Preface

The scenery of Japan has been greatly transformed as a result of modernization from the Meiji era onward, natural disasters, war damage, postwar reconstruction, and redevelopment of the country. In many regions, there are no longer any remnants of the past scenery and nothing in the modern scenery which evokes or recalls the former appearance. However, the Meiji and Taisho materials held by the National Diet Library include a large number of photos of scenery from that point in time as well as of buildings and other features which still exist and are familiar today.

The NDL has selected photos of buildings, famous tourist locations and other scenery from these materials and compiled them in the "The Meiji and Taisho Eras in Photographs - Tokyo Edition" and "The Meiji and Taisho Eras in Photographs - Kansai Edition".

The NDL has now combined the Tokyo and Kansai editions and newly added photos from Tohoku. This has increased the number of posted photos to approximately 1,300, and these photos can be cross-searched. In addition, searches can also still be carried out from maps and keywords, and links are still provided to the NDL Digital Collections and related digital exhibitions. Articles have also been prepared for several items to provide the opportunity to learn more about the item's background and history.

We hope this exhibition proves useful and allows a glimpse of the atmosphere of the Meiji and Taisho eras.