JAPANESE SWIMSUIT GIRLS – Meiji Era Bathing Beauties of Old Japan (27)
JAPANESE SWIMSUIT GIRLS – Meiji Era Bathing Beauties of Old Japan (27)
Image by Okinawa Soba (In Asia and Africa until August)
Hit the ALL SIZES button above the picture for this one. Much better !
Her Geisha name is Miss KOMAN.
In 1904, out of thousands of Geisha in the Tokyo area, she was considered by Japanese writer and poet YONE NOGUCHI to be one of the top five in popularity, commanding top price to entertain you, and having legions of adoring fans who could only hope to catch a glimpse of her.
She was overheard saying…..
"…..I really went swimming, and my HAIR’S STILL WET to prove it ! And by the way, Okinawa_Soba is 100% right that we Geisha Girls also let our hair down on any number of occasion, and that part of our Geisha job was also modeling for photographers in all kinds of get-ups — including getting half naked in a tub, or dressing like a common housewife or farm girl for tourist photos. AND DON’T LET ANY MODERN-DAY, SO-CALLED "GEISHA EXPERT" TELL YOU OTHERWISE !!!……"
Hand-colored silver print photo, ca.1905. There is at least one other image of her from this session were she is lying down on the floor of this studio set. The original photo carried no photographer credit, but was possibly taken by K. OGAWA who was also known to have photographed her in her street clothes : www.flickr.com/photos/24443965@N08/3329199959/
I love these!
My Dad is 81. He saw them all. This was his favorite ! (He actually told me, "keep your hands off her, she’s mine, kid").
Hi, I’m an admin for a group called Vintage Bathing Beauties/Belles – Late 19th/Early 20th Century, and we’d love to have your photo added to the group.
Done !
Wow! I agree with your old man, she looks beautiful.
Weren’t these kind of pics considered to be erotic back then? I mean, these girls always appeared buried under tons of heavy –yet beautiful, silk kimonos, but here you can appreciate the delicate shape of her body.
Yeah, I agree with my Dad, too. This girl is a real looker.
I just can’t get over how fantastic these photographs are – honestly – and I know this is hardly an accolade – but they wouldn’t be out of place in the pages of a fashion magazine – their style is pretty timeless – the colours and patterns they used are so simple and classic.
Hi Muiz – Yes, these girls are quite a hit.
Lovely picture of a pretty girl, love the colours
I love your collection of works!
Hi Paintgoggles. Thanks. Like I tell everybody, I only wish I had taken some of these old photos. I’m just posting them for the departed photographers who didn’t live long enough to join flickr…
J’adore ! je découvre votre stream et c’est … magnifique!
))
Merci ! Je suis heureux que vous aimiez les vieilles photographies ici !
Pretty hip for 1905! BTW, I own about 10 postcards of geishas with ankle / floor-length hair. Will try to scan and post soon!
Hi Anthony, those sound like pretty rare postcards to me. I have posted many Geisha pics with their hair down, but nothing with hair that long… unless it’s the island girls of Oshima — and I only posted two of those. It would be nice to see your Geisha pics !
I’ve collected them on eBay the past (10?) years along with vintage long hair pics from around the world. I’ll scan and upload as soon as I can (along with the backs of the cards so you can get information about them).
Great pictures
thanks for sharing
hehe, she wouldve been a plus model by today’s standards. so cute.
Wowza! Again, that HAIR!!! Lovely vampire beachside bathing beauty…Oh and love the hat thrown in there.
Stunning and fascinating set of photos. Thanks for posting
JASON and TOBY ! Glad you like the pics.
TOIA ! A "Plus" ? She looks "normal" size to me….!
KAMALA ! Long wet hair, and a hat on the floor. What more could anyone ask for ?
i think she looks GORGEOUS by today’s standards. . .heck, any standards!!! Im just sayin. . .1904? She’s a little risque’ dontchathink?
For 1904 ? In Japan ? Yeah…this is a hot shot for sure.
yes this is a TEAHOUSE pose. . .(the back then equivalent of PENTHOUSE hehe;)
Toia — Actually, this is supposed to be a DAY AT THE BEACH pose. In the Teahouses, the Geisha all wore KIMONOS !!!
TÃO menina
i never get tired o this!
great work!
this one really looks a bit funny.
Owhahahaha…
One man’s funny is another man’s HOT STUFF !
Sorry don’t find anything funny about this. She is awesome and nothing less.
47 — I agree !
By the way, I noticed that you just joined flickr. Do you have any photos of Japan (old or new) that you can start posting. Or, are you just looking for now ? In any case, if you have some pix, we’d love to see them !
Hi, I’m an admin for a group called Picture World et insolite, and we’d love to have this added to the group!
Nice shot !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/69165358@N00/4266080959/in/set-72157623065668147/]
This is lovely!