Postcards and Photograph Reproductions Depicting the Great Kanto Earthquake, Other Natural Disasters and Locations in Japan, and Japanese Occupation of Korea
SPEC.RARE.0249
Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
1.0 Cubic feet
circa 1907-1953
Picture postcards in Japan became legally permissible to be produced by private companies and sent through the postal service on October 1, 1900. Postcards often included illustrations, color pictures, government officials, holiday themes, or photographs to commemorate a place or event. Natural disasters occur frequently in Japan, including earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, and flooding. The Great Kanto Earthquake in Japan occurred on September 1, 1923, with large portions of Tokyo destroyed or burned. The Postcards and Photograph Reproductions Depicting the Great Kanto Earthquake, Other Natural Disasters and Locations in Japan, and Japanese Occupation of Korea contain 612 commemorative postcards from Japan, dated circa 1907-1953. The collection mostly contains postcards depicting scenes from the Great Kanto Earthquake, including several series of before and after postcards that show damaged buildings. It also contains postcards of the 1938 flood in Kobe, the 1911 fire in the Yoshiwara Pleasure District, other unspecified disasters, and other scenes within Japan. Additionally, it contains one postcard depicting Korea during its occupation by the Japanese prior to World War II. About a third of the collection consists of postcard sets that include their original envelope.
(2) 5" legal document boxes
Japanese
Arrangement of Materials
This collection is arranged in 6 series:
[Series 1: Great Kanto Earthquake](ref13)
[Series 2: Kobe Flood](ref99)
[Series 3: Yoshiwara Pleasure District Fire](ref101)
[Series 4: Other Natural Disasters](ref103)
[Series 5: Other Japan](ref109)
[Series 6: Occupied Korea](ref111)
Acquisitions Information
Accession No. RARE.2019.0057: Purchased, 2017 September
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], Postcards and Photograph Reproductions Depicting the Great Kanto Earthquake, Other Natural Disasters and Locations in Japan, and Japanese Occupation of Korea, SPEC.RARE.0249, Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, Ohio State University
Access to Materials
Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the Thompson Library Special Collections reading room only.
Use of Materials
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.
Processing Information
Processed by: Courtney Bishop, Beth Crowner, 2019 March; Finding aid written by: Beth Crowner, 2019 March
Historical Note
Picture postcards in Japan became legally permissible to be produced by private companies and sent through the postal service on October 1, 1900. Postcards often include illustrations, color pictures, government officials, holiday themes, or photographs to commemorate a place or event. Prior to World War II, postcards also included pictures of colonized territories under the Japanese Empire, such as Korea or Manchuko in China.
The Great Kanto Earthquake in Japan occurred on September 1, 1923, with a magnitude of 7.9 on the Richter scale. Because the earthquake struck around noon, many people were preparing lunch at the time, leading to widespread fires after the initial quake. In addition, some areas suffered tsunamis and flooding from the tectonic movement, leading to further damage. Large portions of Tokyo were destroyed or burned, and many other locations throughout the Kanto Plain suffered damage.
Because of Japan's position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where many tectonic plates overlap, natural disasters are quite common and include earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, and flooding. The Kobe flood in 1938 and the typhoon that hit Tokyo in 1917 are two examples. In addition, since much of the built environment in pre-1950s Japan was wooden, fires were also common, and many parts of Tokyo have been repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, including the Yoshiwara Pleasure District, which burned down in 1911, and was damaged again during the massive earthquakes in 1923.
Scope and Contents
The Postcards and Photograph Reproductions Depicting the Great Kanto Earthquake, Other Natural Disasters and Locations in Japan, and Japanese Occupation of Korea contains 612 commemorative postcards from Japan, dated circa 1907-1953. The collection mostly contains postcards depicting scenes from the Great Kanto Earthquake that occurred September 1, 1923, including several series of before and after postcards that show damaged buildings. It also contains postcards of the 1938 flood in Kobe, the 1911 fire in the Yoshiwara Pleasure District, other unspecified disasters, and other scenes within Japan. Additionally, it contains one postcard depicting Korea during its occupation by the Japanese prior to World War II. About a third of the collection consists of postcard sets that include their original envelope.
Fires--Japan--History--20th century
Floods--Kōbe-shi (Japan)--History--20th century
Kanto Earthquake, Japan, 1923
Kantō Region (Japan)--History--20th century
Korea--History--Japanese occupation, 1910-1945
Natural disasters--Japan--History--20th century
Picture postcards
Tokyo (Japan)--History--20th century
Yoshiwara (Tokyo, Japan)--History--20th century
Great Kanto Earthquake
Series 1
circa 1923-1953
Scope and Contents
The Great Kanto Earthquake series contains postcards depicting Tokyo, Yokohama, and other parts of Japan that were affected by the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923. About 70 percent of this series focuses specifically on the damage to Tokyo, which in 1923 was divided into 15 ku, or wards. Since many wards were merged after 1943, materials have been listed under their original 1923 wards for geographic accuracy.
Many of the locations in this series were well-known landmarks, like the Nihonbashi Bridge or the Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Kanda, and were photographed from multiple angles to show the extent of the damage. In some cases, photos were artistically improved before being printed as postcards by the addition of painted flames or being colorized. Some sets also include “before and after” pictures to show the extent of the damage, and there are several commemorative sets from the Tokyo Memorial Temple in Honjo. Some postcard sets include detailed maps of the types of damage that occurred in specific areas, showing fires, flooding, and subsided parts of Tokyo and Yokohama. Other themes involve refugees and their camps around the Imperial Palace, a commemorative march held by the Japanese Communist Party, and damage to Yokohama. Damage and casualties in the Yoshiwara Pleasure District and other brothels are also included. The series is dated circa 1923-1953.
Arrangement of Materials
The Great Kanto Earthquake Series is arranged alphabetically by titles that start with geographic regions. Titles list geographic regions from largest (prefectures) to smallest (cities, neighborhoods, or buildings). For example:
Tokyo (prefecture): Asakusa (ward): Asakusa Park's Sightseeing Tower (specific location).
Geographic locations are specified whenever possible, with two exceptions: "Multiple" is used when postcard sets display multiple geographic locations (i.e. within Tokyo, Kanto, etc.), or postcards contain bridges or rivers that span two or more wards. "Unspecified" is used when postcards cannot be reliably connected to any location within a specific disaster, or the time, place, and disaster cannot be determined.
Akita: Omagari
1
1
circa 1923-1933
Hyogo: Osaka
1
2
circa 1923-1933
Kanagawa: Odawara
1
3
circa 1923-1933
Kanagawa: Yokohama
1
4
circa 1923-1945
Kanagawa: Yokohama: "Actual Situation of the Great Kanto Earthquake picture postcards" set
1
5
after 1923 September 1
Kanagawa: Yokohama: Yokohama Specie Bank
1
6
circa 1923-1933
Multiple: "An Unprecidented Earthquake: The True Situation of Tokyo's Catastrophe, set 1"
1
7
circa 1923-1933
Multiple: "The Great Kanto Earthquake and Fire: Tokyo: Before and After, collotype picture postcards" set
1
8
circa 1923-1933
Multiple: "Great Kanto Earthquake Disaster" set
1
9
after 1923 September 1
Scope and Contents
The materials in this folder were originally arranged together when acquired, but the envelope included with them might not belong to this set..
Multiple: "Great Kanto Earthquake 1 year anniversary" set from Tokyo Chozou Bank
1
10
after 1923 September 1
Multiple: "Photographs of the Great Earthquake and Fire's wretched appearance"
1
11
after 1923 September 1
Multiple: "Tokyo Shibaura Graphic Press Company" set
1
12
circa 1923-1933
Multiple: "The True Situation of the Great Tokyo Earthquake Disaster, set 2, 16 pieces, collotype postcards"
1
13
circa 1923-1933
Multiple: "The True Situation of the Imperial Capital's Great Earthquake Disaster, 3rd report, 6 pieces, set 1"
1
14
circa 1923-1933
Scope and Contents
The materials in this folder were originally arranged together when acquired, but some postcards may belong to other similar sets from this publisher, since the grouping contains more than the 6 pieces the envelope states belong to the set.
Multiple: "The True Situation of Japan's Unprecedented Kanto Great Earthquake Disaster picture postcards" set
1
15
after 1923 September 1
Scope and Contents
The materials in this folder were originally arranged together when acquired, but the envelope included with them might not belong to this set.
Multiple: "The True Situation of the Tokyo Great Disaster" set
1
16
after 1923 September 1
Shizuoka: Mishima
1
17
circa 1923-1933
Shizuoka: Numazu
1
18
circa 1923-1933
Tokyo: Akasaka
1
19
circa 1923-1945
Tokyo: Asakusa
1
20
circa 1923-1945
Tokyo: Asakusa: Asakusa Park's sightseeing tower
1
21
circa 1923-1945
Tokyo: Asakusa: Yoshiwara Pleasure District Casualties and Damage to Kadoebi
1
22
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Fukugawa
1
23
circa 1923-1933
Tokyo: Fukugawa: "Destruction of Suzaki Yuyaku" Brothel
1
24
circa 1923-1933
Tokyo: Hongo
1
25
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Honjo
1
26
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Honjo: Tokyo Memorial Temple, funeral and ceremonies
1
27
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Honjo: Tokyo Memorial Temple, Kanto Earthquake Memorial Museum "Earthquake Memorial Hall pictures" set
1
28
1949 November 18
Tokyo: Honjo: Tokyo Memorial Temple, Kanto Earthquake Memorial Museum "Earthquake Memorial Hall pictures" set
1
29
1953 June 13
Tokyo: Honjo: Tokyo Memorial Temple, Kanto Earthquake Memorial Museum "Earthquake Reconstruction exhibition, 12 pieces, set 1"
1
30
circa 1930-1933
Tokyo: Honjo: Mass Casualties at the Military Clothing Depot
1
31
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Honjo: Sumo arena
1
32
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Kanda
1
33
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Kanda: Holy Resurrection Cathedral (Nikorai-do)
1
34
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Kanda: Kanda bridge
1
35
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Kanda: Manseibashi Station and the statue of Hirose Takeo
1
36
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Kojimachi: Damage to a power station
1
37
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Kojimachi: Hibiya
1
38
circa 1923-1945
Tokyo: Kojimachi: Imperial Hotel
1
39
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Kojimachi: Imperial Theatre
1
40
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Kojimachi: Marunouchi
1
41
circa 1923-1933
Tokyo: Kojimachi: Ministry of Finance
1
42
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Kojimachi: Refugees in front of the Imperial Palace and Nijubashi bridge
1
43
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Kyobashi
1
44
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Kyobashi: Eitai and Yamashita bridges
1
45
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Kyobashi: Ginza
1
46
circa 1923-1945
Tokyo: Kyobashi: Ginza's Kabuki-za theatre area
1
47
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Kyobashi: "Shintomi-za" (Morita-za) Kabuki Theatre
1
48
circa 1923-1933
Tokyo: Multiple: "Actual Situation of the Great Earthquake picture postcards" set
2
1
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Multiple: "Actual Situation of the Imperial Capital's Great Earthquake Disaster postcards" set
2
2
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Multiple: "Before and After", multiple sets
2
3
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Multiple: "The Imperial Capital Great Disaster's True Situation" set
2
4
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Multiple: "Ogawa" (Sumida) river and the Azumabashi and Umayabashi bridges
2
5
circa 1923-1945
Tokyo: Multiple: "Record-Breaking Great Earthquake: The True Situation of Tokyo's Catastrophe" set
2
6
circa 1923-1933
Tokyo: Multiple: "Taisho 12 September 1: Tokyo's Great Fire and Earthquake" set
2
7
circa 1923-1933
Tokyo: Multiple: "Taisho Great Disaster photo postcards" set
2
8
circa 1923-1933
Tokyo: Multiple: "Tokyo City: The True Situation of the Great Earthquake, 8 sheets, 1 set"
2
9
circa 1923-1933
Tokyo: Multiple: "The True Situation of the Wretched Conditions of Tokyo's Great Earthquake" set
2
10
circa 1923-1933
Tokyo: Nihonbashi
2
11
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Nihonbashi: Mitsukoshi Department Store
2
12
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Nihonbashi: Nihonbashi bridge
2
13
circa 1923-1945
Tokyo: Nihonbashi: Shirokiya Department Store
2
14
circa 1923-1933
Tokyo: Non-Central Wards
2
15
circa 1923-1933
Tokyo: Shiba
2
16
circa 1923-1933
Tokyo: Shiba: Shinbashi Station
2
17
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Shiba: Zojoji Temple
2
18
circa 1923-1933
Tokyo: Shitaya
2
19
circa 1923-1930
Tokyo: Shitaya: Ueno
2
20
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Shitaya: Ueno Hirokoji, near Matsuzakaya Department Store
2
21
circa 1923-1933
Tokyo: Shitaya: Ueno Park
2
22
circa 1923-1933
Tokyo: Shitaya: Ueno Station
2
23
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Unspecified
2
24
after 1923 September 1
Tokyo: Unspecified: Tokyo Police Headquarters
2
25
after 1923 September 1
Unspecified
2
26
after 1923 September 1
Unspecified: "5 year anniversary: Severe Earthquake and Conflagration Commemoration March", Japanese Communist Party
2
27
1928 September 1
Unspecified: "Taisho Great Kanto Earthquake Memorial: Great Blessing's Dew", (Empress Teimei) set
2
28
circa 1923-1933
Unspecified: "Taisho Great Kanto Earthquake Memorial: Heartbreaking refugees and relief", sets 1, 2, and 3
2
29
circa 1923-1933
Unspecified: "Taisho Great Kanto Earthquake Memorial: Huge Fires after the Great Earthquake disaster" set
2
30
circa 1923-1933
Unspecified: "Taisho Great Kanto Earthquake Memorial: Terrifying Earthquake damage" sets 1 and 2
2
31
circa 1923-1933
Unspecified: "Taisho Great Kanto Earthquake Memorial: Traces of Raging Flames", sets 1 and 2
2
32
circa 1923-1933
Unspecified: "Taisho Great Kanto Earthquake Memorial: Traces of the Great Earthquake" set (maps of damaged areas)
2
33
circa 1923-1933
Kobe Flood
Series 2
after 1938
Scope and Contents
The Kobe Flood series contain postcards related to a severe flood that occurred in the Kobe area on July 6, 1938, killing hundreds and destroying thousands of homes. Postcards depict damage to buildings, roads, and suspension bridges, as well as still flooded areas and relief efforts. The series is dated after 1938.
"Kobe Region Flood Damage" set
2
34
after 1938
Yoshiwara Pleasure District Fire
Series 3
after 1911 April 9
Scope and Contents
The Yoshiwara Pleasure District Fire series contains postcards showing the ruins of the Yoshiwara Pleasure District in Tokyo after a destructive fire on April 9, 1911. Postcards depict burned-out buildings, people in the aftermath of the fire, and casualties. The series is dated after April 9, 1911.
Damaged Buildings
2
35
after 1911 April 9
Other Natural Disasters
Series 4
circa 1907-1933
Scope and Contents
The Other Natural Disasters Series contains postcards depicting a range of commonly occurring disasters in Japan circa 1918-1945, including fires, earthquakes, and typhoons. These include fire damage at Gojukken in Fukushima, earthquake and flood damage in Kanagawa prefecture, earthquake damage in Gotemba and the Mount Fuji area, and typhoon damage to the island of Tsukishima in Tokyo prefecture. It also includes postcards that are likely related to the Kanto Earthquake in 1923, but could not be specifically dated or geographically placed based on available information. The series is dated circa 1907-1933.
Arrangement of Materials
The Other Natural Disasters series is arranged alphabetically by titles that begin with geographic regions. "Unspecified" is used when postcards cannot be reliably connected to any location within a specific disaster, or the time, place, and disaster cannot be determined.
Fukushima: Gojukken Fire
2
36
circa 1907-1918
Kanagawa
2
37
circa 1918-1933
Shizuoka: Gotemba and Mount Fuji
2
38
circa 1918-1933
Tokyo: Tsukishima Typhoon Damage
2
39
after 1917 October 1
Unspecified
2
40
undated
Other Japan
Series 5
circa 1918-1945
Scope and Contents
The Other Japan series contains postcards depicting the exteriors of the former Chiba Prefectural Office, the Daikoin Buddhist Temple, and a street scene of West Tokyo, dated circa 1918-1945.
West Tokyo, Chiba Prefectural Office, and Daikoin Buddhist Temple
2
41
circa 1918-1945
Occupied Korea
Series 6
circa 1918-1933
Scope and Contents
The Occupied Korea series contains a postcard showing “Fuzan”, also called Pusan or more commonly Busan, South Korea, circa 1918-1933, during the period of Japanese occupation prior to the Second World War.
Busan (Fuzan)
2
42
circa 1918-1933