shashasha

Shortly after Japan opened up to the world after its 200-year long period of isolation, foreign photographers entered through Yokohama and – despite official restrictions on movement – began to discover Japan through the lens of their cameras. These images from photography’s earliest hours captured Japan in its decisive Bakumatsu period, when the old Edo Japan made way for the modern Meiji Restoration.

The book “Soko ni atta Edo” (“Edo Japan in Pictures”) mainly focuses on the works of two particular photographers – Felice Beato from Great Britain and Baron Raimund von Stillfried from Austria – whose desire for visual exploration resulted in numerous portraiture, nature and city landscape photographs. Presented in A4 format, the larger size of the book affords the vintage prints, plates and stereo photographs enough room to unfold their beauty. In almost 400 images, the book serves as a capsule of a long bygone time and allows its readers to experience the wonder and fascination of the pioneering photographers who were among the first to explore the reopened Japan.

Please note that all texts in the book, including several short explanatory texts, are only included in Japanese.