Tokyo in 1948 オリエンタルホテル皇居新橋

As filmed by an American army officer in 8mm. The film is not too good but little footage exists of this period in Japan's history

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• japan
• american occupation
• 1948
• tokyo
• oriental hotel
• imperial palace
• shimbashi
• michael rogge
• nihon
• オリエンタルホテル皇居新橋

[DazedConfused1969]

most probably dead by now :(

[MichaelRogge]

@DazedConfused1969. Not necessarily! I was 19 years old at the time!

[wurry77]

Did you have worked a section of economic reserch in GHQ?

Mitsubishi-naka 8th bldg.was lost in 1960's.

there is 「shin-tokyo」bldg. in this place now.

[MichaelRogge]

@wurry77 This film was taken by an American Army officer. I worked in a Dutch bank in Marunouchi Naka 8th Bldg. When I returned to Tokyo in 1989 I searched in vain for the building, but as you say it was demolished like everything else proved to be gone after thirty years.

[evananic]

The scenes filmed in this video have to be Hibiya Districts around "Hibiya Intersection" including a row of buildings facing to the Inner Moat, the GHQ Building (current-Daiichi Life Building), Imperial Palace, the Imperial Hotel And Inside of Hibiya Park where people taking a walk, playing baseball and an old man pushing a buggy.

'Cause the scenery of these areas hasn't so much changed, comparing to that of nowadays. Anyway it's the good old days!

[MichaelRogge]

@evananic Thanks for the update on the localities of the shots. Good to hear that the scenery hasn't changed that much. The last time I was in Tokyo was twenty years ago! Yet even then I couldn't trace the office I worked in at Marunouchi Naka 8th building!

[DazedConfused1969]

@MichaelRogge Wow you sir are amazing and a wonder for the whole people, you must be 83 now? well most respect, life is beautiful! and so is death!

[Yotta1983]

They had tram hehe

[admanphoto]

I didn't expect to see Tokyo appearing so prosperous, so soon after the war. Amazing video. Thanks for sharing.

[123pelerin]

I'm more familiar with China than Japan, so I always use China as a point of reference. my immediate reaction on seeing the video was--so many cars! I know it's Tokyo (i.e. probably the most industrialized and prestigious place in Japan), but the contrast is unbelievable. Definitely in China in 1948, 1958, 1968, or probably 1978 you would never see that many cars! :) Especially since in my mind, Japan was really devastated after the war, but you can clearly see their industrial strength