Nobukuni Enami — Japanese photographer of the early 19th and 20th centuries
Nobukuni Enami was a Japanese professional photographer born in Edo (present-day Tokyo) in 1859.
Better known as T-Enami, he studied under the noted photographer Kazumasa Ogawa (Isshin) from 1885 to 1890. A couple of years later, he moved to Yokohama to set up his photography studio on Benten-dori Street.
Self-portrait of Nobukuni Enami ca. 1898–1900
Color photography had not yet been invented, so the practice of hand-coloring black and white photographs or glass slides became common practice, resulting in Yokohama’s characteristic photographs and a tourist export item. on a par with ceramics and lacquer.
Street vendor (attributed to Enami)
The Maker of Geta, Clog and Sandals (Hand Colored Photo)
From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, many foreign tourists came to Japan and bought pictures taken by local photographers for tourists. The photos showed typical views of Japan from daily life, streets, landscapes, cherry blossoms to Japanese customs and local people.
