An important image in regards to the emergence of Japanese documentary photography with smaller hand held cameras.

Description: in the early 1930s the spontaneous style of documentary photography was just emerging in Japan. This was due to the availability of smaller hand held cameras and roll films that provided photographers with greater mobility. This image is an example of this new style and shows summer crowds at Koshien-hama beach near Kobe. Taken by a staff photographer of the Osaka Asahi Shimbun, still one of Japan's leading newspapers to this day. Affixed to the reverse is a paper label providing caption details and the date August 2, 1931, as well as a red Asahi Photo News label.

This print was made by the photographic unit of the Asahi Shimbun called Asahi Photo News. It was produced to promote the newspaper's recent news items and was intended for public dispaly at locations such as Department stores, train stations, local news bureaus and neighborhood delivery stations.

Condition: vintage large format vintage gelatin print. The overall condition is quite good but the left white margin areas has a few ripples. There is also a small hole in the upper left portion of the image which can be seen more clearly on the reverse view (see below). Lastly, there are small pinhole marks on the corners from when this print was originally displayed in public.