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

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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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Unbeaten Tracks in Japan • Isabella L. Bird
Unbeaten Tracks in Japan

In 1878, just 19 years after Japan opened it first ports to the world, and a mere ten years after the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate, an adventurous 47-year old woman from the UK set out to explore the interior of Japan. The country was virtually unknown to Westerners, and a woman traveling only with a guide seemed outrageous. Everybody advised her not to, but she went anyway and wrote this unique and vivid journal of what she saw and experienced.


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Inside

Two Japanese Women Feeding Silk Worms # 70314-0020
1904 • Feeding Silk Worms
Meiji • •
Julian Cochrane • Glass Slide • Keystone View Company
Japan. Man and Two Women Having Tea Inside Room. # 80121-0012
1920s • Having Tea
Taisho • •
Unknown • Glass Slide • New York State Education Department
Japanese Bamboo Basket Factory # 70330-0016
1904 • Bamboo Basket Factory
Meiji • •
Julian Cochrane • Glass Slide • Keystone View Company
Two Half-Nude Japanese Women # 70606-0008
1890s • Two Half-Nude Women
Meiji • •
Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown
Actors Performing on Stage in Theater # 70606-0009
1900s • Theater Performance
Meiji • •
Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown
Two Japanese Women in Kimono doing Ikebana # 70613-0003
1890s • Women Practicing Ikebana
Meiji • •
Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown
Traditional Japanese Interior # 70621-0008
1890s • Woman in Room
Meiji • •
Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown
Customer Arriving at Ryokan # 71205-0010
1890s • Welcoming a Guest
Meiji • •
Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown
Hairdresser # 70820-0004
1890s • Hairdresser
Meiji • •
Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown