Osaka 1929
City of Smoke
Osaka Castle in 1929. There is no main castle tower, and the castle is surrounded by factories instead of trees. At this time, Osaka was a city of smoke.
Osaka 1929
Spotlight
This Japanese Woman from the 1930s Found Me
With this soft-focused photo of a confident young Japanese woman from the 1930s we take a rare glimpse behind the scenes of the Duits Collection.
Osaka 1935
The New Osaka • New Hotel for a New Era
When the New Osaka Hotel opened in 1935, it was one of Japan’s finest hotels. It even boasted air-conditioned guest rooms, a world’s first. This rare pamphlet from its early days offers a fascinating peek inside.
Osaka 1929
Nakanoshima: Modern and Vibrant
Osaka’s Kitahama business district in the 1920s. New concrete buildings contrast sharply with nearby wooden architecture. It felt modern and vibrant and was praised as “magnificent urban beauty.”
Osaka 1929
Nakanoshima: Small Island, Big Dreams
Osaka’s brand-new heart in the 1920s, the government district on Nakanoshima. The imposing building in front is Osaka City Hall, completed in 1921 (Taisho 10). From here a modern Osaka was created.
Osaka 1924
The Art of Looking Down
After Japan’s first powered airplane flight in 1910, bird’s-eye view maps boomed. This essay explores a masterpiece of this genre, a 1924 map of Osaka.