"100 Views of Great Tokyo in the Shōwa Era" by Koizumi Kishio / kk018_1931_w089_palace
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The Aoyama Palace was the birthplace of Emperor Hirohito and, at the time this print was made, the residence
of his brother, the very popular Prince Chichibu (1902–1953). It was built as a temporary residence for Emperor
Meiji (1852–1912) in the 1870s. This image resonates with the renewed emphasis placed on the sanctity of the
imperial reign during the 1930s. Koizumi's reference to Prince Chichibu's palace in the notes to his portfolio might
be a veiled reference to the Japanese army. Chichibu joined the Third Regiment in 1922, achieving the rank of captain
in 1930 and major in 1935. The headquarters of the First Army Division, the barracks of the Third Regiment, and the
army parade grounds were all located in the Aoyama section of Tokyo.
Former Imperial Palace at Aoyama (#18), October 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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