look a bit like souvenir cards from Disneyland, this photo still features some reality.
The spread out toes of the woman shows that she is used to walking barefoot. Most probably she doesn’t even own shoes. Her clothes are simple and well-worn, and the houses in the background are representative of Ainu housing at the start of the 20th century.
For other photos of Ainu culture, click on Ainu in the THEMES menu.
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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.
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Kjeld Duits
Reference for Citations
Duits, Kjeld (). 1920s: Ainu Woman Carrying Wood, OLD PHOTOS of JAPAN. Retrieved on January 31, 2026 (GMT) from https://www.oldphotosjapan.com/photos/650/ainu-woman-carrying-wood
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