source: izismile.com
These photos of Meiji Era Japan (1868-1912) are more than 100 years old and were taken 1908 by an American photographer named “Arnold Genthe”.Here are some people enjoying the ocean and the beach during the summer and the beach areas are clearly segregated by gender. It seems that mixed bathing was not allowed in the country at this time!

The Photographer “Arnold Genthe”.

This German-born American came to Japan in 1908 for six months and photographed the people and landscapes of the time and his vast catalogue is now archived at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. in the United States. Library of Congress

Images of Japan 108 years ago.

At this time, “swimsuits” had been invented yet so it seems that these beachgoers wore clothing that covered most of their bodies in public.

source: mashable.com

Here is a farmer with a cow and wearing straw sandals that were common footwear during this period.

source: mashable.com

Here is a “Noh” performance of traditional Japanese live theatre at the Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima, Hiroshima Prefecture.

source: mashable.com

The streets have not been paved yet.

source: mashable.com

A pretty young woman of Meiji Era Japan.

source: mashable.com

These remarkable photos captures the living landscape of the Meiji era and are like a time capsule of the lives of people and of the country of Japan at that time. Many things have changed in the past 100 years but there are some timeless qualities unique to Japan that still remain today in the 21st century!

If you are interested in seeing more of the amazing photographs of Arnold Genthe, please visit the website of the United States Library of Congress shown here.

United States Library of Congress Website. www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?