These timeless postcards offer an eye-opening glimpse into life in Japan in the early 20th century. Taken from hand-colored photographs, the postcards showcase the still beauty of the country, depicting a nation on the cusp of modernization. The images feature solemn fishermen, bustling streets, temples and shrines: a country yet to be influenced by Western culture. The tinting effect brings out the rich colors of the natural surroundings, with trees, flowers and cherry blossoms jumping from the original black-and-white images. Here: Toyokuni Shrine Nakanoshima, Osaka, Japan. (Photo by New York Public Library/Caters News)

A spinning top is seen on a hand during a performance at Sanxia old street in New Taipei City, Taiwan May 8, 2016. Taiwan's ancient folk art of spinning tops is kept alive by a group of enthusiasts who perform intricate tricks with the toys at a temple in Taipei, the capital. (Photo by Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

A mahout rides an elephant at Tad Sae Waterfall outside Luang Prabang, Laos July 31, 2016. Protected by the United Nations cultural heritage agency UNESCO, Luang Prabang is one of the most alluring places in the region – a city that evokes old-world romance that has gained a reputation as a travellers' Shangri La. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)

Racegoers during Ladies Day of the 2018 Cheltenham Festival in Cheltenham, England on March 14, 2018. (Photo by Graham Stone/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Armed officers of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy's (LWC) anti-poaching unit look out from a ridge at dawn in Meru, on July 31, 2021, as they wind up their nightly security patrol against poaching and illegal incursions into the conservancy. Despite the global condemnation of poaching and the resources that have been mobilised to safeguard endangered wildlife, well-funded and well-equipped poaching groups continue to pose a real threat to Africa’s wildlife. (Photo by Tony Karumba/AFP Photo)

These photographs are the work of urban explorer Dr Bradley Garrett who made headlines back in 2012 when he posted a series of snaps from the top of The Shard skyscraper while it was still under construction. Garrett, now a researcher at the University of Oxford, took these shots during his time with the London Consolidation Crew (LCC), a loose collection of urban explorers based in the English capital. Photo: Bradley Garrett stands on the edge of the Ritz-Carlton Chicago as lightning strikes in the distance in Chicago, US. (Photo by Bradley L. Garrett/Barcroft Media)

A villa privately built on the rooftop of a residential building in downtown Beijing has prompted complaints from neighbours living below. Professor Zhang, the villa owner, has been instructed to tear down the illegal building, according to the property managers. (Photo by Mark Ralston/AFP Photo)

Families and relatives of the dead cry as they identify their family members at a temporary burial ground March 25, 2011 in Higashi Matsushima , Japan. (Photo by Paula Bronstein /Getty Images)