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.
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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.
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Reference for Citations
Duits, Kjeld (). Kobe, 1906: New Year Celebrations 20, OLD PHOTOS of JAPAN. Retrieved on January 6, 2026 (GMT) from https://www.oldphotosjapan.com/photos/663/new-year-celebrations-20
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