Rediscovered footage of Empress Teimei, Crown Prince Hirohito give rare glimpse into 1920s Japan



Jane Nam
Tue, May 31, 2022, 6:52 PM·1 min read

Century-old footage of Empress Teimei and Crown Prince Hirohito was recently discovered at a university in Ise, giving modern viewers an ultra-rare glimpse into an early 20th century Japan.

The eight-minute, black and white, silent clip was found at Kogakkan University of Japan, and dates back approximately 100 years to the Taisho era (1912-1926).

The first half of the video shows Empress Teimei visiting Jingu Kogakkan University and later the Ise Jingu shrine on November 5, 1922. The second half is of a then-24-year-old crown prince visiting the mausoleum on February 27, 1924.

The footage shows a modernized Japan with horse-drawn carriages and men and women in Western-inspired attire. The men sporting formal suits and top hats and the women in floor-length dresses with plume-adorned hats stand in stark contrast to the traditional buildings of the time period.

Soldiers are also shown marching in the rigidly postured style of British soldiers, moving forward with even steps in a straight file line.

Jingushicho, which manages the Ise Jingu shrine, commented, “We’re surprised to hear that footage from the Taisho era remains. We imagine that the sight of Empress Teimei at Ise Jingu shrine must be very valuable."