The Last Days of Feudal Japan

These rare pictures tell about what life was like in Japan in 1908, before industrialization and the two World wars. And this life looked idyllic. Now Japan is associated with a frenzied rhythm of life, and in those days people lived much more carefree and unhurried. Carriages with horse-drawn teams rumbled solidly on the pavements, fully clothed locals jumped into the sea, and children twirled umbrellas.

The photos are collected from a collection compiled by Arnold Gente, an American student of German descent, who wandered the streets of Japan with a camera during his six months in the country. After his death, the Library of Congress bought from his studio, better known for photographs of "Chinatown" in San Francisco, about 20 thousand unknown images.

The pictures depict the Meiji period, which began in 1868 and lasted until 1912. At this time, Japan turned from a feudal to a much more modern country.