The History of JAPANESE PHOTOGRAPHY: From Samurai to Selfies

While capturing a moment with a camera feels effortless today, it's a stark contrast to the limitations of the past. For most of human history, WORDS and ILLUSTRATIONS were our primary tools for preserving what we saw. However, the early 1800s witnessed a remarkable shift, as brilliant minds paved the way for a new method of capturing our world. In 1826, the earliest surviving photograph emerged in France, and more than a decade later, Louis Daguerre revolutionized the field with the daguerreotype, making photography more accessible and laying the foundation for its GLOBAL impact.
But while photography flourished in many parts of the world during its early years, Japan had a unique historical context. The country maintained a policy of seclusion, limiting foreign influences and hindering the initial adoption of photography. However, despite these initial barriers, photography eventually managed to sneak its way past isolation policies and fears of foreign influences, quickly captivating the whole nation and forever altering how the Japanese documented their history.
Today, let’s embark on a journey into the fascinating history of Japanese photography! We'll explore how this European technology made its way to Japan, uncovering its evolution as an art form, a thriving business, and a constantly developing technology, from its very beginnings to the present day.
#photography #japan #history
SOURCES:
www.roningallery.com/blog/ima...
curiosity.lib.harvard.edu/ear...
danielblau.com/early-photogra...
www.kcpinternational.com/2016...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimazu...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photogr...
thomasgittel.wordpress.com/20...
visualizingcultures.mit.edu/b...
photoguide.jp/txt/Harvey_R._M...
topmuseum.jp/contents/exhibit...
www.geographicus.com/P/ctgy&C...
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
fotografie-asie.blogspot.com/...
japandaily.jp/japans-rise-to-...
scribblesandsnaps.wordpress.c...
shotkit.com/japanese-photogra...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_...
www.honolulufestival.com/arch...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History...
olypedia.de/index.php?title=Z...
curiosity.lib.harvard.edu/ear... (photo source)
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
01:59 - First Photo of a Japanese Person
04:34 - First Photo taken in Japan
05:34 - First Photo taken by the Japanese
07:16 - Photography becomes a Business
11:49 - Yokohama Shashin
17:36 - Into the 20th Century
20:18 - Japan’s Camera Business
23:07 - Outro

[@zarrg5611]

This video’s subject feels like it was specifically chosen to cater to my interests lol.

[@UsDiYoNa]

Same

[@howardmaryon]

Fascinating, thank you for making this video. I am a professional photographer of over 50 years standing, and I have a large collection of phobooks made by, or about Japanese photographers. I think my current favourite are ARAKI, of course, plus Daido Moriyama, and an up and coming member of the Tokyo Void collective, Tatsuo Suzuki.

[@Jobe-13]

The vintage photos are the only windows we have to look out at Edo Japan. It's beautiful but it also kinda hurts knowing you can't jump through the photo right into the moment in time it was taken. And see for yourself.

[@anikihistory]

100% agree man

[@TheTudorgirl]

Yesss, a new video- and again a super interesting topic! Funnily enough, I have just bought my first Canon a few days ago 😃📸

[@stevenedmund5680]

cool video , I own one of the first photos of mount Fuji and also the first train car in the streets of Tokyo. They are both the original photo.

[@anikihistory]

That's insanely cool! Do you know what year those were taken?

[@anthonybird546]

Proficiency in things like lenses early on in photography's history, I think, had a knock-on effect on free quality of a lot of other Japanese industries, especially optics and optometry

[@paulyan1946]

Thank you 兄貴 for making this excellent video. It’s one of the best on YT when it comes to the early history of Japanese photography. The photograph “Yokosuka” made by Shōmei Tōmatsu at 20:10 is a fascinating one that can rival, or surpass, any of Henri Cartier-Bresson’s work. One minor correction: the portrait at 9:18~9:28 is not of Ueno Hikoma but of Sakamoto Ryōma (阪本龍馬, 1836~1867), one of the important early figures that helped driving forward the Meiji Modernisation after seeing the “Big Black Ship” commanded by Mathew Perry at Edo Bay. The photograph could very likely be made by Ueno Hikoma though. Regarding the advent of modern Japanese camera brands, Minolta Camera Co., founded in November 11, 1928 as Nippin-Doku Shashinki Shoten, can’t be missed. It was the only Japanese camera and lens manufacturer that had its own glass making plant besides Nippon Kogaku in the 20th century. It was the first Japanese lens maker to successfully apply multi-coatings (the Achromatic Coatings) to its lenses, in the mid 1950’s. It also made the very first Program Auto camera, the XD, and the first Auto-Focus camera, the a7000. Today, the soul and technology were inherited by Sony.

[@anikihistory]

Researching this massive topic was pretty daunting without being an expert in terms of photography history, tbh. Good to have someone in the comments to add a bit more valuable info! Thanks for the comment and thanks for the correction as well!

[@Nostalgia_Merchant.]

You finally posted, I have watched all your videos, I waited eagerly for this new one

[@mr_mr]

This is such a huge topic. Good job at curating it down to this length. I would love an entire video on post-war photographers alone.

[@troysteiner9452]

This was great thank great photos chosen🐣🐥

[@robertthelion3195]

excellent video-don't miss this one

[@spider-queen]

what a fascinating video, thanks for all the work you put into this!

[@anikihistory]

And thank you for watching! 😬

[@Susan-dk3ik]

I love Hosoe Eikoh’s images. Capturing the artist by the artist for the artist. Geido 🎉

[@davyf7620]

Super interesting and cool video… a must for all photo buffs!!

[@r-cdmx]

Well done. Thank you. 🙌🏽✨

[@joshuacampise1449]

I probably comment this on all your videos but God damn it I love your videos dude!

[@anikihistory]

Thanks dude! I got way too distracted while editing this one I swear, just kept looking at 19th century photos instead of finishing the damn video lmao

[@undauntedtheoni]

Where can I find the photo at 13:48? I’d love it as a wallpaper. And is there anywhere that holds a collection of Yokohama Shashin, be it in person or online

[@antrumkfpsalatschleuder8768]

My favorite Japanese Photographer is Daido Moriyama .. Ricoh GR is the Camera he used and developed his unique style of street photography

[@anikihistory]

Oh yeah I saw some of his work while doing research! Brilliant photographer I really wish I could've covered more photographers but then the video would probably never be finished haha

[@zarrg5611]

Definitely agree, Moriyama is an incredible artist, though I need to deepen my knowledge about Japanese photography and other photographers.

[@alexcarrillo5510]

HERE-HERE!!! I AGREE, HE TOO IS MY HERO...

[@zorkikat]

It was the Nikkor lenses made by Nippon Kogakku, and not the Nikon camera, which was the game-changer. Miki had one on his Nicca (a Leica clone) and shot Duncan with it. The resulting photo convinced Duncan of the Nikkor's qualities, and replaced the lenses on his Leicas with these. Nikon cameras came to fame a bit later.

[@IndicatedGoodLife]

Wusste gar nicht, dass du aus dem Deutschraum kommst. Sehr gute Arbeit!

[@anikihistory]

Dankeschön! Freut mich, dass meine Videos auch im deutschsprachigen Raum gut ankommen 😬

[@michael.waddell]

Nice idea for a topic to cover man

[@anikihistory]

Researching a topic was rarely as fun as it was for this one tbh, truly fascinating stuff

[@user-xv4lm8vk7e]

Hey, the guy at 09:18 is not Ueno Hikoma. It's Sakamoto Ryouma, one of the most famous samurai in Bakumatsu Period. You don't know him, ANIKI-san? (I guess the guy who took that picture is Ueno Hikoma.)

[@mariomene2051]

I love documentaries, and I love Japanese culture--perfect video for me! 🤣

[@erickpeguero4897]

Thank you 🙏🏼

[@ryuseihashida]

9:20 His name is Sakamoto Ryoma(坂本龍馬) very important parson in Japanese history.

[@deathdoor]

Good video.

[@anikihistory]

Thank ya!

[@simonolsen9995]

@14:35 1st recorded image of Tokyo Lens.

[@anthonypang7927]

I have hundreds of baseball bromides, i know its not the same value of the photos you mentioned but i think they are cool and i love them

[@FortuneZer0]

9:19 Wait a second... Thats the japanese national hero Sakamoto Ryoma.

[@prabshiro]

Absolutely correct. That is ryoma.

[@koonyik]

Aniki, asi am visiting Yokohama where photography first started for Japan, any historical studios I can visit? Thanks

[@michaelshidler7184]

I Very much enjoyed your history of Japanese photography. Do you know who the first Japanese photographer's were? Who employed gold tone photography? It is also known as oro tone., Thank you and advance, Michael.

[@MrJapanApan]

Aniki: Do you live in Japan? I just came back 3 weeks ago from my yearly trip. I of course had my camera with me. I will be back next spring and it would be really fun to hangout and shoot. (my best friend in japan is a freelancer) :)

[@Pietro-th1yd]

Did you use the chrono trigger ost as BGM?

[@mr_mr]

for me it's Shōmei Tōmatsu. Others would be. Daido, Miyako Ishiuchi Kikuji Kawada Yutaka Takanashi Toyoko Tokiwa

[@prabshiro]

I have many rare photos of the revolutionaries of the time. There in several books based on the bakamatsu period.

[@Waferdicing]

🎦

[@mariomene2051]

3:19-3:47 Harvey snitched on them lol

[@anikihistory]

Yeah I guess going home woulda been a really bad idea, too much evidence floating around! Lmao

[@fotosportmassama5021]

sujimoto

[@katharinan.2406]

Are you by any chance German or Dutch? O:

[@keiga4370]

"A Western perspective of History of Japanese photography"

[@gelatosamurai]

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