One of the enduring symbols of Japan, the geisha and maiko were very popular subjects for tourist postcards at the turn of the 20th century. Here are some postcards showing geisha (called geiko in Kyoto) and maiko (apprentice geisha). Includes postcards of my favorite girl, the Laughing Geisha.

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You've heard it before: "The most important bilateral relationship in the world." (According to the late US Ambassador to Japan, Mike Mansfield.) Well, for me it's very important because of my dual Japanese and American heritage. With these postcards, I've traced some of the history of Japan-U.S. relations starting with Commodore Mathew Perry's landing in 1853.

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Other vintage postcards in my collection include Japanese children and scenic views. Children were another facet of Japan that fascinated early foreign tourists in Japan. Children dressed in kimono and those babysitting their younger siblings were the most popular. Most of the scenic cards are oil-painted. (If I could paint, I would rather be a painter than a photographer.)

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This gallery has moved here: https://photojpn.org/news/2016/01/japanese-postcard-history-and-dating-vintage-japanese-postcards/

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