S.S President Cleveland At Dock, Yokohama

S.S President Cleveland At Dock, Yokohama, a photo by glen.h on Flickr.

S.S President Cleveland At... by glen.h

How I would have enjoyed this in the 1930s. My imagination soars. I could write a novel about this type of adventure.

Imperial Palace and Lake at Hakone

Imperial Palace and Lake at Hakone, a photo by ookami_dou on Flickr.

Imperial Palace and Lake at... by ookami_dou
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A picture is worth many words. Thanks to Wolfgang Wiggers

GEISHA GIRLS GONE BAD ? -- Two Japanese Women Hiding Their Faces in the Docket of a Tokyo Courtroom.

GEISHA GIRLS GONE BAD ? -- Two Japanese Women Hiding Their Faces in the Docket of a Tokyo Courtroom., a photo by Okinawa Soba on Flickr.

GEISHA GIRLS GONE BAD ? --... by Okinawa Soba
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Thanks to OKINAWA SOBA for his research on Japanese basketheads. There is something for everyone in his photostream, especially those who have an interest in both old and new Japan and Okinawa.

Spring is Here

Spring is Here, a photo by Sue Ann Simon on Flickr.

Spring is Here by Sue Ann Simon
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Truly, a masterpiece, a work of art. Only Japan can offer this breathtaking beauty. To return is my dream. Great photograph.
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Photograph by Sue Ann Simon

SUNSET IN OLD JAPAN -- Heavily Photo Shopped over 100 Years Ago

SUNSET IN OLD JAPAN -- Heavily Photo Shopped over 100 Years Ago, a photo by Okinawa Soba on Flickr.

SUNSET IN OLD JAPAN --... by Okinawa Soba
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SUNSET IN OLD JAPAN -- Heavily Photo Shopped over 100 Years Ago
Ca.1880s-90s photograph by an unknown Japanese photographer. How was this image PhotoShopped over 100 years ago??? Very simple. The albumen photo (cooked into the silver-laced, egg-white emulsion by contact printing it directly under the sun) was then washed and fixed in the darkroom, and (here's the critical part) was taken into the back of the PHOTO SHOP where somebody with a palette of transparent water colors got out his brushes and COLORED IT. That's it. I didn't touch.

THE MAN WHO LOVED GEISHA GIRLS -- A Foreign Photographer in Old Meiji-era Japan

THE MAN WHO LOVED GEISHA GIRLS -- A Foreign Photographer in Old Meiji-era Japan, a photo by Okinawa Soba on Flickr.

THE MAN WHO LOVED GEISHA... by Okinawa Soba
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THANKS TO OWINAWA SOBA whose Flickr Photostream is one of the most comprehensive photographic histories of Japan accessible to those interested in Japan.
The below text is from Okinawa Soba's photostream:

THE MAN WHO LOVED GEISHA GIRLS -- A Foreign Photographer in Old Meiji-era Japan
Herbert Ponting, seated second from the right (with thinning hair) was one of the great foreign photographers to capture the nation of Japan during the last years of the Meiji era. He visited many times during the years 1901 to 1906, and produced well over 1000 negatives from which several American stereoview publishers produced their BOXED SET TOURS of Old Japan. By 1908, his views of Japan dominated all others, and as far as foreigners go, he could rightly be called the 3-D KING OF JAPAN. (Among Japanese photographers, it was only T. ENAMI who held the same rank).

Ponting went on to publish the beautiful 1910 book IN LOTUS-LAND JAPAN, fully illustrated with half-stereoview plates, including several in color. Ponting's favorite Japanese photographer was T. ENAMI, and, like GEORGE ROSE of Australia, considered Enami's photographs as the only ones worthy enough to be included with his own offerings back home. He was also friends with the pioneering Japanese photographer and collotypist, K. OGAWA. While Ponting was resident in Japan, OGAWA published two books of Ponting's photographs -- most or all of the images being taken from stereoviews.

It was only later, after these years of photographic experience gained in Japan and around the world, that he went on to even greater fame as the expedition photographer on Robert Scott's ill-fated trip to the South Pole.

However, Ponting's personal life was far from a "Lotus-Land" of peace and harmony. This British citizen and one-time resident of America deserted his wife and young children in favor of traveling the world, feeling that domestic life hindered his expression as an "Artist". He was also a "loner" type, and did not seem to have any deep friendships or long-lasting camaraderie with other men.

However, there was one thing that he loved, and that was the GEISHA of Japan. He fawned after them, and sought their company whenever opportunity allowed. His compositions using Maiko and Geisha are many, and he photographed them with a passionate love for their presence "on the set".

For more about Herbert Ponting, search his name on the web. However, the best composite picture of his life is given in Terry Bennett's PHOTOGRAPHY IN JAPAN 1853-1912 (Tuttle, 2006) which is available from the author himself at www.old-japan.co.uk/books.html or from amazon.com.

A Flickr caption about Ponting's work with H.C. White is here : www.flickr.com/photos/24443965@N08/5059368232/in/photostr...

For more on Ponting's Japanese 3-D counterpart, see www.t-enami.org/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24443965@N08/2360328226/in/photostream/

Abandoned

Abandoned, a photo by Kempelton on Flickr.

AN AMAZING PHOTOGRAPH OF AN ABANDONED TROLLEY OR TRAM. Thanks to Amy Kemp for sharing this in her Flickr Photostream.
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This is worth its weight in yen. Your capture of all of the intricate details are most rare and unique for a find of such a transportation icon. This is most likely from the 1920s and ran through the war years.

JAPAN AIR LINES -- Here's Your Cigarettes. Smoke as Much as You Want. There's Plenty More Where They Came From !

JAPAN AIR LINES -- Here's Your Cigarettes. Smoke as Much as You Want. There's Plenty More Where They Came From !, a photo by Okinawa Soba on Flickr.

Wow, what a treasue. Only you, my friend, could come up with such excellent photographs. Thank you so much for making it possible to remember flying to Japan in the OK TO SMOKE ERA.....

My flight, A Pan American 707, departed San Francisco in August of 1961. Within ten minutes I was smoking my pipe.

We stopped in Hawaii for a half an hour to refuel. Shortly after leaving Hawaii, the stewardess were beautifully clad in kimonos and were passing complimentary Suntory drinks and Ashai or Sapporo beer.

It was the first of many, many Suntorys and Sapporos. It was the flight of my life, one I would not have wanted to miss. Whenever I get bored, all I have to do is recall that flight to the adventure of a lifetime.

Thank you for your ability to share. Thank for making your photos available to those who have such fond and special memories of Japan. It is good that you have posted these rare airline photos.

Your Flickr Photostream on and about Japan is a collection that defines the essence of Japan. Your collection ranks among the very best available on the subject of Japan through period photographs. Your writing and historical information is not only educational, it is most entertaining. Thank you, Robert.

TRIBUTE TO TERESA TENG

TRIBUTE TO TERESA TENG, a photo by roberthuffstutter on Flickr.

Tags for this photo:
Teresa-teng sankien-park music photos-of-japan yokohama-japan sankien-gardens petri 1961-japan 1962-japan 1963-japan music oriental-music music far-east tour-of-duty-usn blogaboutjapan blog-about-japan read-my-blogs japanese-architecture japanese-gardens roofs-of-japan traditional-japan creative-commons

MY LAST DUTY STATION USS TORTUGA (LSD-26)

MY LAST DUTY STATION USS TORTUGA (LSD-26), a photo by roberthuffstutter on Flickr.

MY LAST DUTY STATION USS TORTUGA (LSD-26)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Tortuga_(LSD-26)

When I reported for duty to the USS TORTUGA in February of 1964, the ship was in dry dock at Hunter's Point in San Francisco. For the first few months, we lived on shabby barges until the ship had been completely overhauled and refurbished. Once we got underway, the morale raised considerably.

MY LAST DUTY STATION USS TORTUGA (LSD-26)

MY LAST DUTY STATION USS TORTUGA (LSD-26), a photo by roberthuffstutter on Flickr.

It was not the kind of duty I was accustomed to after serving 28 months in the luxuries we were afforded in a post-war Japan.

My transfer from the Naval Air branch of the USN was not at my request but decisions were made that my service was needed aboard this vessel bound for some real adventure in the Orient.

The Tortuga was in drydock at Hunter's Point ( a real hell-hole) in San Francisco when I reported for duty in February of 1964. We were bunked in an old supply building on the docks until, alas, the flat-bottomed LSD was ready to get underway for numerous OPERATIONS AND READINESS cruises up and down the west coast from San Francisco to San Diego and back again. Up and down, down and up, close to shore, far from shore, docking and loading ammo, training at GQ throughout the day and night for nearly six months.

The Channel Islands, off the California coast, were used for strategic purposes during our training. Gunnery practice was conducted for hours on end during these readiness cruises.

If anyone figured out why we were undergoing such extensive training, nobody mentioned the subject. Such operations were normal after a vessel underwent a complelte overhaul.

We were not privy to what the purpose of such cruises and training were all about. Recalling these training cruises with very little time for going ashore, I have bittersweet emotions and memories of my final duty station aboard one of the oldest ships of its kind still in operation, but refurbished and ready for some real adventure in the far east.

My station during GQ was on the bridge, with a good view of what was happening.

MY FAVORITE BAR IN YOKOHAMA WITH BEN HUR SHADES

MY FAVORITE BAR IN YOKOHAMA WITH BEN HUR SHADES, a photo by roberthuffstutter on Flickr.

MY FAVORITE BAR IN YOKOHAMA WITH BEN HUR SHADES
The Ben Hur shades were all the rage in Japan in the early 60s. I had to spend what was the equivalent of $30 U.S. dollars to get my shades. For that amount, I could have spent three nights at Frank Lloyd Wright's famous hotel, THE IMPERIAL PALACE. ( I did spend a few nights there in 1961).

The Peanuts Club or Music Saloon was another story. It will always remain a fond memory. More about the Peanuts Club in other posts. Tags: Peanuts-Club Yokohama Japanese-Bars, etc.

I still have my shades and plan to take them with me when I return to Yokohama. I want to sit in a bar with these goofy glasses and buy all of the young women drinks. And I might do a few portraits too. Dream on, fool............

outside my window

outside my window, a photo by roberthuffstutter on Flickr.

SANTA MONICA 28 March 1964

SANTA MONICA 28 March 1964, a photo by Lance & Cromwell on Flickr.

ONE OF THE BEST SETS OF THE OLD CALIFORNIA BEACH SCENE I have seen anywhere. A set of 23 beach photos taken by Lance Nix in 1964. When I want to go back in time, I go back to this set, time and again. Here's the link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/81918828@N00/sets/72157615416275548/with/3361759980/

SANTA MONICA 28 March 1964 by Lance & Cromwell

Tamagawa Park Tokyo Dec 1957

Tamagawa Park Tokyo Dec 1957, a photo by Mustang Koji on Flickr.

THIS IS ONE VERY PRECIOUS PHOTOGRAPH. I can almost feel the joy that was in this youngsters heart and mind when he was scaring the photographer. Who is this little tiger? None other than Koji Kanemoto, my Flickr friend 54 years ago in Tokyo. Who would have guessed that our paths would have crossed at some later time in life?

Ueno Zoo July 25 1957

Ueno Zoo July 25 1957, a photo by Mustang Koji on Flickr.

This is photo that touches the heart. I find it a darling photo of children. Taken in 1957 at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo. Thanks to my friend Mustand Koji. Check out his Flickr Photostream.
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When I was in Japan during the early 60s, children in these cute hats were everywhere, smiling, laughing and in love with the sights they were seeing. They were children on school outings and admired by all.

Tamagawa Park, Tokyo

Tamagawa Park, Tokyo, a photo by Mustang Koji on Flickr.

Tamagawa Park, Tokyo
多摩川公園東京昭和31年 Tamagawa Park Tokyo 1957

The toddler is my Flickr friend, Mustang Koji, Koji Kanemoto. Take a few minutes and enjoy his vintage photo. Mustang is a car enthusiast and has some great shots of custom shows, people, places and family. He has shared some of his photos on his Flickr photostream that are heartwarming, historical and photos that will cause one to stop and think about our wonderful relationship with Japan during the past 65 years.

Tokyo 1662

Tokyo 1662, a photo by tokyoform on Flickr.

Photograph by Tokyoform. This is a prize-winning photograph of Japan. It is most likely in Tokyo, but it could be wherever there are small sake bars and entertainment cabarets. I could not believe the drama of such a scene when I first arrived in 1961, and I would most likely be equally shocked if I ever return. My goal is to return to Japan and spend time painting and photographing some unique scenes.

Thanks to TOKYOFORM...check out the photostream.

Akihabara

Akihabara, a photo by Tim Slessor on Flickr.

TIM SLESSOR PHOTOGRAPH of the Akihabara area of Tokyo. Tim travels the world. He is in the film industry and is one master photographer. I admire his work. He captures the essence of wherever he might be at the moment...