Old Tokyo
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OldTokyo.com is an online collection and gallery of vintage Japanese postcards displayed with respective historical detail, 1895-1970. Thank you for "liking"! Bookmark the site! Pages often have multiple images. Repost, too!
Rokko-san golf course, Kobe, c. 1920. Originally opened with nine-holes in May, 1903 as the very first golf course in Japan, the Mt. Rokko golf course would quickly expand to a full eighteen-hole course in 1904.
Japan’s first golf course, Mt. Rokko, Kobe, c. 1920. | Old Tokyo
"Golf appears to be fully established at Kobe for the Kobe Golf Club, which held its first meeting on Friday, has no fewer than 95 members. The links are at Rokkosan; nine holes are ready for use and ...
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“A presentation gifted to His Excellency Major General Arikawa by aviation enthusiasts”, 1923.
“A presentation gifted to His Excellency Major General Arikawa by aviation supporters”, 1923. | Old Tokyo
See also: “Student at Tokyo Army Aviation School” propaganda postcard, c. 1940. “Life in the Army” series, IJAAS parade field fly-over, c. 1914. Kaishiki No. 1 biplane & Yamada dirigible, c. 1911. Nie...
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“Yumedono at Jioguoin”, Horiuji, Nara, c. 1910. The octagonal Yumedono [“Hall of Dreams”] is one of Horyuji temple’s most impressive buildings. It was commissioned in 739 as a monument to Prince Shotoku Taishi.
“Yumedono at Jioguoin”, Horyuji, Nara, c. 1910. | Old Tokyo
See also: Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, c. 1965. "The temple of Horyuji rises from the vast plain a few miles from the old capital of Nara. "Unlike the many hillside temples of Kyoto that blend into the wood...
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Museum exhibit souvenir postcard of a covered Maruko-bune [Round-bottomed boat], c. 1920, a pole-leveraged cargo vessel unique to Lake Biwa near Kyoto that could also be configured to transport passengers.
Museum exhibit of a Maruko-bune [Round-bottomed boat], c. 1920. | Old Tokyo
See also: Lake Biwa Canal, Otsu, c. 1910-1920. The “Incline Lift”, Kyoto, c. 1910. A Maruko-bune (also spelled Marugata-bune) is a traditional Japanese wooden cargo boat unique to Lake Biwa in Shiga P...
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The Tokyo studios of NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corp.), c. 1948.
Gojira (“Godzilla”) origin on the Far East Network (FEN), 1947. | Old Tokyo
'MONSTER' IN TOKYO ARMY'S JOKE BROADCAST SCARES AMERICANS AND BRITONS TOKYO, May 28 (UPI) An Army radio station described for a gag today a 'battle' between American soldiers and a 'twenty-foot sea mo...
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“Christmas Greetings from the Naces”, c. 1930. The five Nace children (left to right): Theodore, Margaret, Rebecca, George and Robert.
“Christmas Greetings from the Naces”, Akita, Japan, c. 1930. | Old Tokyo
See also: Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, c. 1910. Israel George Nace was born in York County, PA, in 1892. He married Mary Keifer in 1918, and was also ordained ...
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Park and temple visitors gather at the fountain at Asakusa Park, Tokyo, c. 1910, with the back of Senso-ji (Asakusa Kannon) temple in the background.
Asakusa Park, c. 1910. | Old Tokyo
See also: Hanayashiki, Asakusa Park, c. 1920 Ryounkaku (Twelve-storeys Tower), Asakusa Temple of the Goddess of Mercy, Asakusa Sensoji, c. 1910. "On no account should a visit to [the Asakusa Kannon] a...
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Tokyo Monorail departing Haneda (Tokyo International) Airport, c. 1965. A Northwest Airlines “travel” postcard. In the foreground is a 1962 Plymouth Fury sporting an orange US diplomatic license plate.
Tokyo Monorail, c. 1964-70. | Old Tokyo
See also: Tokyo (Haneda) International Airport "Tokyo will have the world’s first extensive monorail network which will soon criss-cross the city, turning it into a futuristic metropolis where commute...
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Fukuoka Industrial Exposition, Kyushu Electric Light & Traction Co. promotional postcard set, Fukuoka, 1920. One of several postcards published by the primary sponsor of the Exposition to promote the use of electricity at home.
Fukuoka Industrial Exposition, Kyushu Electric Light & Traction Co. promotional postcard set, Fukuoka, 1920. | Old Tokyo
See also: Japan Electrical Exhibition, Ueno Park, Tokyo, 1918. Evening illuminations, Peace Commemorative Exposition, Ueno Park, Tokyo, 1922. Tokyo Exposition for Domestic Industry Promotion in Commem...
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Head Office, Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd., Kanda, Tokyo, c. 1910.
Head Office, Tokyo Gas Co., Kanda, Tokyo, c. 1910. | Old Tokyo
See also: Marunouchi District, c. 1900-1950. Viscount Shibusawa Eiichi, “Father of Japanese Capitalism”, various postcards, c. 1907-1928. Japan's first gas enterprise was founded in Yokohama in 1872, ...
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“The Bronze Statue of Masashige Kusunoki, Great Patriot, in front of the Imperial Palace”, Tokyo, c. 1930.
The Bronze Statue of Kusunoki Masashige, Tokyo, c. 1930. | Old Tokyo
"Godaigo Tenno (A.D. 1334) was the Charles I of Japan. His subjects did not indeed cut off his head, but they rose against him under the ambitious leadership of the Ashikaga House, drove him into exil...
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“The Girl’s Festival”, Kyoto, c. 1960.
“The Girl’s Festival” (Hinamatsuri), Kyoto, c. 1960. | Old Tokyo
"There is no festival given in Japan that brings more joy to the hearts of little Japanese girls than the Girls' Doll Festival, Hinamatsuri, for this time their very own. The festival is celebrated ea...
oldtokyo.com
Exposition advertising postcard commemorating the 70th anniversary of the “Meiji Assembly”, Ueno Park, Tokyo, 1938.
Exposition celebrating the 70th anniversary of the “Meiji Assembly”, Ueno Park, Tokyo, 1938. | Old Tokyo
See also: Imperial Diet Building, Kasumigaseki, c. 1890-1940. “Emperor of Japan”, c. 1905. "The coup d'etat of January 3, 1868, which abolished the Tokugawa Shogunate and established a new provisional...
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Dai Nippon Butoku Kai [“Greater Japan Martial Virtue Society”], Akita Prefecture branch, 1906.
Dai Nippon Butoku Kai [“Greater Japan Martial Virtue Society”], Akita branch, 1906. | Old Tokyo
See also: Butokuden (Military Arts Hall), Suwayama Park, Kobe, c. 1910. "The Dai Nippon Butoku Kai ["Greater Japan Martial Virtue Society"] was first established in 1895 at Kyoto under the authority o...
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J.N.R. Tokaido Main Line Limited Express commemorative advertising postcard, 1958, announcing the introduction of “Kodama”, “Tsubame”, “Fuji” and “Hato” high-speed express service on the Tokaido Main Line between Tokyo & Osaka on October 1, 1958.
J.N.R. Tokaido Main Line Limited Express commemorative advertising postcard, October 1958. | Old Tokyo
See also: Tokaido Main Line “Kodama”, c. 1960. C55 Streamlined Locomotive and Mt. Fuji, c. 1940. Tokaido Main Line Railway, c. 1930. "On July 21, 1959, the M.U. electric streamliner Kodama set the wor...
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Earthquake refugee camp [バラック, ‘barakku’] on the Imperial Palace plaza, Tokyo, 1923.
Earthquake refugee camp on the Imperial Palace plaza, Tokyo, 1923. | Old Tokyo
See also: 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake “Earthquake photography”, 1923. Showa Emperor Tours Rebuilt Tokyo, 1930. "[M]any earthquake survivors had to reside in makeshift temporary shelters known as barra...
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Tokyo Exposition for Domestic Industry Promotion in Commemoration of the Coronation, Ueno Park, Tokyo, 1928. Photo inset: Exposition sponsor Viscount Shibusawa Eiichi, the industrialist, banker and investor who became known as the “Father of Japanese Capitalism”.
Viscount Shibusawa Eiichi, “Father of Japanese Capitalism”, various postcards, c. 1907-1928. | Old Tokyo
See also: Tokyo Chamber of Commerce, Marunouchi, Tokyo, c. 1910. Peace Commemorative Exposition, Ueno Park, Tokyo, 1922. Kobe Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Kobe, c. 1930. "1st Viscount Shibusawa (18...
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Panoramic view, Kobe Port Opening Exhibition and Naval Review postcard series, Kobe, 1930.
Kobe Port Opening Exhibition and Naval Review, Kobe, 1930. | Old Tokyo
See also: Grand Fleet Review, Osaka-Kobe, 1930. The Bund, Kobe, c. 1910. Kawasaki Dockyard Co. (Aviation Department), Hyogo, Kobe, c. 1925. The Kobe Port Opening Exhibition was held from September 20 ...
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Kagaya Tourist Hotel, Wakura Onsen, Ishikawa Prefecture, c. 1930.
Kagaya Tourist Hotel, Wakura Onsen, Ishikawa Prefecture, c. 1930. | Old Tokyo
See also: Yoshinoya Ryokan, Kaga Yamanaka Onsen, Ishikawa Prefecture, c. 1930. Kamikochi Imperial Hotel, Matsumoto, c. 1940. "The Kagaya Tourist Hotel in Wakura Onsen, Ishikawa Prefecture, is a famous...
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“Back to the soil”, c. 1950. ‘Honey buckets’ (in Japanese: noson kangen, lit. ‘send back to the farm village’) were wooden barrels used to hold and transport transport human waste (shimogoe) for use as fertilizer in rural areas.
“Back to the soil”, c. 1950. (Colorized) | Old Tokyo
"Another vivid memory of early Japan was the 'honey bucket' patrols. Some trucks but mostly slow moving wagons pulled by oxen. "There was no central sewer system so the use of 'out houses with buckets...
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“Wrapped with deep affection, Hoka Sweet’s promise”, “Hōkā [Hawker]”-brand toiletries advertising postcard, 1917, posted to confirm an upcoming sales appointment.
“Hōkā”-brand toiletries advertising postcard, 1917. | Old Tokyo
See also: “Modern Shampoo” advertising postcard, c. 1935. “Club Washing Powder” advertising postcards, c. 1910. "With the introduction of Western civilization in our country, foreign-made toilet artic...
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Round kite (wanwan-dako) flying at Naruto, Shikoku, 1935. The giant, round wanwan-dako of Shikoku’s Tokushima Prefecture are well-known as some of the largest kites made in the world. These commemorative postcards depicting the flights of these giant kites are dated June 2, 1935 (Showa 9).
Round kite (wanwan-dako) flying at Naruto, Shikoku, 1935. | Old Tokyo
See also: Kite-flying culture, c. 1910-1930. Japanese Kites (~Dako), c. 1960. Naruto whirlpools at Setonaikai, Inland Sea, c. 1910. "Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture: Since the 17th century the local peop...
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Quarantine Station at Megami, Nagasaki, c. 1910. Established in 1880 for passengers arriving and departing one of Japan’s first treaty ports, the facility was at the mouth of Nagasaki Harbor on the Megami River, some distance from the city-proper.
Quarantine Station, Megami River, Nagasaki, c. 1910. | Old Tokyo
"As the children were small, I secured two Japanese amahs to look for them when they arrived [in 1908]. When the ship arrived, all the passengers were landed at the quarantine station and I was not al...
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The 3rd Meiji Shrine Games commemorative postcard, Tokyo, 1926.
Meiji Shrine Games, Tokyo, 1926. | Old Tokyo
See also: Undokai (Sports Day), c. 1930 A history of tennis in Japan Exercises of the Tokyo Girls Higher Normal School, 1904 "That year [1924] saw many other initiatives: the inauguration of the annua...
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Victorious Great Powers at the Paris Peace Conference, 1919. From left to right: Victor Emmanuel III (Italy), Woodrow Wilson (US), Emperor Taisho (Japan), King George V (Great Britain), Georges Clemenceau (France).
Victorious Great Powers at the Paris Peace Conference, 1919. | Old Tokyo
See also: South Pacific Mandates (Japan), c. 1930. "Westerners dealing with Japan [in the spring of 1919] tended to fall back on stereotypes about the mysterious East. So much about Japan was curious,...
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