Photography and Its Utilization at Museums in Meiji Era

Abstract

Photography, as a means for recording visual information of cultural heritage, was introduced to Japan from the beginning of Meiji era and many images had been reserved by Japanese government sections and museums. Nowadays various photographic resources such as original plates, prints, photo-mounts, albums, cameras, and viewing devices are stored in Tokyo National Museum that tell not only information on heritage but also a process of taking and managing photos in the past. Further research and utilization of these resources are strongly expected because recent development of digital technology has been revealing rich visual information contained in early original plates.