OLD PHOTOS of JAPAN, a photo blog of Japan in the Meiji, Taisho and Showa periods

English
日本語

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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Recent Comments

Kjeld Duits (Shamisen Craftsman)
@Jim Clinefelter Thanks, Jim. I love it when photographers leave their name card like that! Yamamoto’s studio …
Jim Clinefelter (Shamisen Craftsman)
The clue to who took this image is the kanji on the man’s haori, 寫山茂堂 …
Kjeld Duits (阿弥陀橋)
高橋様明治5年（1872年）、明治天皇の西国御巡幸の際、宮内省御用掛の写真師第一号として随行し、内田九一は長崎を訪れたので、日付を1872年に変更しました。
Kjeld Duits (阿弥陀橋)
高橋様「OLD PHOTOS OF JAPAN」のドゥイツです。ご案内誠にありがとうございます。高橋様の情報を追加致しました。
高橋信一 (阿弥陀橋)
この長崎の写真は明治６年に内田九一が撮影したものです。国際日本文化研究センター所蔵の内田写真館のアルバムYA033に他の九一の写真といっしょに入っています。

Good Book Tip

Felice Beato: A Photographer on the Eastern Road • Anne Lacoste, Fred Ritchin

Felice Beato (1832–1909) lived and worked in Japan from 1863 through 1884, just as the country opened its doors to the world. He was extremely active in Japan, and portrayed the Japanese with dignity and as equals of Westerners. He was the first photographer in Japan to sell albums of his works. Most likely, it was Beato that introduced the later so diligently followed concept of “views” and “types” to photography of Japan.

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License any photo!

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

Meiji (1868-1912)
Taisho (1912-1926)
Showa (1926-1989)

Themes