A woman in a stylish white dress sits on a coach in a photographer’s studio. She is wearing a hat, stockings and high-heeled shoes. The well-balanced styling, as well as the choice of the clothes themselves, suggests that she is thoroughly familiar with Western fashion. Although an increasing number of Japanese women started dressing in Western clothes during the 1920s and 1930s, to be as stylishly dressed as this woman must have still been an enormous challenge for most. For more information about modern Japanese women, see 1930s • Woman with Modern Hairdo.

An Ainu woman playing the Mukkuri (a Jew’s harp). The Mukkuri is a traditional Ainu musical instrument played by women. It is made of carefully cut bamboo with two strings, and measures about 10 by 1.5 cm (3.9 by 0.6 inches). The player vibrates the tongue cut out of the bamboo by pulling one of the strings, while holding the instrument in front of the mouth. Volume and tone colors are changed by changing the shape of the mouth. Although a simple instrument, and similar to mouth harps found all over the world, accomplished players can create truly amazing music with the Mukkuri.

A rare view of firemen drilling with mechanized pumps at what appears to be a factory.