Figure 1.-- Here is an interesting middle-class domestic scene in a Japanese city (perhaps Tokyo) in 1962. The scene is the living room of a rather westernized Japanese home. The family are relaxing after dinner and enjoying a little musical entertainment provided by themselves. Notice the single-child family.

Family images are an espection interesting section of HBC. Images of families provide insights as to the clothing worn by not only boys at different times, but also the other members of the family. Thus there is a great deal of useful clothing information in these images. Family images also provide fascinating insights into life style trends, in some instances the inside of Japanese homes. Here we have just begun to collect such images, but have acquired several interesting images showing Japanese families in various decades. We now have a nimber of 20th century images. Much larger numbers of images are available for the 20th century, especially after World War I. The phiotographic record shows a remarkable remarkable transition from large families and trasitional clothing to small nuclear families and Western dress. This is essence the visual record of the transformation of a backward, agricultural society to a modern industrial nation.

The 19th Century

We have very few 19tyh centuruy Japanese family images. We have only found a small number of images to archive. We see Japanese children, especially the boys wearing mostly traditional clothes in the 19th century. By the end of the century, we see boys wearing Prussian caset caps to school, but still mostly traditional clothing. It wsas especially rare to see girls wearing Western clothing.

Japanese Family (1870s)

Here we have an unidentifed family portrait. We would assume that the youths here come from a very prosperous moderizing family. There are three boys and a girl. They all look to be teenagers. Notably the male youths here wear western clothes and the and the female traditional clothes. We believe that this was quite common at the time. The suits and neckwear the boys wear suggest the 1870s to us, but we ae not at all sure.

Japanese Family (1880s)

We know nothing about this old Japanese portrait. It was an ambrotype, a form of photography that had gone out of favor in the West by the 1880s. The portrait shows a woman and boy in traditional dress. We are unsure just how to interpret the image. We assume that they are mother and son, but they are strangely posed separated, unusual for pofrtraits, at least in the West. Hopefully our Japanese readers will be able to tell us something about this portrait.

Japanese Family (1890)

The children in this Japanese family were photographed in 1890. Note they are all wearing traditional costumes. It is a little difficult to see gender differences in the traditional garments, but the hair styles are apparent.

Japanese Family (1890s)

Here we see a mother and her two young children. They are all wearing traditional outfits. People still eore knomonos for ervey dy dress, but these are gorgeous ones done in silk and presumbly wonderful colors. The children look to be about 3-6 yerrs old. The cabinet card portrait is undated, but the mount style suggests the 1890s. We still do not see a mny people wering Western dress yet, but notice the littl boys has a sailor Also notice his light-colored bag-like item tp be used as he has no pockets. Mother and his little sister do not have one. They are nicely, if stiffly posed.

The 20th Century

We have begun to collect a few images of Japanese families during the 20th century. Much larger numbers of images are available for the 20th century, especially after World War I. The phiotographic record shows a remarkable remarkable transition from large families and trasitional clothing to small nuclear families and Western dress. This is essence the visual record of the transformation of a backward, agricultural society to a modern industrial nation. Our archive is still quite limited so we can not yet make any detailed assessment, but this is an area we hope to develop over time and we are gradually adding images to our archive. Hopefully our Japanese readers will provide their insights to help us understand these images. After World War I we see more and more Western clothing, especially among urban school children. Western clothing quickly becomes dominant in rural arwas after World War II. By the 1950s, traditional clothing increasingly becomes reserved for special dress up events. Many children, especially the boys did not even have traditional outfits.

The 21st Century

Affluent Family (2005)

Here we have a fascinating portrait of a modern Japanese family. We have no details about the family, but it looks to be a very affluent family. There are several interesting aspects to the image. The children are dressed in traditional clothing, but not the adults. I think earlier traditional dress was very common for women. Here it seems the traditional clothingis seen as appropriate fof children. I'm not sure how common this is in Japan, but suspect it reflects a general trend. Unfortunately I do not know enough about Japanese traditionl clothing to describe the garments. Not do I know where these outfits would be worn beyond formal portraits.

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Created: April 23, 2004
Last updated: 8:36 AM 8/29/2021