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[Home Movies of Japan: Soldiers; Graves of 47 Ronin; Mt. Fuji and More / circa 1947 – 1948]
Maker
Mitsuoka, Norio
Dateca. 1947-1948
Mediumfilm, metal
DimensionsFilm Format: 8.00 mm, D: 7 in
ClassificationsMoving Images
Credit LineGift of Norio Mitsuoka
Object number95.54.1
DescriptionBlack and white and color footage shot by Norio Mitsuoka, circa 1947 to 1948 while stationed in Japan with the Military Intelligence Service (MIS). Footage includes ATIS (Allied Translator and Interpreter Section) soldiers marching, hydroponic garden construction, the grounds of Tokyo’s Imperial Palace, scenic boat rides, the graves of 47 Ronin at Sengaku-ji, the shrine at Miyajima, children’s activities at a school in Hiroshima, sightseeing by train/tram and hiking, and extensive views of Mount Fuji.
Timecode list:
(b&w)
0:30 – Japanese American soldier with “GUARD” helmet stands outside a building, salutes another soldier exiting.
0:38 – ATIS (Allied Translator and Interpreter Section) soldiers practicing parade formation / marching drills outdoors, then marching in groups down a wide street. Cars and bicycles pass.
1:38 – View of open truck loaded with bundles from another moving vehicle. Indoor scene, perhaps on a stage or set.
2:00 – Soldiers lounging, one takes photographs of Japanese three nurses. The nurses stand with two Japanese American soldiers.
2:21 – Sign for “Daiei Pictures Co. Ltd Tokyo Studio”, building exterior with Daiei Film logo.
2:27 – Sign for “Headquarters 8002nd Hydroponic [illegible] API 181” and “visitors register here”.
2:29 – Views of hydroponic farm operation run by the military, with rows of tiny plants in gravel beds. Construction of gravel plant beds, piles of gravel, workers doing construction. Exteriors of greenhouse structures. At 3:09, “Restricted Area” sign.
3:10 – Interior of greenhouse structures, two workers working per concrete growing trough. Exteriors of greenhouse structures. Workers hauling supplies in wheelbarrows, shoveling gravel.
3:47 – Crowded pedestrian shopping street, some bicycles. Street stall with vegetable baskets.
4:03 – Japanese American soldier walking in large open park area (Tokyo Imperial Palace) with older Japanese man in a fur hat. Posing and waving for the cameraman. Multiple soldiers take turns posing with the older man. Seimon-tetsubashi Bridge (Nijubashi Bridge) and Fushimi-yagura Keep in the background (at 4:30). Older man smoking.
5:35 – Sengaku-ji Temple and Graves of 47 Ronin. Panning views of the grave markers. Temple grounds.
6:24 – Japanese American soldiers waiting on a dock, passing time. Two hit each other. Boat with “C.P.I.4” sign passes. Soldiers board the boat.
7:14 – Footage shot from the boat; hillsides, other ships, and warehouses visible. Japanese American soldiers pass time smoking and reading. Three young women (same as nurses at 2:00?) are also on board. Views of scenery/hillsides from boat.
(color)
9:22 – Color footage shot from the boat, scenery and hills, other passing boats.
9:30 – Small passenger boat approaches. Passing by locals; passing bridges and buildings.
9:52 – Young people swimming, hills and water.
10:10 – Views of a coastal village. One man waves for the cameraman to catch up to young women with umbrellas. Walking up series of steep steps to temple. Views of coastline and water from temple. Japanese men sitting on benches looking towards the water.
11:28 – Young boys running on dock. View of steep steps up to the temple from down at the water.
11:49 – Man steering a small boat with a large rudder while standing.
(b&w)
11:54 – View of temple complex from above. Miyajima temple famous torii gate in the ocean (Itsukushima Shrine), views of different parts of the temple.
12:40 – Children playing jump rope. (Hiroshima school?)
13:14 – Boys tumbling and doing vaults on elevated boxes covered with a pad.
14:18 – Children working indoors, difficult to tell what activity. Possibly making and forming dough. Very dark indoors.
15:12 – Children sweeping flat dirt area. Playing catch with baseball and glove.
15:31 – Young children doing stretching exercises. Field day races around a dirt track.
16:45 – Woman plays a piano outdoors; girls do choreographed dances.
17:12 – Panning view of hillsides by school; clouds.
18:06 – Little boys playing with sticks; woman carries one boy and encourages him to smile for the camera.
18:32 – Cameraman films journey from front of train/electric tram. Views of Mount Fuji, crops and fields.
19:32 – Home under construction. Another large home by the water. Panning over oceanside.
19:54 – Farm workers digging rows for planting.
20:06 – Scenery by the water.
(color)
20:27 – Mount Fuji views. Waterside scenery. (possibly a spot of B&W in there around 21:30?)
21:44 – Looking down at a few Japanese American soldiers sitting on rocks at the beach with a few women. More views of Mount Fuji.
22:06 – Sunset?
22:09 – Cameraman films journey from front of train/electric tram. Some views of cars and people below.
22:27 – Sign in Japanese. A stop for sightseeing. Women carrying large bundles of sticks on their backs.
22:49 – Sign in Japanese. Landscape views. Stall with snacks, fruit, fish, and walking sticks for sale.
23:38 – People sitting at picnic tables. Sign with walking routes and Japanese writing; another Japanese sign.
23:55 – People hiking up a hillside; more signs. Japanese American and Caucasian soldiers sit at a picnic table. Group resumes hiking. Geothermal activity/steam.
24:36 – Caucasian soldier and Japanese woman wash their hands in a small geothermal-fed pool. Views of hikers from afar.
25:05 – Signs in Japanese. More steam vents.
25:27 – Young people pose for group photos with steam vents in the background.
25:57 – Pink flowers; young boy carrying flowers. American soldiers galloping down a hillside. Views of hikers coming uphill. Baby strapped to woman’s back.
26:23 – Sign: “Gohra Hotel Boat Landing / operated exclusively for guests of Gohra and Fujiya Hotels / SSgt Alfred H Alonzo NCO in charge”. Double decker boat filled with people approaching dock.
26:50 – People board; boat departs. Panning view of top deck passengers. Scenic views.
27:40 – Bus outside large multi-storey hotel/apartment building. Women in kimono walking. Views of Mount Fuji with water in foreground. (Possibly in Hakone.)
28:53 – Japanese American soldier in khaki uniform walking up hill in the distance. Mount Fuji views with grass and trees in foreground. Soldier taking photos of Mount Fuji from the hill.
29:24 – Film ends.
Full 7" diameter reel of 8mm film in light brown colored metal case and reel. Masking tape on bottom of metal case with inked inscription. White 1" paper label on front and back of metal case with ink notation "3 of 4" with red printed numbers on top.
Timecode list:
(b&w)
0:30 – Japanese American soldier with “GUARD” helmet stands outside a building, salutes another soldier exiting.
0:38 – ATIS (Allied Translator and Interpreter Section) soldiers practicing parade formation / marching drills outdoors, then marching in groups down a wide street. Cars and bicycles pass.
1:38 – View of open truck loaded with bundles from another moving vehicle. Indoor scene, perhaps on a stage or set.
2:00 – Soldiers lounging, one takes photographs of Japanese three nurses. The nurses stand with two Japanese American soldiers.
2:21 – Sign for “Daiei Pictures Co. Ltd Tokyo Studio”, building exterior with Daiei Film logo.
2:27 – Sign for “Headquarters 8002nd Hydroponic [illegible] API 181” and “visitors register here”.
2:29 – Views of hydroponic farm operation run by the military, with rows of tiny plants in gravel beds. Construction of gravel plant beds, piles of gravel, workers doing construction. Exteriors of greenhouse structures. At 3:09, “Restricted Area” sign.
3:10 – Interior of greenhouse structures, two workers working per concrete growing trough. Exteriors of greenhouse structures. Workers hauling supplies in wheelbarrows, shoveling gravel.
3:47 – Crowded pedestrian shopping street, some bicycles. Street stall with vegetable baskets.
4:03 – Japanese American soldier walking in large open park area (Tokyo Imperial Palace) with older Japanese man in a fur hat. Posing and waving for the cameraman. Multiple soldiers take turns posing with the older man. Seimon-tetsubashi Bridge (Nijubashi Bridge) and Fushimi-yagura Keep in the background (at 4:30). Older man smoking.
5:35 – Sengaku-ji Temple and Graves of 47 Ronin. Panning views of the grave markers. Temple grounds.
6:24 – Japanese American soldiers waiting on a dock, passing time. Two hit each other. Boat with “C.P.I.4” sign passes. Soldiers board the boat.
7:14 – Footage shot from the boat; hillsides, other ships, and warehouses visible. Japanese American soldiers pass time smoking and reading. Three young women (same as nurses at 2:00?) are also on board. Views of scenery/hillsides from boat.
(color)
9:22 – Color footage shot from the boat, scenery and hills, other passing boats.
9:30 – Small passenger boat approaches. Passing by locals; passing bridges and buildings.
9:52 – Young people swimming, hills and water.
10:10 – Views of a coastal village. One man waves for the cameraman to catch up to young women with umbrellas. Walking up series of steep steps to temple. Views of coastline and water from temple. Japanese men sitting on benches looking towards the water.
11:28 – Young boys running on dock. View of steep steps up to the temple from down at the water.
11:49 – Man steering a small boat with a large rudder while standing.
(b&w)
11:54 – View of temple complex from above. Miyajima temple famous torii gate in the ocean (Itsukushima Shrine), views of different parts of the temple.
12:40 – Children playing jump rope. (Hiroshima school?)
13:14 – Boys tumbling and doing vaults on elevated boxes covered with a pad.
14:18 – Children working indoors, difficult to tell what activity. Possibly making and forming dough. Very dark indoors.
15:12 – Children sweeping flat dirt area. Playing catch with baseball and glove.
15:31 – Young children doing stretching exercises. Field day races around a dirt track.
16:45 – Woman plays a piano outdoors; girls do choreographed dances.
17:12 – Panning view of hillsides by school; clouds.
18:06 – Little boys playing with sticks; woman carries one boy and encourages him to smile for the camera.
18:32 – Cameraman films journey from front of train/electric tram. Views of Mount Fuji, crops and fields.
19:32 – Home under construction. Another large home by the water. Panning over oceanside.
19:54 – Farm workers digging rows for planting.
20:06 – Scenery by the water.
(color)
20:27 – Mount Fuji views. Waterside scenery. (possibly a spot of B&W in there around 21:30?)
21:44 – Looking down at a few Japanese American soldiers sitting on rocks at the beach with a few women. More views of Mount Fuji.
22:06 – Sunset?
22:09 – Cameraman films journey from front of train/electric tram. Some views of cars and people below.
22:27 – Sign in Japanese. A stop for sightseeing. Women carrying large bundles of sticks on their backs.
22:49 – Sign in Japanese. Landscape views. Stall with snacks, fruit, fish, and walking sticks for sale.
23:38 – People sitting at picnic tables. Sign with walking routes and Japanese writing; another Japanese sign.
23:55 – People hiking up a hillside; more signs. Japanese American and Caucasian soldiers sit at a picnic table. Group resumes hiking. Geothermal activity/steam.
24:36 – Caucasian soldier and Japanese woman wash their hands in a small geothermal-fed pool. Views of hikers from afar.
25:05 – Signs in Japanese. More steam vents.
25:27 – Young people pose for group photos with steam vents in the background.
25:57 – Pink flowers; young boy carrying flowers. American soldiers galloping down a hillside. Views of hikers coming uphill. Baby strapped to woman’s back.
26:23 – Sign: “Gohra Hotel Boat Landing / operated exclusively for guests of Gohra and Fujiya Hotels / SSgt Alfred H Alonzo NCO in charge”. Double decker boat filled with people approaching dock.
26:50 – People board; boat departs. Panning view of top deck passengers. Scenic views.
27:40 – Bus outside large multi-storey hotel/apartment building. Women in kimono walking. Views of Mount Fuji with water in foreground. (Possibly in Hakone.)
28:53 – Japanese American soldier in khaki uniform walking up hill in the distance. Mount Fuji views with grass and trees in foreground. Soldier taking photos of Mount Fuji from the hill.
29:24 – Film ends.
Full 7" diameter reel of 8mm film in light brown colored metal case and reel. Masking tape on bottom of metal case with inked inscription. White 1" paper label on front and back of metal case with ink notation "3 of 4" with red printed numbers on top.
Hashizume, Naokichi
1936-1939
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ca. 1943-1955
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