The title of the book reads – the Showa period as seen by the Tanabe Photo Studio.For those of you with an interest in old photographs - laozhaopain – 老照片– this book would be a good read, albeit in Japanese and of Japan in the 1920-30's. It’s about life in pre-war Japan, in the early Showa - 昭和- period. A high-color – haikara – (to mean fashionable) lifestyle of chic western fashion & luxury enjoyed by the ordinary citizens.
Behind every old photograph – a story waits to be told, and old photographs are appealing because it tells of a past which is very much related to our present. It brings the past back to life, and there could not be a better way to hear the story than to hear it from the people who are the witness themselves.
The articles on the - laozhaopian - 老照片 - were written by the award wining lady author – Seiko Tanabe – who is the grand-daughter of the founder of the Tanabe Photography studio in Osaka. She was born in 1928, in the 3nd year of Showa. She wrote of her family, and her childhood to adulthood in Osaka, spanning a period of twenty odd years.
This period is specially meaningful and historic, as it covered the years leading to the 2nd World War. Many a times when we read of the Japan of this period, there would be a militaristic tone to it, and often what we would see in the pictures in our history books and museums are military personnel in uniform.
What was the everyday life like for the ordinary citizens of Japan then?
Perhaps because of the period of extreme hardship and poverty after the war ended, in between which Japan rebuild herself to become a world economic power and an affluent society, the author had chosen the theme for her articles – the fashionable lifestyle and the good life that even the ordinary folks enjoyed before the war.
This story rings a bell, as it was something that the post war baby boomer would be able to relate well too, for they would have heard it from their parents. Or for those who still have grandparents in their eighties and above.
On the island in the Straits Settlement and in Malaya, life was peaceful & easy then. The Straits dollar was strong, and with a pocket money of 5cts to school, it was treat – for a bow of noodles cost 2cts, and a cup of drink at 1cts. A dozen eggs would cost 15cts, and cost of living was cheap. Then came the planes, and with it misery and sky rocketing inflation.
Well was life like in pre-War Japan, Osaka
These photographs tell of the fashionable lifestyle and the luxury that the ordinary Japanese enjoyed.. These photographs escaped the bomb fires of the Allied planes over Osaka that destroyed the Tanabe Studio, as many of them were with the letters sent by her mum to her maternal village, reporting on the tidings of her brood. However, beneath a seemingly peaceful life adorned with chic trappings, the sound of war was not far off .
The two little children on the cover photograph are the author when she was 6 years old and with her younger brother, 4 years old, seated in a toy car. The photograph was taken at their Tanabe Studio in 1933 – Showa 8, Feb 25.
The author zoomed in to describe the little doll that she was holding in her left hand. It wasn’t a doll from France, though it looked Western at first glance, but a Made-in-Japan doll. It was a a Japanese doll called Ichima-san (as in Barbie). The doll had black hair and black eyes, and was chicly dressed – with a bonnet and a Western dress with lace. She went on to narrate the origin of the name Ichima-san for dolls. In the cast of performers of olden day Kabuki, there was a beauty by the name of Ichimatsu – 市松 , and thus dolls in Japan were called Ichima-san.
This photograph of a group of 6 gentlemen smartly dressed in coat and tie - was taken on New Year’s day, 01Jan 1938. The author wrote that the haikara fashionable attire reflected the modernism trend of the early Showa period. Or, more precisely the Osaka-Kobe brand of Showa modernism, as she puts it.
In the front row was her dad on the right, and two young paternal uncles. The three gentlemen standing behind were technical apprentices in the photo studio, and they came from distant prefectures to Osaka to learn the trade. It was perhaps a fashionable technical skill to pick up then – photography – and these young men would then return to their hometown to set up a photo studio, upon completion of their apprenticeship.
Interestingly it had the word Tanabe written in English on the photograph – and perhaps it was fashionable to learn English then, too. The author wrote that his youngest uncle, seated in the middle, studied English Osaka YMCA. And English was viewed with suspicion when the Pacific War broke out.
Beginning with the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese adopted the Gregorian calendar, in place of the Lunar based calendar. On New Year’s Day it is customary to put on new clothes, and instead of the traditional kimono, these gentlemen had chosen the modern western fashion of the day.
However, war came early to Japan.
Before the year 1938 was out, a member in the photograph – back row standing 2nd from right- received his draft order.
Six months ago the Marco Polo Bridge incident occurred in the outskirt of Beijing, on 07Jul, 1937. It ignited a declaration of war between Japan and China. The war was to last 8 long years.
The author observed the easy-going mood in this photograph of the send-off party. The party was organized by her grandfather (in the center bare bodied) for this staff of his (seated on the right) who was drafted. The reality of the war and the misery that it would bring had yet to set in; moreover, China was a far away country. It was a send off party and it was meant to be a happy occasion for good wishes. The backdrop of the picture were two banners, with bold Kanji – Chinese characters – 祝 応召 足立多一郎 － vertically written. They were well wishes , one from her grandfather and the other signed off as from the Tanabe studio.
The author a young lass of about 11years old, was a seated on the left. On the wall behind her hung the picture of the beauty of the Japanese cinema screen of the 1930/s Takamine Hideko - 高峰秀子 - with the Marcel wave hairstyle. This style with the finger wave was made popular in the nineteen twenties and thirties made popular by Broadway actress such as Lillian Gish and Ann Harding,
The author’s keen sight zoomed in on the plate of half finished western steak, laid out on the low table with the beer and sake. It was served with a pair of knife and fork, and she thought it incongruous with the tattered edge of tatami mat just below the table.
The articles on the - laozhaopian - 老照片 - were written by the award wining lady author – Seiko Tanabe – who is the grand-daughter of the founder of the Tanabe Photography studio in Osaka. She was born in 1928, in the 3nd year of Showa. She wrote of her family, and her childhood to adulthood in Osaka, spanning a period of twenty odd years.
This period is specially meaningful and historic, as it covered the years leading to the 2nd World War. Many a times when we read of the Japan of this period, there would be a militaristic tone to it, and often what we would see in the pictures in our history books and museums are military personnel in uniform.
What was the everyday life like for the ordinary citizens of Japan then?
Perhaps because of the period of extreme hardship and poverty after the war ended, in between which Japan rebuild herself to become a world economic power and an affluent society, the author had chosen the theme for her articles – the fashionable lifestyle and the good life that even the ordinary folks enjoyed before the war.
This story rings a bell, as it was something that the post war baby boomer would be able to relate well too, for they would have heard it from their parents. Or for those who still have grandparents in their eighties and above.
On the island in the Straits Settlement and in Malaya, life was peaceful & easy then. The Straits dollar was strong, and with a pocket money of 5cts to school, it was treat – for a bow of noodles cost 2cts, and a cup of drink at 1cts. A dozen eggs would cost 15cts, and cost of living was cheap. Then came the planes, and with it misery and sky rocketing inflation.
Well was life like in pre-War Japan, Osaka
These photographs tell of the fashionable lifestyle and the luxury that the ordinary Japanese enjoyed.. These photographs escaped the bomb fires of the Allied planes over Osaka that destroyed the Tanabe Studio, as many of them were with the letters sent by her mum to her maternal village, reporting on the tidings of her brood. However, beneath a seemingly peaceful life adorned with chic trappings, the sound of war was not far off .
The two little children on the cover photograph are the author when she was 6 years old and with her younger brother, 4 years old, seated in a toy car. The photograph was taken at their Tanabe Studio in 1933 – Showa 8, Feb 25.
The author zoomed in to describe the little doll that she was holding in her left hand. It wasn’t a doll from France, though it looked Western at first glance, but a Made-in-Japan doll. It was a a Japanese doll called Ichima-san (as in Barbie). The doll had black hair and black eyes, and was chicly dressed – with a bonnet and a Western dress with lace. She went on to narrate the origin of the name Ichima-san for dolls. In the cast of performers of olden day Kabuki, there was a beauty by the name of Ichimatsu – 市松 , and thus dolls in Japan were called Ichima-san.
This photograph of a group of 6 gentlemen smartly dressed in coat and tie - was taken on New Year’s day, 01Jan 1938. The author wrote that the haikara fashionable attire reflected the modernism trend of the early Showa period. Or, more precisely the Osaka-Kobe brand of Showa modernism, as she puts it.In the front row was her dad on the right, and two young paternal uncles. The three gentlemen standing behind were technical apprentices in the photo studio, and they came from distant prefectures to Osaka to learn the trade. It was perhaps a fashionable technical skill to pick up then – photography – and these young men would then return to their hometown to set up a photo studio, upon completion of their apprenticeship.
Interestingly it had the word Tanabe written in English on the photograph – and perhaps it was fashionable to learn English then, too. The author wrote that his youngest uncle, seated in the middle, studied English Osaka YMCA. And English was viewed with suspicion when the Pacific War broke out.
Beginning with the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese adopted the Gregorian calendar, in place of the Lunar based calendar. On New Year’s Day it is customary to put on new clothes, and instead of the traditional kimono, these gentlemen had chosen the modern western fashion of the day.
However, war came early to Japan.
Before the year 1938 was out, a member in the photograph – back row standing 2nd from right- received his draft order.
Six months ago the Marco Polo Bridge incident occurred in the outskirt of Beijing, on 07Jul, 1937. It ignited a declaration of war between Japan and China. The war was to last 8 long years.
The author observed the easy-going mood in this photograph of the send-off party. The party was organized by her grandfather (in the center bare bodied) for this staff of his (seated on the right) who was drafted. The reality of the war and the misery that it would bring had yet to set in; moreover, China was a far away country. It was a send off party and it was meant to be a happy occasion for good wishes. The backdrop of the picture were two banners, with bold Kanji – Chinese characters – 祝 応召 足立多一郎 － vertically written. They were well wishes , one from her grandfather and the other signed off as from the Tanabe studio.The author a young lass of about 11years old, was a seated on the left. On the wall behind her hung the picture of the beauty of the Japanese cinema screen of the 1930/s Takamine Hideko - 高峰秀子 - with the Marcel wave hairstyle. This style with the finger wave was made popular in the nineteen twenties and thirties made popular by Broadway actress such as Lillian Gish and Ann Harding,
The author’s keen sight zoomed in on the plate of half finished western steak, laid out on the low table with the beer and sake. It was served with a pair of knife and fork, and she thought it incongruous with the tattered edge of tatami mat just below the table.
Well, so much for the haikara lifestyle of pre-war Japan ….
Postscript :
1. Japanese one point lesson:
a) ハイカラ - haikara
This word is derived from English word – high color. As it is an adopted word - or 外来語– gairaigo - it is written in katakana form.
It is used as an adjective to mean: smart, posh, dandyish, chic, fashionable modern.
ハイカラな男 - haikarana otoko – a dandy
ハイカラな車 - haikarana kuruma – a posh car
ハイカラ服 - haikarana fuku – a smart, chic or fashionable dress
彼はいつもハイカラな服装をしている。
Karewa itsumo haikarana fukusoo wo kiteiru.
He is always stylishly dressed.
It is an adjective that ends with a - な – na. In Japanese language there are two categories of adjectives – one ends in - い – ii , while the other in in - な – na. The - い – ii – adjectives are mainly for words that are native to Japanese, while the - な – na - adjectives are words adopted from Chinese or other foreign language.
b) 召集令状 - syoosyuu reijyoo － Draft order
The author had notated this phrase -アカガミ- akagami – meaning a red lettered mail. Whoever received this letter would need to report for duty, a serious matter.
祝 応召 – syuku oosyo - meaning to extend good wishes on the draft call
徴兵 – chyoohei – conscription, recruitment
徴兵検査 – chyoohei kensa – physical examination for conscription
In the early years, drafting age was 20years old. All male on reaching the age wouldl old would need to undergo the physical examination for conscription.
Reference:
1. 田辺写真館見た ”昭和”Author: 田辺聖子
Publisher: 文芸春秋
Published: 2008.5.10
The caption on the red promotional flyer that wraps round the book reads – even in the prewar days everyone enjoyed a life of high-color - ハイカラ – haikara –( to mean fashionable, chic) and extravagance – 贅沢 – zeitaku (or luxury) .
The series of articles was first published in the Japanese monthly magazine - Bungei Shunshyu –文芸春秋 - from Jan 2003 to Oct 2004. It was later complied into a book.
Purchased -
明正堂書店 －東京都 台東区上野４－６－４
2008.5.18 (Sun)
¥600 (S$48.10)
2. Dictionary:
旺文社シニア英和辞典 – Obunsha
最新漢英辞典- Charles Tuttle
3. Japanese actress – Takamine Hideko 高峰秀子
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/高峰秀å
4. 1920’s hairstyle
More on the lady hairstyle of the 1920’s:
http://www.1920-30.com/fashion/1927-hairstyles.html
The series of articles was first published in the Japanese monthly magazine - Bungei Shunshyu –文芸春秋 - from Jan 2003 to Oct 2004. It was later complied into a book.
Purchased -
明正堂書店 －東京都 台東区上野４－６－４
2008.5.18 (Sun)
¥600 (S$48.10)
2. Dictionary:
旺文社シニア英和辞典 – Obunsha
最新漢英辞典- Charles Tuttle
3. Japanese actress – Takamine Hideko 高峰秀子
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/高峰秀å
4. 1920’s hairstyle
More on the lady hairstyle of the 1920’s:
http://www.1920-30.com/fashion/1927-hairstyles.html
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