Call Number:

Ms. Coll. 1327

Repository:

University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts

Extent:

0.2 linear_foot (1 box)

Preferred Citation:

Jun'ichi Yano photograph albums, circa 1920-1932, Ms. Coll. 1327, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania

Date:

circa 1920-1932 (inclusive)

Creator:

Yano, Jun'ichi

Form:

Photographs, Photograph albums, and Photograph albums -- Japan -- 20th century

Abstract:

Jun'ichi Yano 矢野準一 (born 1911 or 1912) was a resident of Kyoto, Japan. The Jun'ichi Yano photograph albums collect photographs of his family and friends and offer a glimpse into the domestic lives of a Japanese family in the early Showa period.

Jun'ichi Yano 矢野準一 was born in 1911 or 1912 in Kyoto, Japan as the youngest child of the Yano family. He was educated at Yurin Elementary School 有燐尋常小学校 (or 有燐小学校) in the Shimogyō Ward, and the family lived near the intersection of Gokomachi Street 御幸町通 and "Matsuwara" (i.e. Matsubara) Street 松原通, the present center of the Ishifudōnochō 石不動之町 neighborhood.

By early 1931, Yano's close family appears to have consisted of the following persons: his parents; elder sister Chieko千恵子 (born circa 1907), her husband Shōichi正一, and their baby Emiko 恵美子 (born circa 1927); elder sister Fumiko ふみ子, her husband Takao Shimizu, and their son Tokikazu; and the family's servant Sadakichi. An unidentified brother (or brother-in-law) is also pictured in a wedding portrait.

By September 1931, Yano had found employment with the "Home and Abroad Printing and Publishing Company" (Naigai Shuppan Insatsu Kabushika Kaisha 内外出版印刷株式会社) located in Shimogyō Ward, working for a Mr. Chida.

Yano's access to a camera as well as the presence of a servant suggests the family had a comfortable income. Moreover, Yano's English is fluent and expressive, and one photograph of Yano's friend S. Kuromiya identifies him as studying Esperanto, both of which suggest Yano and his circle had access to consistent education.

The Jun'ichi Yano photograph albums consist of two collections of photographs, one chiefly captioned in Japanese, and the other captioned wholly in English. Some photographs have become detached, and many are uncaptioned.

The first album (Japanese) consists of 22 unnumbered leaves of heavy black paper, cord-bound in a cover titled "ALBUM" measuring 14 x 21 cm. It includes photographs of Yano, his family, and his friends from circa 1920 (his first year in elementary school) to the middle of 1930. Most captions are in Japanese, with a select few in English. This album is visibly inscribed on verso of back cover as "Junichi Yano, Matsuwara, Gokomachi, Kyoto, Japan," giving the family home's rough location in the city.

The second album (English) is 18 x 26 cm, accordion bound, 12 unnumbered double sided leaves on heavy black cardboard. This album's contents chiefly consist of photographs of family and friends dating from 1929-1932. Captions are all in English. Front cover has stylized text "ALBUM". Verso of back cover has red sticker "Teikwan Photo Albums" and partially obscured inscription likely matching that of the Japanese album.

In each album, Yano and his family are chiefly pictured at home, or else in notable Kyoto locations like Maruyama Park 円山公園 and the Kyoto Botanical Garden 京都府立植物園. Present often is family friend Mr. S. Matsui, his wife Kishino, and his daughter Tokiko. Portraits of Yano's schoolmates and coworkers (some autographed) are also included, with accompanying English descriptions like "How charming face he has!" or "He is a sprightly fellow." Several large group portraits include Yano's schoolmates, as well as the Yurin Elementary alumni society Gin'eikai 銀影会.