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Historic Japan
Thousands of Photographs and Images of old Japan from 1800 to 1940
STOCK PHOTO ARCHIVE

This archive is designed for newspapers, magazines, and publishers who need instant access 24/7 to historic and current photographs and images of Japan. Call or email us your needs and we will provide you with an account or email the full sized images to you on short notice. Many other images are available. Coming soon: We are in the process of matching current images of Tokyo with historic images of Tokyo. Japanese PHOTOGRAPHS WANTED: For the historic record, you may with to donate your historic photograph collection to us. From time to time, we also purchase historic collections of photographs and films covering Japan. We are particularly interested in 8mm and 16mm home movie films of early Japan up to the late 1960's. Also interested in armature and GI occupation photographs from any time period up to the late 1960's. Please send an email to: historic@tokyo1.org with information on what you have available for sale.

Year	Collection and Description
1853	Admiral Perry's expedition brought a camera to Japan in 1853. Admiral Perry of the United States arrived with his warships in Japan in 1853 (after the US informed the Japanese, through the Dutch in 1852 that they would be arriving the next year). Between 1852 and 1853, before Admiral Perry's arrival in Japan, there had been many articles written in American and European newspapers speculating on what effect his arrival would have on potential trade with Japan. The London Times, most notable, wrote a major article on this topic in 1852. Admiral Perry's arrival was not unexpected, as is often mis-published. Admiral Perry's photographer took an estimated 100 photographs in Japan in 1853 and brought these photographs back to America. Sadly, in 1857, the Washington warehouse where the photographs were stored, burnt to the ground and the photographs are said to have been lost. However, before this historically tragic event occurred, etchings of Japan were made from the photographs and published in a special report to Congress in 1856 and 1857. It should be noted that at that time, a method of printing photographs in a book had still not been developed so that all photographs had to be published in etched format. It is this writers belief that it is possible that an original photograph of Admiral Perry's visit to Japan could still exist. Perhaps a member of the expeditions family has one or perhaps a photograph might have been given by Perry to the Japanese delegation. Please contact me if you have or know of the existance of such a photograph(s). It is also possible that earlier photographs exist either through the Dutch in Nagasaki or the Russians in Hokaido or perhaps some other group. Frank X. Didik 2004 This archive contains some of the etrchings made from the photographs and cover various day to day scenes in Japan. Quality of images: Excellent Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1874	Etchings covering various day to day scenes in Japan, primarily Tokyo, Yokohama and the surrounding area. These etchings were much copied by others in the 1870's and 1880's. Quality of images: Very Good. Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1882	Etchings and drawings covering various day to day scenes in Japan. Quality of images: Very Good. Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1893	Over 275 photographs of Japan covering all aspects of day to day life, architecture, police, industry, farming, trains, boats, bridges, transportation, craftsmen, police, ports and cities. Covers Tokyo (Edo, Yedo, Tokio), Yokohama, Nagasaki, Hakone and other regions throughout the country. Quality of images: Medium Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1893	CHINA: For the most part, the Tokyo1.org historic archive covers Japan, however, we do have a substantial number of photographs on file covering other countries in Asia. This section shows about 100 photographs of all areas of China including rather grisly photographs of prisoners before and after being beheaded. Quality of images: Medium Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1893	Over 200 photographs of Japan, including many posed images also covering most aspects of Japanese life, customs, festivals as well as cities. Included in this collection are several rare photographs showing Yokohama after a snow storm. Also includes excellent interior photographs showing a private view of middle class Japanese home life. Photographed by an American author/traveler. Quality of images: Medium Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1893	A small archive of 13 photographs of Japan, including posed images and day to day life. Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1897	Small collection including both etchings as well as photographs shot in Tokyo and other regions. Quality of images: Medium Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1897	A small but interesting collection of photographs shot by a German traveler. Of particular interest are the images covering the Ainus in Hokkaido, a beautiful scene of Nagasaki, public and private bath houses, and a private women's party. Quality of images: Medium Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1901	IN COLOR. This collection includes 48 photographs including 17 in full color. These could possibly be the first color photographs ever produced in Japan. Incudes women, workers, city images, nudes at a public bath and other images.Quality of images: good Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1901	The AINU. A fascinating and rare archive of 50 photographs showing the Ainu, who were the indigenous people of Japan. In this case, the photographs were shot by the renown Rev. John Batchelor who chronicled the Ainu and was considered the foremost authority and researcher of their culture. Quality of images: Good Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1904	Industrialized and upper class Japan. This collection includes about 85 photographs covering various institutions, shipping and architecture in Japan with an emphasis on the better sections of the country.Quality of images: Medium Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1904	This collection includes about 100 photograph of Japan covering all sections of the country. It also includes a single color photograph of two women during spring time. Quality of images: Medium Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1904	A very interesting archive of 25 photographs of day to day life in Japan, including images of Yokohama, Tokyo, Asakusa and other areas. Quality of images: Medium Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1905	War and industry. This collection comprises of over 250 photographs covering Japanese industry and the various battles of the Japanese - Russian war in which Japan won an astounding victory. Quality of images: Poor Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1907	A small collection of photographs of Japan including beautiful Nagasaki Bay, the Great Daibutsu in Kamakura, statistical information and other photographs. Quality of images: Poor Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1908	The most beautiful women in all of Japan. This collection of over 300 photographs are of Japanese women of good family collected by the Jiji shimpo in cooperation with local newspapers to compete in an International beauty contest started by the Chicago Tribune. For a brief period of time, this contest was the talk of Japan especially the upper classes.Quality of images: Medium Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1909	Of particular interest. This is a collection of almost 200 photographs covering all aspects of day to day life in Japan before the first world war. It incudes fascinating street scenes in Tokyo, including various market places such as Asakusa, Yokohama, people at work and play, a leper and many other very interesting, historic images. Quality of images: Medium Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1911	China: Four photographs shot in China showing day to day life. Quality of images: Medium Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1911	A small archive of 11 photographs of Japan, including posed images and day to day life. Quality of images: Medium Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1913	An interesting archive of 31 photographs covering Japan, including inside Keio University (first private university in Japan), day to day life in the cities and countryside, fishing villages, inside the home and city street scenes. Quality of images: Medium Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1921	An archive of 30 photographs covering Japan, including many photographs of women, including bathing scenes as well as day to day life in the cities and countryside. Quality of images: Good Click here to see thumbnails of these images.

Recent History: Years leading up to, during and after world war 2
1929 - 1933	This is an interesting archive of about 100 photographs from Japan covering the key transitional years from limited democratic control to primarily military control.  Includes photographs of day to day life in Tokyo, early television studio, Manchuria, Japanese military mobalizing, invasion of Manchuria and a very rare photograph alleging to show the sabatage on the Marco Polo Bridge in China, which some say let to the first shots of World War 2. Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1939	A small, though fascinating collection of photographs showing Japan just before the start of World War 2 Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1942 - 1945	A collection of photographs showing the war years mostly from the Japanese perspective. Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1945 August and September	This is a rare and fascinating collection of photographs showing the first days of occupation of Tokyo by the Americans, as well as the destruction of certain areas of Tokyo. The photographs, shot by Japanese photographers, shows the interaction of American's and Japans in the first few days of occupation. It is interesting how quickly good feelings seems to have returned between the two groups. Also shows a baseball game between Japanese players and Americans ... just two months after the war. Other interesting photographs includes GI's playing with Japanese children in the park. Though a few isolated outrages did occur, the contrast of the American occupation of Japan is striking when compared with the Japanese occupation of China, the Phillipines and other areas. From all accounts, the Japanese were shocked by the good behavier shown by the Americans. Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1945	Japan1945aug_septB Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1951	A collection of about 75 photographs showing Tokyo quickly rebuilding. U.S. occupation ended the following year (1952), though a limited number of American troops continue to be stationed on Japan to this day (2004). Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1953	A collection of about 50 photographs of Japan from 1953 Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1955	An interesting collection of about 50 photographs of Japan from 1955 which includes several color images. Shows the interaction of Americans and Japanese and also shows the seedier element of society. Click here to see thumbnails of these images.
1956	A collection of about 60 photographs showing all of Japan in 1956 Click here to see thumbnails of these images.

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These photographs and images are from the Didik collection or are from various national archives and are known to be in the public domain, as defined under the Berne Convention and the U.S. Department of Commerce Copyright office, unless otherwise noted. A considerable amount of time, effort and money has been spent locating, purchasing, restoring and cataloging these images and as such, the complication as a total is protected under the provisions of the copyright law and can not be copied in total. On this website, please enjoy viewing the fascinating photographs and images of Japan in the past. To obtain a full sized photograph(s) for publication in a magazine, book, newspaper or simply for your personal collection, we will be happy to provide you with the best possible copy of the photograph that we have on file based on our fee schedule listed under Terms and General Publication Prices. Thank you for you for your interest and your understanding. Please note that we are in the process of vastly expanding this photographic section and we expect to have over 75,000 images of all areas of Japan prior to 1939 available on line by the end of the year. Please contact us if we can be of assistance to you. If there is a particular historic area that you wish to have photographs from, we will be happy to research our collection as well as the various private and national collections to assist you in obtaining any image.

HISTORIC JAPAN FILM CLIPS 1890 Japanese acrobats 1898 Launching of a Japanese war ship 1905 various films, amounting to about 3 hours of footage, transferred to video showing the negotiations between the Japanese and Russians in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, which resulted in the treaty of Portsmouth. This treaty solidified Japanese rule in Korea, portions of China, Manchuria, Formosa (Taiwan) and other regions. Further, it gave Japan rights over the very extensive Russian railroad system in China and almost absolute trade rights to all of these regions. Perhaps the biggest gain to Japan was that after this treaty, Japan felt comfortable enough to declare the Island of Hokaido as a part of Japan. Prior to 1867, there were very few Japanese on this island, which was populated primarily by the Ainu, who themselves at one time, controlled all of the four main Japanese islands. In addition, Hokaido had numerous Russian fishing villages. Many other issues were and problems were created by this treaty and one can perhaps argue that they were resolved in the end with World War 2. Geisha's and women from the turn of the century. Stills compiled into a video A total of 12 pre-1907 films covering Japan is available for film producers. Please send an email for details.

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