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Postcard Japan Miyajima Itsukushima Shrine Stone Lantern Torii Hand-Colored c1905
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Pre-linen · 1905

Postcard Japan Miyajima Itsukushima Shrine Stone Lantern Torii Hand-Colored c1905

Miyajima (Itsukushima), Japan1905Pre-linenGood

A dreamlike dusk settles over the sacred island of Miyajima as a massive stone tōrō lantern dominates the foreground, its tiered granite cap and hollow fire chamber rendered in soft hand-applied washes of grey and blush — a technique perfected by Meiji-era photo studios catering to foreign travellers. Behind it, a vivid scarlet torii gate and lacquered fence rise from the tidal flats of Itsukushima Shrine, one of Japan's "three views," their reflection shimmering in the shallow sea. Pine boughs sweep across the upper right in characteristic Yokohama-style composition, framing the scene with the elegant restraint of a woodblock print. The hand-colouring is unusually bold — the torii's vermillion positively glows against the misty greys — suggesting a skilled studio colourist rather than a mass-production house. The reverse carries the bilingual "郵便はがき / CARTE POSTALE." legend with a decorative Mt. Fuji postage indicator box in green, placing production firmly in the undivided-back to early divided-back era, approximately 1900–1908.

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PC-04351 · Unknown Japanese (Yokohama-style)
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