japan: a self portrait

 The revival of Gin-bura- taking a stroll in Tokyo's Ginza district. Hayashi Tadahiko, 1950.

 from left: Women harvesting rice. Hamaya Hiroshi, 1955. Village at the foot of the volcano. Narahara Ikko, 1954-57.

 Boy in front of his fishing village. Nagano Shigeichi, 1953.

 Village at the foot of the volcano. Narahara Ikko, 1954-57.

 Island without green. Narahara Ikko, 1954-57.

Ginza, Tokyo. Kimura Ihee, 1954.

A cafe for singing. Tanuma Takeyoshi, 1957.

Tokyo. Ishimato Yazushiro, 1953-58.

Castle, Tokyo. Tomatsu Shomei, 1963.

The first postwar municipal apartment buildings, Okubo Tokyo. Nagano Shigeichi, 1961.

Workers playing volleyball on a highway being constructed on reclaimed land, Tokyo. Tanuma Takeyoshi, 1962.

White collar workers at 5 P.M. Nagano Shigeichi, 1959.

Receiving a diploma for completely management training. Nagano Shigeichi, 1961.

Company training: students in morning formation. Nagano Shigeichi, 1964.

From left: Tokyo. Ishimoto Yashuhiro, 1955-57. Tokyo, Ishimoto Yashuhiro, 1962.

Ginza, Tokyo. Tanuma Takeyoshi, 1962.

Ginza, Tokyo. Tanuma Takeyoshi, 1960.

above are some photographs from a book that i found in the library called 'Japan: A Self Portrait. Photographs 1945-1964' by Takeuchi Keiichi and Hiraki Osam. it actually portrays a very interesting photographic insight on japan's history, and postwar redevelopement, and has helped me better understand and draw japan & and japanese people. i also really like the grainy black and white quality of the photographs - which is something that i'm finding more suitable in my image making for this project, rather than introducing 'unnecessary' colour.


Keiichi, T., Osam, O. (2004), Japan: A Self-Portait; Photographs 1945-1964. Paris: Flammarion.