A woman pours a close friend of the family some sake. Entertaining close friends took place in the best room of the house, with the friend sitting in the place of honor in front of the tokonoma1.
This image is part of The New Year in Japan, a book published by Kobe-based photographer Kozaburo Tamamura in 1906. Original text2:
The more intimate and specially favoured friends are invited to enter the best room, which is elaborately decorated in the space known as ‘the place of honour,’ and the guest is invited to partake of toso, a kind of wine.
See all New Year images on Old Photos of Japan.
Notes
1 The Tokonoma is an alcove in a Japanese-style reception room used to display valuable or artistic items (see 1890s • Woman in Room).
2 Tamamura, Kozaburo (1906). The New Year in Japan. Tamamura Shashinkan.
3 Toso is spiced medicinal sake.
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Reference for Citations
Duits, Kjeld (). Kobe, 1906: New Year Celebrations 11, OLD PHOTOS of JAPAN. Retrieved on May 7, 2026 (GMT) from https://www.oldphotosjapan.com/photos/672/new-year-celebrations-11
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