OLD PHOTOS of JAPAN, a photo blog of Japan in the Meiji, Taisho and Showa periods

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shows photos of Japan between the 1860s and 1930s. In 1854, Japan opened its doors to the outside world for the first time in more than 200 years. It set in motion a truly astounding transformation. As fate would have it, photography had just been invented. As the old country vanished and a new one was born, daring photographers took photos. Discover what life was like with their rare and precious photographs of old Japan.

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Unbeaten Tracks in Japan • Isabella L. Bird
Unbeaten Tracks in Japan

In 1878, just 19 years after Japan opened it first ports to the world, and a mere ten years after the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate, an adventurous 47-year old woman from the UK set out to explore the interior of Japan. The country was virtually unknown to Westerners, and a woman traveling only with a guide seemed outrageous. Everybody advised her not to, but she went anyway and wrote this unique and vivid journal of what she saw and experienced.


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Bridges

70219-0003 - Yodobashi Bridge # 70219-0003
Osaka, 1905 • Yodoyabashi Bridge
Meiji • •
Unknown • Postcard • Ueda
Shinsaibashi Bridge # 71203-0013
Osaka 1920s • Shinsaibashi Bridge
Taisho • •
Unknown • Postcard • Unknown
Shinsaibashi Bridge, Osaka # 80220-0006
Osaka 1910s • Shinsaibashi Bridge
Taisho • •
Unknown • Postcard • Unknown
Tako no Matsu # 80626-0003
Osaka 1870s • The Octopus Pine
Meiji • •
Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown
Men at Work in Front of Nijubashi, Imperial Palace, Tokyo # 70822-0003
Tokyo 1890s • Nijubashi, Imperial Palace
Meiji • •
Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown
Korai-bashi, Osaka # 71129-0011
Osaka 1910s • Koraibashi
Meiji • •
Unknown • Postcard • Unknown
Shijo Ohashi, Kyoto # 70523-0011
Kyoto 1890s • Shijo Ohashi
Meiji • •
Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown
Naniwa Bridge, Osaka # 70523-0014
Osaka 1880s • Naniwa Bridge
Meiji • •
Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown
Floating Logs at Togetsu Bridge, Arashiyama, Kyoto # 71205-0016
Arashiyama 1890s • Floating Logs
Meiji • •
Unknown • Albumen Print • Unknown
Bentenbashi and Yokohama Station # 80115-0011
Yokohama 1873 • Bentenbashi and Station
Meiji • •
Kuichi Uchida • Albumen Print • Kuichi Uchida
Togetsukyo, Arashiyama # 80131-0001
Arashiyama 1910s • Togetsukyo
Meiji • •
Teijiro Takagi • Glass Slide • B & F Bible Society
Naniwabashi, Osaka # 70122-0015
Osaka 1930s • Naniwa Bridge
Showa • •
Unknown • Postcard • Unknown
Nakanoshima, Osaka # 70116-0007
Osaka 1930s • Nakanoshima Park
Showa • •
Unknown • Postcard • Taisho Hato
Togetsu Bridge, Arashiyama, Kyoto # 71205-0017
Arashiyama 1880s • Togetsukyo Bridge
Meiji • •
Kazumasa Ogawa • Albumen Print • Kazumasa Ogawa