[Tokyo] - Lotus pond & buildings. - (c. 1900)

Technique: Original hand-coloured albumen photograph.

Title: [Tokyo] - Lotus pond & buildings.

Photographer: Unknown
Origin: Japan

Year of printing: ca. 1900

This photograph is an example of so called Shashin Yokohama. This was a type of photography particulary aimed to be sold to tourists. Yokohama-Shashin was very popular between 1860 and 1900. Its usual topics were Japanese people (especially Japanese women) and Japanese culture. These photographs were usually acquired by tourists as souvenirs. Because of Kaikoku (the opening of Japan to visitors), many started to visit Japan. Further, after Meiji Ishin (the Meiji Government was established in 1868), many Japanese citizens started to travel within Japan (which was previously imposible). Yokohama was a suitable place to visit both for foreigners and the Japanese. Yokohama-Shashin photography became a popular thing to acquire whilst visiting Yokohama. Two main-characteristics of Yokohama-Shashin are: a type of well-decorated album-styled photographs that were handcoloured. A costumer visiting these photographers-studios was able to choose the photographs that he or she preferred. Often these were photographs depicted the specific places of visit during their trip through Japan.