"100 Views of Great Tokyo in the Shōwa Era" by Koizumi Kishio / kk012a_1931_w095_ginza
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The brightly lit electric advertising signs and the headlights of motorized streetcars and automobiles pierce the
darkness, proclaiming the city's progress. With the completion of the Shimbashi railroad terminal in 1872,
Ginza served as the gateway to Tokyo from the south and west. Over the next fifty years it was transformed into
a fashionable commercial area with wide streets, gaslights, sidewalks, and a tramway. The 1923 earthquake
completely leveled the area's shops, department stores, restaurants, and cafes. By 1930, the
Ginza district was entirely rebuilt, doubling its pre-1923 size.
Night View of Ginza in the Spring (#12a), March 1931
The Wolfsonian–FIU, Miami Beach, FL, The Mitchell Wolfson, Jr. Collection |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology © 2009 Visualizing Cultures Creative Commons License
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