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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12/31/2026 (Thursday)

The Adventure of Japanese Photography 1860 - 1890 • Philipp March, Claudia Delank

Some 90 old photographs of Japan by celebrated photographers like Felice Beato, Adolpho Farsari, Hikoma Ueno, Kimbei Kusakabe, Kihei Tamamura and Kazumasa Ogawa. A true treasure.

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Tags: Unknown • Meiji • Studio • At Work • People
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Studio portrait of a vegetable vendor. The vendor is wearing a kasa (conical bamboo hat) and a mino (straw raincoat). He carries a pole with baskets filled with vegetables like Japanese radish, lotus roots, Welsh onions, burdocks, onions and carrots.

Peddlers like him were extremely common on the streets of Japan. There were peddlers for virtually everything, from vegetables to medicine to baskets and even furniture. They went from house to house and walked enormous distances, especially in the countryside. Life was extremely hard for these people.

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Photographer: Unknown
Publisher: Unknown
Medium: Albumen Print
Image Number: 70122-0003
Quote this number when you contact us about licensing this image

Thumbnail URL: http://oldphotosjapan.com/images/9t.jpg

Posted by Kjeld Duits • 2008-01-02

« Hairdresser • San-mon Gate at Chionin »

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