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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 9:32 AM

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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.

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

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Reference for Citations

Duits, Kjeld (December 29, 2022). Kobe, 1906: New Year Celebrations 20, OLD PHOTOS of JAPAN. Retrieved on May 30, 2026 (GMT) from https://www.oldphotosjapan.com/photos/663/new-year-celebrations-20

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Kobe, 1906New Year Celebrations 20