Huge cache of postcards, photos from Meiji-era Japan

geish.jpg

On Flickr, an extensive collection of scanned postcards and photo-cards from Japan, many dating back to the Meiji era (late 19th-early 20th century). I really can't stand the captions and descriptions on this guy's Flickr stream (many are insensitive at best, racist at worst, and a lot of sleazy sexual speculation), but: the images are rare and fantastic. Above, a sepia and retouched version of a "geisha portrait" image. Proto-Photoshop! (via Susannah Breslin)