past.pictures - Japan

Japan 100 years ago. Many pictures have never been published before!

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Bridge in Kameido Tenjin Shrine, Tokyo - View on the “drum bridge" (famous for its rolling form) in the area of Tokyo's Kameido Tenjin Shrine which is dated back to 1662. Still today, this place is famous to view wisteria, a flowering plant with origins in Japan, China and Korea. This picture is around 100 years old.

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Tokyo, Kokugikan (両国国技館) - This old picture from the 1930th shows a Sumō fight in the Ryougoku Sumo Hall in Tokyo. Sumō is a Japanese wrestling sport where a wrestler (rikishi) tries to force another wrestler out of the circular ring (dohyō), or to alternatively make the opponent touch the ground with anything else than the soles of the feet. 

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Hibiya Park, Tokyo - Celebrations for the anniversary of Buddha’s birth on 8th April 1930 at Hibiya Park in Tokyo. The traditionally dressed Japanese girls in the front of the picture are overhanding flowers, musical instruments, and other sacrificial offerings.

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Imperial Palace, Tokyo - It was an old custom in Japan that every year in the middle of December, the Empress set the themes for the New Year Poems which had to be made out of 31 syllables and had to be based on pre-defined topics, e.g., “Spring rain at the coast”, or “Which family has blooming plums in their house". Any Japanese citizen was invited to create such poem, and in case of prizewinning, it had been announced both in the Imperial Palace as well as in the news papers. The pictures here have been made in the 1930s. The first one shows how the awarded poems are conveyed to the Imperial Palace, while the second one shows the judges for the poetry competition in traditional dress.

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Tokyo, Uyeno - The Uyeno Park is a very famous spot for flower viewing (Hanami). You can see that also around 100 years ago (when this picture has been made), Japanese citizen were sitting on wooden benches to watch the beautiful cherry blossoms.

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Tokyo, Ueno Park - After a long history of destruction in this area, the Ueno Hill became the property of the city of Tokyo in December 1867. One of the few buildings remaining from the past history includes the five-storey pagoda of 1639 which you see in the background of this picture: the Kiyomizu Kannondō. This picture here is made in the 1930th.

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Tokyo, Shiba Park - The Shiba Park (芝公園) is a public park in Tokyo and has been built around the temple of Zōjō-ji. In the past, some of the parkland was once the Ōkubo clan residence in Edo. In 1875, the park became public. It has been and is still a popular spot for dates. Also, the Tokyo Tower is quite close. This picture is made in the 1930th, and shows the Torii Gate which is the entry to this garden. 

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Tokyo, Japan - Hanami street in Tokyo around 100 years ago, either end of April or beginning of May, showing a lot of cherry blossom trees and old leaves on the ground. The practice of hanami itself is many centuries old: The custom is said to have started during the Nara period from 710 when it was ume blossoms that people admired in the beginning. Still today, millions of Japanese celebrate hanami in the parks of Tokyo and overall Japan.

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Tokyo, Japan - Stone lanterns in front of the Zōjō-ji temple which is a Buddhist temple in the neighbourhood of Minato in Tokyo. Many of these lanterns were in Chinese style and votive offerings by visitors. Unfortunately, most of the temple area was destroyed in World War 2. This rare picture shows the temple area around 15 years earlier.

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Tokyo, Japan - Typical view on a garden located directly at a private house in Tokyo city around 100 years ago. Stepping stones lead the way to the main entry, where thin bamboo sun-blinds are half closed to avoid the heat of summer.

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Tokyo, Japan - Another picture of the Imperial Palace (皇居) in Tokyo which is the primary residence of the Emperor of Japan. This picture shows the courtyard of the palace, and is around 100 years old.

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Tokyo, Japan - Imperial Palace (皇居) in Tokyo which is also the primary residence of the Emperor of Japan. It consists of park areas which include palace buildings like the private residence of the imperial family. This picture is around 100 years old.

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Narita, Japan - Chapel near the Fudo Temple which was established in 940. This picture itself is around 100 years old.

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Tokyo in the 1930s - Awesome picture of Tokyo in the 1930s, seen from the air from South to North with the Sumida river in the middle. After more than 10 years later than this photo was made, during WW2, more than 50% of these buildings were destroyed by air raids on Japan, and the population dwindled from 6,700,000 to less than 2,800,000 citizens. This picture was scanned with 600 dpi and further repaired/optimized with Adobe Photoshop.

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Narita, Japan - A Japanese Buddhist priest with entourage walking down the stairs, probably coming from the Fudo Temple. This picture is around 100 years old. Today, Narita is famous for its International Airport.

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Japan, unknown location - Historical Procession with costumed Japanese citizen. Pictures are around 100 years old.

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Tokyo, Japan - Whorshippers at the Shinto Shrine. The Japanese origin 神社 (jinja) comes from the term “Place of the Gods”. This picture is around 100 years old