Art Festivals & Events

Following Japan's opening to the world, people from various foreign countries who had never interacted with Japan before began to visit in the years from the late Edo period (1853-1867) to the Meiji era (1868-1912). To meet the demand of those who were encountering Japan's unknown culture for the first time, photographers such as Felice Beato, Raimund von Stillfried, Shuzaburo Usui, Kinbe Kusakabe, Adolfo Farsari, and Kozaburo Tamamura sold photographs of Japan's famous places and customs in their studios. These photographs were often meticulously hand-colored, creating beautiful works that resembled color photographs. The prints were then elaborately bound into albums with luxurious lacquered covers. The choice of subjects, the skillful composition, and the beautiful coloring contributed to creating the myth of JAPAN and the mysterious Orient, rather than depicting the reality of the country.

At that time, hand-colored photographs became a popular Japanese souvenir for foreigners and one of Japan's most important exports. The picturesque places and unusual customs captured in these photographs make us, the modern Japanese, curious about the distant world of late Edo and Meiji Japan. Through these photographs, we can also understand what aspects of Japan interested foreigners at that time, what they wanted to capture and take back as souvenirs.

This exhibition presents about 150 pieces of hand-colored photographs and related artifacts from the late Edo period and Meiji era, showing through their unique beauty a portrait of JAPAN that captivates people across time. We invite you to experience firsthand the rare hues of these original works.