Old Photos of Japan rescues rare images of daily life in old Japan
To learn more about this one-of-a-kind project, read Save Our Visual Heritage.

❤ support subscribe

80115-0044 - Japanese New Year Celebrations

Kobe, 1906
New Year Celebrations 20

Artist	Teijiro Takagi
Publisher	Teijiro Takagi
Medium	Collotype Print
Period	Meiji
Location	Kobe
Image No.	80115-0044
Purchase	Digital File
Author	Kjeld Duits

Merchants display their wares in a New Year cart procession, one of the few New Year customs in this series that can not be seen anymore.

This image is part of The New Year in Japan, a book published by Kobe-based photographer Kozaburo Tamamura in 1906. Original text¹:

This picture represents the early morning of the second day of the New Year, and we observe a procession of carts, representing various merchants, merchandise and products. The coolies are in a special uniform peculiar to the occasion, and the show is emblematical of the New year’s first trade, and it is also a grand advertisement for the merchant who cares to take part in this ancient custom.

See all New Year images on Old Photos of Japan.

Notes

¹ Tamamura, Kozaburo (1906). The New Year in Japan. Tamamura Shashinkan.

Published January 1, 2009
Updated December 29, 2022 12:32 AM

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 (December 29, 2022). Kobe, 1906: New Year Celebrations 20, OLD PHOTOS of JAPAN. Retrieved on February 5, 2026 (GMT) from https://www.oldphotosjapan.com/photos/663/new-year-celebrations-20

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.

1890s
14 Rules for Women

Two maiko (apprentice geisha) in gorgeous kimono bow to each other at the entrance gate to Genkyu-en Gardens (玄宮園) in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture. In old Japan, the rules of etiquette were elaborate.

Studio 1880s
The Way of the Kiseru

A Japanese farmer holds a kiseru (煙管). The tiny pipe offered only two to three puffs, yet it reigned for over three centuries. It was embraced by all classes of Japanese society, even crossing gender boundaries.

Add Comment

There are currently no comments on this article.

Kobe, 1906New Year Celebrations 20