Visual Materials

Photograph albums of a Japanese businessman's trip to the United States

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Description: Two albums of photographs taken by a Japanese businessman of his trip to the United States in the early 1930s. The man appears to have been Yaroku Katayama, who was engaged in export trade in the 1930s and 1940s, and appears in a few photographs, including one aboard the passenger ship Taiyo Maru with Japanese parliamentarian Mitsuhashi Shiroji. The two small albums have many handwritten captions in Japanese, and a few in English. The date 1932 is written in two captions in both albums. The small black-and-white snapshots depict street scenes and scenery in Niagara Falls, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Chicago, and in Arizona, where he traveled by train on the Santa Fe Railway. One of the albums is primarily of scenes in Hawaii, especially Honolulu, where he stopped en route to his return to Japan.
Type: Visual Materials(Opens in new tab)
Production date: approximately 1932.
Call number: photCL 681
Provenance: Purchased from Asia Bookroom, July 2022.

Photograph album of a Japanese American soldier in the U.S. occupation forces in Japan

Visual Materials

A personal photo album compiled and annotated by a Japanese American serviceman who served in the U.S. occupation forces during the post-World War II occupation of Japan. The album begins with his departure from Hawaii to Japan in 1946, including one image of his old school, McKinley High School in Honolulu. In Tokyo, there are many photographs of fellow soldiers, as well as Japanese young men and women; buildings and landmarks; parks; and army buildings. Two images of a large building are described as General Douglas MacArthur's headquarters in Tokyo, and there is one image of him walking out of the building. Besides Tokyo, the soldier is seen in Kamakura and Otake, near Iwakuni, where he may have been stationed later. Of note are a few images of building destruction in Hiroshima, 1947, in the aftermath of the atomic bombing. At the back of the album are many single and group portraits of Japanese residents, possibly family members or acquaintances in Iwakuni and Otake. The album has handwritten captions in English, with occasional captions written in Japanese.

photCL 667

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Japanese student's Caltech photograph album

Visual Materials

An album of snapshots documenting an unidentified Japanese engineering student's experiences during a study visit at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) from 1935 to 1936. The small photographs are accompanied by detailed, neatly written ink captions in Japanese, with occasional words in English. The album begins with his ship's departure from Kobe, Japan, on December 17, 1935, with stops in Yokohama and Honolulu, Hawaii, and arrival in San Francisco on January 2, 1936. The student observes that his fellow travelers (translated from Japanese) are those going with high hopes, those going with nervous anxiety, those seeking development, and lonesome people. The images and captions document buildings and professors at Caltech; details of streets, businesses and some houses in Pasadena; the garden of "Mr. Cole's" house; the Gilmore Circus Parade; Glendale; Ocean Park, and his departure from San Pedro at the end of his stay. There are two small drawings: businesses at the intersection of Lake Avenue and California Street, Pasadena; and Colorado Blvd. between Green and Cordova streets.

photCL 726

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Japanese occupation of Philippines photograph album

Visual Materials

A photographic regimental history of the Japanese Imperial Army, Watari Philippine Occupation Expeditionary Force, 14th Army unit assigned to the Philippines during World War II. The halftone photographs with captions in Japanese are printed on the album pages, along with a few maps. Written in Japanese inside the front cover: "Suzuki Unit / Matsushima Group / Matsumoto Division." Images include: Military posts throughout the Philippines; broken American and Filipino tanks in Tarlac; destroyed bridges and buildings; Nitsuba house near Antimonan; the Suzuki Division headquarters in San Miguel; Amato jin'ya, or "Confection Barracks/Fort Sweet-Tooth" hung with Japanese flags; group photographs of Japanese Army forces, and others. Also featured is a unit memorial service with a eulogy given by Army Commander Honma Masaharu, who led the Japanese invasion of the Philippines.

photCL 735

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Toshio Anzai photograph albums

Visual Materials

Two photograph albums of approximately 400 black-and-white photographs taken by Major Toshio Anzai of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF), during a training visit to the United States from August 1954 to January 1955. Anzai and two other JSDF personnel are seen training in medical rescue with the U.S. Army; socializing with American officers and their families at their homes; and sightseeing across the southern United States and Mexico. The photographs have captions written in English and Japanese, with more detailed descriptions and observations written in Japanese. The albums document the personal and professional interactions between Japanese and American military personnel during the Cold War alliance.

photCL 723

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Photograph album of United States naval activities in Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines, and United States

Visual Materials

This photo album was compiled by a member of the United States Navy who was aboard the USS Wisconsin between 1902 and 1904. The 48 black-and-white photographs are accompanied by extensive handwritten descriptions. The photos depict American, British, and Japanese military ships. The U.S. Naval ships include the USS Adams, the USS Kentucky, the USS Oregon, and the USS Wisconsin. The locations represented in the photographs include San Diego, California; Yokosuka, Japan; Yokohama, Japan; Hong Kong; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Manila, Philippines. The photographs depict views of military boats and crew, shipping docks, a few views of churches and street scenes, and the Queen's Palace in Honolulu.

photCL 755

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Toshio Anzai photograph albums (2 volumes)

Visual Materials

Two photograph albums of approximately 400 black-and-white photographs taken by Major Toshio Anzai of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF), during a training visit to the United States from August 1954 to January 1955. Anzai and two other JSDF personnel are seen training in medical rescue with the U.S. Army; socializing with American officers and their families at their homes; and sightseeing across the southern United States and Mexico. The photographs have captions written in English and Japanese, with more detailed description and observations written in Japanese. The albums document the personal and professional interactions between Japanese and American military personnel during the Cold War alliance.

photCL 723

Photograph albums of a Japanese businessman's trip to the United States

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Photograph album of a Japanese American soldier in the U.S. occupation forces in Japan

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