Somedays: Then and Now

Showing posts with label Then and Now. Show all posts

Tuesday, 11 June 2013

Tuesday Then and Now

Ten years ago this summer I spent two months in Yokohama, subletting the apartment of a friend of a friend and attending a Japanese language program for North American grad students. I met a great group of people, a number of whom are still friends, and made a whole lot of amazing memories. The school was in a beautiful spot overlooking the water, right by Queen's Square and the Landmark Tower, only a few minutes from Sakuragicho station.

In the ten years since then Sakuragicho has changed - new shopping complexes, more stores, new developments... I hardly recognized it when I went last week. But looking at the Nagasaki University's Metadatabase of Japanese Old Photographs it has changed even more in the past 100 years...

What is now Sakuragicho station is on the site of what was the first Yokohama station.

The station is now dwarfed by the surrounding buildings and almost hidden, but the sky was a lovely shade of blue and I enjoyed doing a bit of reminiscing...

The station itself got in on the now and then - it is decorated with old photographs, maps, and descriptions of what the area used to look like.

Tuesday, 4 June 2013

Tuesday (Then and) Then and Now

We spent one day over the Golden Week holidays in Yokosuka. It was a gorgeous day - cloudless blue sky, sunny, and a light breeze in the air. Not too hot, but not chilly in the slightest. It was the perfect day trip - no crazy Golden Week traffic, silent greenery, shrines, a delightful quirky little teahouse, and beach combing.

One of the shrines was at the top of long long flights of stairs and gave a beautiful view of Yokosuka and the ocean. By the lookout point was a signboard with a copy of a Hiroshige image of the same view...

While not the same view, the Nagasaki University's Metadatabase of Japanese Old Photographs has a few photographs overlooking Yokosuka and the bay...

Tuesday, 28 May 2013

Tuesday Then and Now - Ochanomizu

More photos from the Nagasaki University's Metadatabase of Japanese Old Photographs...

Having spent three years at university in the area, I know the Ochanomizu area pretty well. Which is why I loved seeing an old picture of the area - one that I barely recognized! It took me a couple of tries to figure out where the photo was taken and when I went to take a similar picture I discovered I couldn't quite get it. But, here is Ochanomizu anyways!

The old photo, taken by A. Farsari:

Ochanomizu Bridge and Nikolai-do, both built in 1891, viewed from Juntendo Hospital. On the left (north) and right side of the artificial Kanda River are Yushima-dai and Suruga-dai, respectively. Ochanomizu Bridge was the first bridge constructed to provide access to the elevated land, which had been built for the protection of Edo. Even though the river was artificial, this area was renowned for its scenic beauty, and visitors enjoyed fireflies and Japanese cuckoos. Taken between 1892 and 1897.

Taken last month by yours truly:

From Ochanomizu bridge, with Juntendo Hospital behind me, looking towards Yushima-dai and Suruga-dai.

Just past Juntendo Hospital, looking towards Ochanomizu Bridge (hidden by the greenery).

Looking at Juntendo Hospital from the opposite side of the river.

Tuesday, 21 May 2013

Tuesday Then and Now - Nikko Kanmangafuchi Jizo

More photos from the Nagasaki University's Metadatabase of Japanese Old Photographs... And more Nikko!

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This year U and I both had work/study we needed to do over the holidays, but decided we wanted to get away for a few days. So we drove to Nikko on New Year's eve, rang in the new year at Nikko Toshogu, spent a few days relaxing at the lovely Turtle Inn Annex, and then drove to the onsen town of Nasu where we "hiked" (a 15 minute walk down a slippery snowy and icy path) for two nights at an onsen hotel that has been forgotten by time. It was the perfect relaxing vacation and we both got lots done - in between relaxing in hot outdoor baths surrounded by a foot of snow!

While in Nikko we went for a short walk from our hotel and went to see the Jizo statues in Kanmangafuchi. It was the perfect walk for a winter day, and the Jizo were bright and cheery in their red caps and colourful origami decorations.

Some say there are 70 Jizo statues here, some say 100, and some say that you never count the same number twice because the Jizo get up and move around... However many of them there are, however, I love how each one is unique.

While poking around on the Nagasaki University's Metadatabase of Japanese Old Photographs, I found a familiar scene...

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

Tuesday Then & Now - Chuzenjiko

More photos from the Nagasaki University's Metadatabase of Japanese Old Photographs... And more Nikko!

Lake Chuzenjiko, to be exact.

During the Meiji period:

And November 2012 -

Tuesday, 7 May 2013

Tuesday Then & Now - Otonashi Bridge

More photos from the Nagasaki University's Metadatabase of Japanese Old Photographs... I missed the cherry blossoms by a few weeks, but the little park along the Shakuji River below Otonashibashi Bridge, behind Oji station, is a peaceful little oasis.

These photos (and their captions) tell a story of industrialization of the area.

"Oji Station is built over Shakujii River. In this area the river is called Otonashi River. The reason for this name is as follows. Toyoshima Gonnokami Kiyomitsu, a medieval feudal lord, hailed from Kishu (present-day Wakayama Prefecture) and thus established a shrine to Jakuichi Ouji Gongen (Kumano Gongen) that later became Oji Gongen. Consequently, this area was called Oji, and the river was named after the Otonashi River of Kishu. Upstream on the Otonashi River, Takinogawa Village gained fame for its autumn colours. Taken in the mid-Meiji Period."

"A woman looking at Otonashi River (Shakujii River) from a restaurant in Oji. The river was so clear during the Edo Period that tea made from river water was praised for its high quality. The hillside along the Otonashi River was also suited for tea growing, and the tea grown here was valued on a par with the famous tea from Uji. People were probably able to enjoy this tea here. Taken from a magic lantern made around 1897, this photograph shows that the river was still clean in the Meiji Period."

"The photographs of Takinogawa taken during the Meiji Period capture the beauty of the autumn colours. However, after World War II, the development of the residential areas changed the area upstream. The river banks were covered with concrete and the river started to smell due to waste water from houses. The local people launched a movement to protect the river, and finally the government built the Otonashi River Shinsui (Water Friendly) Park in 1985. Spring water is mixed with the natural flow and filtered. Thus, clean water is circulated in certain areas. Depicting the area under present-day Otonashi Bridge, this photograph was taken by Kusakabe Kinbei between 1877 and 1887 (second decade of the Meiji Period)."

And April 2013 -

Tuesday, 30 April 2013

Tuesday Then & Now - Oji Teahouses

More photos from the Nagasaki University's Metadatabase of Japanese Old Photographs... I missed the cherry blossoms by a few weeks, but the little park along the Shakuji River below Otonashibashi Bridge, behind Oji station, is a peaceful little oasis.

In the Meiji period the Shakuji River was a pristine river and Oji was marked with teahouses along the water and a shrine on the top of the hill. These days the shrine is still there, above a water treatment and containment area that controls the amount of water through a picturesque but very much man-made stream. No teahouses, but a few cheap izakaya and other restaurants.