old photos
Stroll the streets of Electric Town at a time when computers and video games were just beginning to appear on the scene.
People used to travel on a ropeway between department store rooftops overlooking today’s scramble crossing.
Twitter wants you to help find the people taken in these beautiful black-and-white photos from Japan’s past.
These aren’t illustrations or romanticized stories – just normal Japanese people as they lived over a century ago.
Japanese commenters aren’t so impressed with modern cityscapes, but are they just being nitpicky?
From breastfeeding mothers to merchant towns and an evening party with kimono-clad girls in Kyoto, these newly released artworks and photos of old Japan are simply captivating.
If you’re anything like us, you love old stuff from Japan. The temples, shrines, centuries-old festivals, and museums are some of our favorite things to check out when we have free time. There’s just something absolutely captivating about all the relics of the past that live on in Japan–but they’re just not quite as good as time travel! Come on, scientists, we want to hang out with Nobunaga! Well, while we’re waiting for Doc Brown to get back with the DeLorean, we can still at least look at old photos of Japan.
Though you might think there aren’t many–after all, it wasn’t like the samurai were running around with smartphones, snapping selfies–it turns out that there may be quite a few more than we realized! After a few hours clicking around the Internet, we’ve come up with our six favorite sites for finding old photos of Japan. Be sure to check them out and see what life was like over a hundred years ago!
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Now
Kyoto Whopper divides customers at Burger King Japan
Taking the Kyoto overnight bus for the first time
Forbidden area at Japanese mountaintop shrine opens to the public for first time in 400 years
Yakuza vending machines coming to real-world Tokyo neighborhood that inspired Like a Dragon games
Starbucks Japan unveils second Holiday Frappuccino for 2024
Japanese burger chain no longer serves onion rings, but offers intriguing replacement【Taste test】
Japan’s caramel gacha machines offer sweet thrills, but do they deliver?
American jackass tourist arrested after carving name into gate at Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine【Video】
Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke teams up with Foxfire for outdoor apparel collaboration【Photos】
Japan’s new canned chu-hai with fresh lemon slice: disappointing gimmick or drink revelation?
Weekly
One of Japan’s most beautiful hot spring towns announces new limits on number of day trippers- Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke teams up with Foxfire for outdoor apparel collaboration【Photos】
Berserk T-shirts coming to Uniqlo for launch of new Manga Curation line【Photos】
Mario Kart Happy Meal toys arrive at McDonald’s Japan, and SoraNews24 has the whole set!【Photos】
After cancelling Halloween, Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood cancels New Year’s Eve too
Tokyo park’s sea of clouds, nighttime illumination, and cosplay days make now perfect time to visit
Samurai ritual suicide contest cancelled by organizer in west Japan
Japanese job-quitting service contacted by other job-quitting service because employee wants to quit
Flying dango: Unique tourist site where Japanese sweets are flown to you over a gorge- American jackass tourist arrested after carving name into gate at Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine【Video】
Monthly
Nintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】- One of Japan’s most beautiful hot spring towns announces new limits on number of day trippers
Tokyo Disneyland loses top-attendance crown for Japanese theme parks for second year in a row- Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke teams up with Foxfire for outdoor apparel collaboration【Photos】
Ghibli Park debuts first winter illumination display with Howl’s Moving Castle theme
Pringles releases a limited-edition sweet flavour in Japan
Sanrio and magical girl anime PreCure join forces for new merch line【Photos】- Japanese job-quitting service contacted by other job-quitting service because employee wants to quit
- After cancelling Halloween, Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood cancels New Year’s Eve too
What’s the deal with akebi, the perfectly purple, alien-like fruit that’s in season now in Japan?
Yearly
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Foreign tourists on Shinkansen bullet train break suitcase etiquette, angering local passengers
[Deleted] Article written for April Fool’s Day 2018
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Japanese convenience store Family Mart announces abolishment of eat-in spaces
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
Studio Ghibli releases free-download board game — Here’s how to play it without reading Japanese
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Japanese burger chain no longer serves onion rings, but offers intriguing replacement【Taste test】
Japan’s caramel gacha machines offer sweet thrills, but do they deliver?
American jackass tourist arrested after carving name into gate at Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine【Video】
Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke teams up with Foxfire for outdoor apparel collaboration【Photos】
Japan’s new canned chu-hai with fresh lemon slice: disappointing gimmick or drink revelation?
This little-known spot is a haven for train otaku, with a view of both Mt. Fuji and bullet trains
Every PreCure magical girl ever now appearing on awesome anime digital mural in Tokyo【Pics, vid】
Attack on Titan x Uniqlo pairing unleashes a colossal collaboration on the world
Flying dango: Unique tourist site where Japanese sweets are flown to you over a gorge
Made In Japan Fender Limited Edition Hello Kitty Stratocaster now on sale in Japan
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Do bears strike first with their left paw when attacking people? Japan wants to know
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