Illustrations of Japanese Life

Photographs by K. Ogawa, Descriptions by S. Takashima
Deluxe Edition, 1896, 100 Color Collotype Plates, Plain Paper

Ogawa, K.
Takashima, S. (Suteta) (descriptions):
Illustrations of Japanese Life, a deluxe edition, K. Ogawa (Tokyo), Sole Agents, Kelly and Walsh (Yokohama, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore), descriptions by S. Takashima, 4to (10 1/2 x 14 1/2 in- 27 x 36.5 cm - occasionally described as "Folio" size), brocade silk boards with recessed panels front and back containing tipped in color woodblock prints on silk, board edges beveled, patterned end papers, all page edges gilt, purple silk tassel ties, vertical format, plain paper, 100 hand colored collotype plates with descriptive captions and commentary printed below the image. Each plate is numbered immediately below the commentary. This book has a slip inserted at the rear which is a Japanese language colophon. It shows a printing and publication date of June, 1895.

While not designated as a "Deluxe Edition" this clearly is the top of the line edition of this book. Other editions were printed on crepe paper. Most of those contained 12 images each. However, two volume crepe paper editions were also published containing approximately 50 plates per volume.

This is the only plain paper edition of this title of which I am aware.

The book is variously reported with between 95 and 100 plates. I do not know if they were actually published with the lesser number of plates or if plates were removed. In this book each plate is numbered (1 to 100) so it is simple to determine if a plate is missing. I have reviewed one book with less than 100 plates. This book had 95 plates. The title page was undated whereas it is dated 1896 in this book of 100 plates. In addition, the plates were not numbered.

The title page carries the date of 1896. This conflicts slightly with the Japanese language colophon which shows Meiji 28 (1895).

In the preface dated May 28, 1896, Ogawa states:

I have to acknowledge my indebtedness to Messrs. Tamamura and S. Kajima, as well as Prof Burton, for several of the plates in this volume.

I find very little information on the various Illustrations of Japanese Life books that Ogawa published. The four different versions each containing 12 hand colored collotype plates are, in my experience, most frequently seen on the market. For more information on those books, click here.

The following three relevant entries are found in the Wenckstern bibliography.

Illustrations of Japanese life, 100 collotype plates with short description in English by S. Takashima, folio, 1896 (yen 20.--).
-- Another edition in 2 vols. on crepe paper, large 8vo., 1898 (yen 7.--).
-- A third edition in one volume, no date (yen 1.20).

Wenckstern, Bibliography of the Japanese Empire - 1894-1906

For information on Kazumasa Ogawa, click here.

List of all 100 plates


  The "Geisha" (Singing Girl) 
  
  The Cherry
  Japanese Babies
  Buddhist Priests Conspicuous
  Venturing Out in the Rain 
  
  Letter Writing
  Morning Toilet
  An Accident 
  
  Shinto Priest at Prayer
  "Sayonara!" (Good Bye)
  Backyard of a Tea House
  The "Shiohi" (Fishing on the Dry Bed)
  The "Amma" (Shampooer)
  The "Kamishimo" (The Ancient Ceremonial Dress)
  A Damsel 
  
  The Geishas Holding a Letter
  Mamma!
  The "Jinrikisha"
  A Sleep
  
  Buddhist Priest at Prayer
  The "Amma" (Taffy Puller)
  Greeting
  Scene on the "Sumida" River 
  
  Maple Garden at Takinogawa
  Marriage Ceremony
  Orchestra - Kioto, Violin, Samisen 
  
  Basket Peddler
  Wrestling Match
  "Hanami" (Flower Pic Nic)
  The "Shiohi" (Fishing on the Dry Bed) different from #12, above
  Silk Worms on a Card
  Silk Worm Raising
  2 Reeling the Silk from the Cocoons
  Reeling Threads 
  
  The Cotton Spinning Wheel
  Examining Warps
  Loom
  
  Picking Tea
  Farmers Starting for the Field
  Farmers in the Rice Swamp
  Rice Planting
  Farmers in a Yard
  A Walk on a Snowy Day 
  
  A Courtesan in Full Costume 
  
  "Senju Kannon"
  Japanese Maiden
  The "Dai Kagura"
  
  A Blind Street Musician
  Maidens
  
  The "Go Inkyo" (Retired Gentleman)
  "The Ainu Couple 
  
  Hair Dressing
  The "Suwari-Odori" (A Dancing)
  The "Miko" (Vestal Virgin)
  
  A Carrier
  Lady Tying the "Obi" (Girdle)
  The "Kago" (The Palanquin)
  An Afternoon Company
  The "Komamonoya" (Fancy Goods Dealer)
  Sewing
  A Florist 
  
  The Art of Floral Arrangement
  "Odori" (Dancing)
  
  A Play
  The Game of "Go"
  The Japanese Culinary Art 
  
  The "Hatsuni" (The First Stock of New Year)
  The "Ken" Game
  Fencing 
  
  An Ox Cart
  The Ainus at Dinner 
  
  The "Chanoyu" Ceremony
  A Cup of Tea for the Company
  Family at Dinner
  Dancing
  The Orchestra 
  
  Carpenters at Work
  Cloth Dealers Shop 
  
  Porcelain Ware Shop
  "Hakimono" (Clogs)
  Vegetable Dealer's Shop
  A Vegetable Dealer
  Green Grocer's Shop
  The "Kakubeshishi" 
  
  Courtesans
  
  The "Koto" Playing
  The "Samisen" (Banjo)
  Working Men's Holiday
  Vestal Virgins at the Kasuga Temple, Nara
  A Curio Dealer's Shop
  The "Jinrikisha" Riding on a Rainy Day
  Wrestling Match 
  
  A Miniature Garden of a Tea House
  A Well
  Medicant Friers
  Entertaining a Guest
  Summer Evening on the Shijo River
  A "Matsuri" (Temple Festival)
  Children at Meal
  Mother and Her Baby