F-YEAH HISTORY

Sumo wrestlers, Japan, photographed between 1867 and 1869

Source: National Library NZ. 

Japanese Armour from the Kofun period, 5th century. Iron helmet and armour (tanko) with gilt bronze decoration

Location: Tokyo National Museum.

Late Jōmon clay statue, 'Dogū with palms together' Kazahari I, Aomori Prefecture, 1500–1000 BC

New Year card of Japan, 1892 Credit to Riksarkivet (National Archives of Norway)

ON THIS DAY: 1st September 1923 – The Great Kantō earthquake, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, struck the Kantō region of Japan, devastating Tokyo and Yokohama, and killing over an estimated 100,000 people.

Mamoru Shigemitsu signs the Japanese Instrument of Surrender at the end of World War II, accompanied by Toshikazu Kase (right) The Japanese Instrument of Surrender was the written agreement that formalised the surrender of the Empire of Japan, marking the end of World War II. It was signed by representatives from the Empire of Japan, the United States of America, the Republic of China, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the Commonwealth of Australia, the Dominion of Canada, the Provisional Government of the French Republic, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the Dominion of New Zealand. The signing took place on the deck of USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.

The date is sometimes known as Victory over Japan Day, although that designation more frequently refers to the date of Emperor Hirohito's Gyokuon-hōsō (Imperial Rescript of Surrender), the radio broadcast announcement of the acceptance of the terms of the Potsdam Declaration at noon Japan Standard Time on August 15.

The Enola Gay dropped the "Little Boy" atomic bomb on Hiroshima. In this photograph are five of the aircraft's ground crew with mission commander Paul Tibbets in the centre

Yamato Takeru dressed as a maidservant, preparing to kill the Kumaso leaders. Woodblock print on paper. Yoshitoshi, 1886 Prince Yamatotakeru, originally Prince Ōsu, was a Japanese legendary prince of the Yamato dynasty, son of Emperor Keiko, who is traditionally counted as the 12th Emperor of Japan.

100 Aspects of the Moon #7, by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi: "Mount Inaba Moon" 1885, 12th month. This depicts the young Toyotomi Hideyoshi (then named Kinoshita Tōkichirō) leading a small group assaulting the castle on Mount Inaba Toyotomi Hideyoshi (February 2, 1536 or March 26, 1537 – September 18, 1598) was a preeminent daimyo, warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period who is regarded as Japan's second "great unifier." He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle. After his death, his young son was displaced by Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons, a National Treasure by Kanō Eitoku, for a monastery National Treasures (国宝: kokuhō) are the most precious of Japan's Tangible Cultural Properties, as determined and designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs (a subsidiary of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology). A Tangible Cultural Property is considered to be of historic or artistic value, classified either as "buildings and structures", or as "fine arts and crafts". Each National Treasure must show outstanding workmanship, a high value for world cultural history, or exceptional value for scholarship.

Allied prisoners of war cheering their rescuers, and waving the flags of the United States, Great Britain and The Netherlands as the U.S. Navy arrives at the Aomori prison camp, near Yokohama, Japan, on 29 August 1945

Japanese-American Farm Security Administration workers play go in Twin Falls, Idaho during the 1940s

Japanese Type D ("Koryu") Midget Submarines In a partially flooded drydock at Kure Naval Base, Japan, February 1946

Guidebook to Hakone, Japan, showing an onsen motiv, 1811 An onsen is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth. Onsen were traditionally used as public bathing places and today play a central role in directing Japanese domestic tourism.

Hakone, Japan, hand-coloured print, c. 1860–1900

Japanese fireman uniform, c. 1900 Surviving Japanese firemen's jackets of the Edo and Meiji periods often have boldly dye-patterned linings like this one. The heavy quilted jackets, worn wet, provided protection for the firefighters, and some scholars suggest that the often supernatural images on the linings were meant to add to his safety.

The lining of this jacket depicts a climactic scene in a story from the Kojiki (Chronicle of Ancient Matters). Susa-n-o-mikoto, the brother of the sun goddess, saves the eighth and last daughter of an elderly couple from being eaten by a dragon.

Sokichi Hoshide, head watch-maker at the watch repair shop at Minidoka Relocation Center, 1942