A collection of 100-year-old hand-painted photos has been captivating Japanese netizens recently, both for their beauty and their significance. Taken at the beginning of the twentieth century by the well-known photographer, Kōzaburō Tamamura, these were the first pictures ever used to promote Japan to the world. The series reveals some gorgeous scenes of everyday life and places of natural beauty, in a Japan that was previously cut off to the world for centuries.

Tamamura, a prominent photographer in the Meiji period (1868-1912), was commissioned to produce these photos by a publisher in the United States. The landscapes and the scenes chosen to appeal to foreigners a hundred years ago still have the same magical charm today.

The peace and serenity of the pre-war years is captured in these photos of girls in kimonos whiling away the day in and around a traditional Japanese house and garden.





Tamamura also shot a series of traditional Japanese New Year celebrations and customs, many of which remain unchanged today.

▼ Kakizome, the first calligraphy written in the New Year

▼ Karuta, a traditional New Year’s card game

▼ Two girls play hanetsuki, a New Year’s game played with a bat and shuttlecock

▼ Two men give a New Year’s performance. They were described as being similar to foreign clowns.

▼ A family eats o-zōni, the traditional New Year’s morning soup

▼ Kadomatsu, New Year’s decorations containing bamboo and pine, are still placed on either side of front doors today

▼ Toshikoshi soba, extra long buckwheat noodles, are traditionally eaten at midnight on New Year’s Eve. The original text accompanying this image described the noodles as Japanese macaroni

▼ A fair at the grounds of a temple sells traditional New Year’s decorations

▼ Mochi, made by pounding rice in a large container, was originally introduced to foreigners as Japanese pudding

Takamura’s skill and the dedication of his team of colourists is truly amazing. His photos of Enoshima Island, Arashiyama, and Kyoto’s Kamo River are also breathtaking.

The photos may be 100 years old, but the unique culture, history and natural beauty of the country are still very much a big part of Japan’s appeal with foreign visitors today. Despite all the advancements in technology and the glossy photos available in the 21st century, it’s hard to compete with the personal touch of a hand-painted photo.

Sources: Itai News Old Photos of Japan