United States Army, I Corps:
Touring Kyoto and Vicinity, Kyoto, Japan, U.S. Army, Headquarters I Corps, G2, Official Visitors Liaison Office, printed by Benrido Printing Co., Ltd, ca 1946, folio of 87 loose plates (53 black and white & 34 color), large 4to, pictorial folder (maps front and back). The plates are reproductions of artists' paintings of many of the historic, cultural, scenic and US military facilities in and around Kyoto was prepared especially for "official" visitors to the city and members of the command stationed there. The illustration on the front of the pictorial folder is by Yoson Ikeda. The folio is accompanied by a plain (no text or illustrations) cardboard wrap-around enclosure.

The folio consists of 87 plates. These plates measure 10 x 14 1/4 in - 25.1 x 36.2 cm. They are printed on medium thickness paper that is glossy on the image side and flat on the back. Most images contain, on the image area, a descriptive caption, the artist's name in English and the Japanese artist's seal. Below each images is a paragraph generally containing the location (Kyoto, Nara), a descriptive caption and a supplementary information paragraph.

There are 53 black and white plates and 34 color plates. The folder lists Benrido Printing Co., Ltd. Kyoto as the printer. Benrido is a widely respected printing business noted for its craftsmanship in collotype printing using nineteenth century printing techniques. The color plates are clearly not collotype plates. I believe that some, or perhaps all, of the black and white plates are collotypes. However, I do have reservations.

1. The paper is of the nature of photographic paper (glossy front) and perhaps these are photographic copies of collotype prints. I do note that there is ink offset on the backs of plates which indicates, to me, ink (printing) rather than photograph plates. Both color and black and white plates are printed on this same type of paper.
2. The plates contain extensive text in the margins and that is not commonly found on collotype plates.
3. Some of the plates have a faint laid (grid) pattern within the printed area which I have not seen in collotype prints.

Close-ups images of color and black and white plates are provided below.

Five of the plates are attributed to the American artist, Robert Higgs. These plates are captioned:

• War's Desolation
• Japanese Torii
• Japanese Fishing Boats
• Higashi (East) Hongan-ji (Temple)
• Japanese Street Scene

Two of the plates are attributed to "American Artist Mundt." These are captioned:

• Daibutsu (Great Buddha)
• Osaka Castle

This folio of prints was prepared for presentation to official visitors to Kyoto and the United States Army I Corps located there. It is undated but the map on the back of the accompanying letter states 1946 and that is the presumed date of publication.

The map on the inside of the pictorial folder is a detailed street map of Kyoto. The legend for the map is quite informative. It indicates that the map was compiled by Army Engineers in 1944 based on various Japanese official maps prepared between the period of 1932 and 1941. The detail presented in the map is indicative of a sensitivity on the part of the US military to document important cultural sites in the Kyoto area. Such information would be critical in targeting decisions should bombing or other military actions become necessary in Kyoto. Fortunately, the use made of this information was to provide the visiting guests to the I Corps area a guide to the Kyoto sights.

There is no listing of plates with the folio. Below I have recorded the descriptive title and artist for this 87 plate folio.

Folder

    Outside


    Inside



Enclosed Letter with Black & White Map on Back

Letter:


"Symbolic Map of Japan, 1946, Osaka, Painted by Chichilow - Imatake"



Examples of Black & White Plates

Ginkakuji by Shibarhara Kisho

 
Toji (Temple) by Hamada Kan


Biwako (Lake Biwa) by Koun Yamamoto



Examples of Color Plates

Geisha Dancing Girls by Ito Shoha

 
Miyako Hotel by Sakakibara Taizan

 
Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion Temple) by Oya Shunrei

  
Doshisha University by Koyo Nakata

  
Kyoto Imperial Palace by Ito Sekka

 
Diabutsu (Giant Buddha) by "American Artist Mundt"

 
Osaka Castle by "American Artist Mundt"

 
Tenryuji (Temple) by Oya Shunrei



Plated Reproducing Robert Higgs Art

War's Desolation


Japanese Torii


Japanese Fishing Boats


Higashi (East) Hongan-ji (Temple)


Japanese Street Scene




Close-up, black and white plate:



Close-up, color plate:

 
Listing of All Plates (titles and artist as stated on the plate, numbers are mine)

~~~Black & White Plates ~~~
1. Shokubutsuen (Botanical Garden) by Higashimara Hosen
2. Chion-in (Temple) by Shigahara Kisho
3. Mii-Dera (Temple) by Higashimahara Hosen
4. Kibun Shrine by Kawaguchi Gosen
5. Kyoto City Hall by Shuso Iwa
6. Gojo-saka (Teapot Lane) by Sanko Kawamoto
7. Yumedono (Dream Hall) by Ita Sekka (Nara)
8. Shinyakushiji (Temple) by Sakakibara Taizan (Nara)
9. Kurama Temple by Shibahara Kisho
10. Imperial Museum by Ito Sekko (Nara)
11. Yasaka Gekiji (Theater) by Hamada Kun
12. War's Desolation by Robert Higgs (no location specified)
13. Iwashimizu Hachiman-Gu (Rock Spring) by Koun Yamamoto
14. Nishi (West) Honganji (Temple) by Azusima Kancho
15. Daimaru Department Store by Sanko Kawamoto
16. Hamlet of Ohara by Kawaguchi Gosen
17. Nijo Palace by Kayo Hatta
18. Saihoji (Moss Temple) by Koun Yamamoto
19. Japanese Torii by Robert Higgs
20. Japanese Fishing Boats by Robert Higgs
21. New Kyoto Stateside Theater by Kawaguchi Gosen
22. Bijitsukan (Art Museum) by unreadable Japanese name
23. Zoheikyoku (Imperial Mint) by Kancho Azusima
24. Myoshin-ji (Temple) by Aoki Seichu
25. Marubutsu Department Store by Aoki Seichu
26. Daibutsu (Big Bell) by Shibahara Kisho
27. Takao Bridge by Oya Shunrei
28. Kyoto Hotel by Koyo Nakata
29. Yasaka Tower by Kawaguchi Gosen
30. Omi-Zingu (Shrine) by Omizingu Osu
31. Daiken Building by Aoki Seichu
32. Kibune Shrine by Kawaguchi Gosen
33. 364th Station Hospital by Koyo Nakata
34. Higashi (East) Honganji (Temple) by Sanko Kawamoto
35. Hozu-Kyo (Rapids) by Koun Yamamoto
36. Ninnaji (Temple) by Hamada Kun
37. Kyoto Imperial University by Ito Sekka
38. Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion Temple) by Shibahara Kisho
39. Maruyama Park by Sakakibara Taizan
40. Higashi (East) Hongan-ji (Temple) by Robert Higgs
41. Ishiyama-Dera (Temple) by Iwasa Hokoo
42. Momoyamagoryo (Imperial Tomb) by Iwasa Hoboo
43. Sanzu-Sangen-do (Temple) by Ito Sekka
44. Kyoto Temmondai (Observatory) by Azusima Kancho
45. Eighth Army Recreation Center by Koyo Nakata
46. Kyoto Prefectural Building by Sanko Kawamoto
47. Koji (Temple) by Hamada Kan
48. Kiyomizu Temple by Sakakibara Taizan
49. Kitano Shrine by Koyo Na-Kata
50. Biwako (Lake Biwa) by Koun Yamamoto
51. Tsuten (Tofuku) Temple by Shibahara Kisho
52. Kure Harbor no artist state by probably American as American ships shown in harbor
53. Sarusawa No Ike (Monkey Swamp Pont) by Oya Shunrei (Nara)
54. Nara Hotel by Sakakibara Taizan

~~~Color Plates~~~

55. Geisha Dancing Girls by Ito Shoha
56. Ye Old Donut Shoppe by Koyo Nakata
57. Japanese Street Scene by Robert Higgs
58. Kasuga-Jinja (Spring-day Shrine) by Koun Yamamoto
59. Daigo-ji (Temple) by Shuso Iwa
60. MT. Hiei by Koei Ikeda
61. Heian Jingu (Shrine) by Aoki Seichu
62. Heian Jingu (Shrine) by Aoki Seichu
63. Obakusan Manpukuji (Temple) by Oya Shunrei
64. Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion Temple) by Oya Shunrei
65. Doshisha University by Koya Nakata
66. Arashiyama by Hamada Kan
67. Nara Park by Aoki Seichu
68. Kyoto Imperial Palace by Ito Sekka
69. Saint Agnes Church by Koyo Nakata
70. Yasaka Jinja (Shrine) by Iwasa Hohoo
71. Military Cathedral by Sakakibara Taizan
72. Daibutsu (Great Buddha) by "American Artist Mundt"
73. Konnichian Tea House by Oya Shunrei
74. Osaka Castle by "American Artist Mundt"
75. Yakushi-ji (Temple) by Shuso Iwo
76. Kamigamo Shrine by Sainko Kawamoto
77. Kiyomizu Temple by Sakakibara Taizan
78. Daikaku-ji (Temple) by Koei Ikda
79. Shugakuin Summer Palace by Hagashihara Hosen
80. Toshodaiji (Temple) by Koyo Nakata
81. Byodo-in (Temple) by K. Hatta
82. Ryuanji (Temple) by Hamada Han
83. Uji Bridge by Oya Shunrei
84. Tenryuji (Temple) by Oya Shunrei
85. Katsura-Rikyu (Katsura Summer Villa) by Koun Yamamoto
86. Saint Frances (Catholic) Church by Shuso Iwa
87. Inari Shrine by Fushimi Inari