History Told by Old Photographs of the Bakumatsu and Meiji Periods: Witnesses of the Era Seen Through the Records of the Uchida Kuichi Photo Studio

History Hidden in a Single Photograph

Kuichi Uchida was a photographer who was active from the end of the Edo period through the Meiji period. By diligently tracing the records of the people photographed at his studio, we can see the stories of "that day" that are not found in history textbooks. The research of old photograph expert Shinichi Takahashi is the result of painstaking work to identify the exact date of each photograph by cross-referencing them with historical materials such as diaries and biographies.

The Photographer Kuichi Uchida

Kuichi Uchida was born in Nagasaki in 1844. Six years younger than Hikoma Ueno, he learned photography from Pompe van Meerdervoort around 1858. He moved to Edo in October 1866 and opened a photo studio in Bashamichi, Yokohama, in September 1868. He prospered during the Boshin War boom and opened a branch in Kawaramachi, Asakusabashi, in September of the following year. This Asakusa shop later became his main studio.

In April 1872, he photographed Emperor Meiji, and he reached the pinnacle of his career as a photographer by accompanying the Emperor on his "Western Japan Tour" in May, taking photographs in various locations. However, he contracted pulmonary tuberculosis around 1873 and passed away on February 17, 1875, at the young age of 32. His career lasted only a little over 10 years.

Changes in Studio Staging at the Photo Studio

A characteristic of the Uchida Photo Studio is that the period can be identified by changes in the studio background. During the early Yokohama period, photographs were taken with a "bridge railing-like prop" in the background, a style started by Hikoma Ueno in Nagasaki. Later, a different design of railing was used in Asakusa, and from around September 1871, the background changed to what is called a "wainscot."

These changes in the background serve as important clues for identifying when a photograph was taken. By cross-referencing this visual information with the diaries and biographies of the subjects, Mr. Takahashi has succeeded in identifying the dates of the photographs with surprising accuracy.

Photographic Records of Historical Figures

On June 19, 1867, Kuichi Uchida went to the private residence of Taneyuki Tachibana in Edo with Ryojun Matsumoto to take photographs. Taneyuki Tachibana was the 11th lord of the Shimotedo Domain and served as the first president of Gakushuin.

On September 22, 1868, he photographed Michitomi Higashikuze and Sanetomi Sanjo in Yokohama. This day was the day of the audience with the British Army training corps. Kido Takayoshi was photographed during Emperor Meiji's visit to the east around October 11, 1868.

In 1869, Hirobumi Ito, Kaoru Inoue, Shigenobu Okuma, and others were photographed in Yokohama. By identifying the period when they came to Tokyo from historical materials, the date of the photograph is estimated to be May or June. Furthermore, around the same time, a group photograph including these individuals was also taken, serving as a valuable record of the people who held the core of the new Meiji government.

The Era of the Asakusa Photo Studio

In 1870, Katsu Kaishu, Shojiro Goto, Masatomi Hirosawa, and others were photographed at the Asakusa studio. In 1871, a group photograph of Prince Fushimi Sadanaru, students from Nakatsu at Keio Gijuku, and photographs of Hokkaido Development Commission students and Kiyotaka Kuroda remain.

Between 1872 and 1873, Prince Arisugawa Taruhito was photographed multiple times, and diary records for each occasion remain. Also, it has been revealed through verification of the shooting period that the photograph known as Ryoma Sakamoto's wife, Oryo, is actually someone else.

In 1874, photographs of Yukichi Fukuzawa, Hikojiro Nakamigawa, and others were taken, and the date of the photograph was written on the back of the mount. Photographs of Eiichi Shibusawa, Munenari Date, and others are also from this period.

The Photo Studio After Kuichi Uchida's Death

Kuichi Uchida died in February 1875 at the age of 32, and the photo studio burned down in March 1875. Afterward, his disciples rebuilt it, and Kichijiro Hasegawa and others continued the business. In October 1881, Tsukuba Kitani bought it and opened it, and in 1882, the second Kuichi Uchida bought it, and the business continued until the mid-1880s.

The Significance of Old Photograph Research

There is a vast number of old photographs published in publications related to old photographs and in databases on the internet. Mr. Takahashi says that by repeatedly looking at and understanding these, there are new "discoveries" that no one had noticed before.

The starting point of academic study is 'questioning,' and the field of old photograph research, which has few specialized researchers, has plenty of room for exploration. Mr. Takahashi has been sharing his research results on Facebook and has also self-published his work. He says that research topics are inexhaustible and is calling for more people to join the field.

Do not forget the past

As the subtitle 'Do not forget the past' suggests, the study of old photographs is an activity of preserving historical records that goes beyond a mere hobby. The true thrill of old photograph research lies in this dialogue with history, where one can almost hear the breathing of the people who were there on that day, in that place, from a single photograph.

By tracing the evolution of studio photography at the Kuichi Uchida Photo Studio, the figures of the people who lived through the turbulent times from the Bakumatsu period to the Meiji era appear before us more vividly.

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