Old Photos of Japan rescues rare images of daily life in old Japan
Learn more about this project

70613-0010 - Japanese porcelain shop, 1890s

1890s
Ceramics and Pottery Shop

Artist	Unknown
Publisher	J B Millet Company
Medium	Albumen Print
Period	Meiji
Location	Outside
Image No.	70613-0010
Purchase	Digital File
Author	Kjeld Duits

Three children sit in front of a shop cramped with ceramics and pottery.

Inside a young man, probably an apprentice, is using a Soroban (abacus). Lots of teapots and cups can be seen. Under the eaves large plates are on display.

This photo is featured in Japan, Described and Illustrated by the Japanese, edited by Captain F Brinkley., with the text: “Porcelain and Pottery Shops. Japanese keramic art dates from about A.D. 1600, having been introduced by Korean captives. The variety of wares from the coarsest to the finest is bewildering to the uninitiated. Small shops for the sale of crockery abound everywhere, and, being tastefully arranged, are very attractive.”¹

The photographs for this publication were sourced by Kozaburo Tamamura (1856-1923?), but it is not known who the photographer is of this image.

Notes

¹ Captain Brinkley, Frank (1897). Japan, Described and Illustrated by the Japanese, Shogun Edition. J B Millet Company.

Published March 18, 2008
Updated August 11, 2021 12:58 PM

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

support

Reference for Citations

Duits, Kjeld (August 11, 2021). 1890s: Ceramics and Pottery Shop, OLD PHOTOS of JAPAN. Retrieved on August 24, 2026 (GMT) from https://www.oldphotosjapan.com/photos/56/ceramics-and-pottery-shop

Explore More

1880s
Japanese Firefighting

A Japanese firefighting crew (火消組, hikeshigumi) and their tools of the trade. Fires that destroyed whole towns were a common occurrence in old Japan. Over the centuries, countless methods were developed to fight them.

Tokyo 1934
Sidewalk Restaurants

Employees pose in front of Tokyo sidewalk restaurants on a sunny day in May, 1934. The delivery bicycle belongs to Yanase Sushi (the shop with the white sign and red kanji characters).

1890s
Kakubeijishi

Kakubeijishi (角兵衛獅子, also: Kakubeejishi) are acrobatics performed on the street by young boys who did handstands, somersaults and the like, either alone or with their partners. In this photo, three children perform a combination act.

Add Comment

There are currently no comments on this article.

1890sCeramics and Pottery Shop