THE FESTIVAL OF THE AGES

Kobe: Tamamura, Meiji 36 [1906] traditional Japanese Yamato-toji (cord-tied) spine with decorated cloth boards, 26x18cm, complete with title, colophon page and 20 hand-colored collotype plates on heavy cardstock; all pages present and attached in fragile binding; interior in Fine condition with no damage to photographs, all tissue guards present with no tears.

Tamamura Kōzaburō (1856–1923) was a celebrated Japanese photographer during the Meiji period, a pioneer known for founding successful studios in Tokyo and Yokohama.  He created souvenir images for foreign travelers, specializing in hand-colored albumen silver prints and collotypes depicting landscapes, street vendors, temples, geisha, and daily customs.

The Festival of the Ages, known in Japan as the Jidai Matsuri, was a prominent cultural parade in Kyoto that became a major subject for Tamamura.  About 2,000 participants in authentic historical costumes walked backward in time through Japanese history.  Moving from the Kyoto Imperial Palace to the Heian Shrine, the parade started with Meiji Restoration figures and ended with the Heian period (8th-12th century).  

These photographs capture the October 22, 1905 procession in Kyoto.  The images depict soldiers in modern Meiji-era military dress, samurai in elaborate armor, and costumed nobility dating back to the 8th century.  Painstakingly researched by Kyoto artisans, the elaborate attire was fashioned using ancient techniques.  Thus, Tamamura's vibrant collotypes also serve as an invaluable visual record of early festival craftsmanship.  Every image includes typed English captions and descriptive text, tailoring the album to wealthy Western tourists and collectors.

There is currently no other example of this album to be found online, no auction record, and WorldCat locates only three copies in libraries worldwide.

Ships from the United States.