This is a translation of the article of the same title in
the NDL Monthly Bulletin No. 557 (August 2007).

We are surprised at the difference between the scenery which we knew before and the scenery of the present, even if it is only a few years apart. Scenery and townscapes change with the times and we do not pay much attention. What did the places which are familiar to us look like in the Meiji and Taisho eras, about 100 years ago? We can only have a look at the photographs to see the scenery of the times. Photo books possessed by the NDL will help you to glance into the aspects in those days.

This digital exhibition features the scenery of Tokyo. About 500 photographs of famous buildings and sights have been selected from photo books mainly issued in the Meiji era. Visitors to this exhibition can select photos by area and category and can search by keywords. Photographs which are referred to in books contained in the Digital Library from the Meiji Era (Japanese only) or the NDL Electronic Exhibition “Portraits of Modern Japanese Historical Figures” are linked to their corresponding pages, for easy reference. In addition, columns have been prepared for some subjects so that you can learn more about their background and history.

We hope you will visit this digital exhibition site of the NDL, and give more than a passing thought to the times, taking a look at the old photographs.

URL: http://www.ndl.go.jp/scenery_top/e/index.html (English version)
(or access from Online Gallery in the NDL website: http://www.ndl.go.jp/en/index.html )
Inquiries: webcont@ndl.go.jp
Reference Service Planning Division, Reference and Special Collections Department, National Diet Library

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