The 19th century was a period of significant transformation in Japan. The few photographs that exist provide a unique window into this fascinating period.
These images offer a glimpse into a traditional culture that was rapidly evolving and capture the essence of daily life, showcasing the people, architecture, and customs of a nation undergoing rapid modernization during the Meiji period.
Through the lens of photographers, we can experience 19th-century Japan in a way that was never possible. Join us as we delve into this captivating world.
Japanese archers practicing,1870s.A samurai with two swords, 1868.Empress Shōken, 1860s.Sumo wrestling, Yokohama, 1887.A man of the Ainu, an indigenous people of Northern Japan, c. 1880The future Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, Nagasaki, 1891.A Japanese mother and child, 1866 Six sumo wrestlers, c. 1890Komuso monks, 1887.7th-century wooden village of Ikaho, 1880Damaged photo of a Samurai, 1865.Three farmers with their harvest, 1865A Yamabushi (Buddhist Warrior Monk), 1895.Photo of a samurai by Felice Beato, 1865.Carrying rice-bales to market, 19th centuryThe Meiji Emperor, 1872. Photo by Uchida Kuich.A festival. Courtesy of New York Public LibraryThe Japanese revolutionary, Sakamoto Ryōma, 1867Selling brooms and baskets. Japan, 1890-1896Final days of Samurai, C. 1868Japanese farmer, c. 1890.Ainu
