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 pedestrian reacts as she caught a gust of wind while walking down the famed “Kokusai-dori” street, a tourist spot, in Naha in the main Okinawa island, southern Japan, Thursday, June 1, 2023, as a tropical storm was approaching. (Photo by Hiro Komae/AP Photo)

A long skater speeds away on the rain-wet ice on lake Orlangen, South of Stockholm on December 15, 2013. Meteorologists forecast temperatures around 5 degrees for southern Sweden. (Photo by Tobias Rostlund/AFP Photo)

P.S. All pictures, as usual, are presented in high resolution. To see Hi-Res images – just TWICE click on any picture. In other words, click small picture – opens the BIG picture. Click BIG picture – opens VERY BIG picture (if available; this principle works anywhere on the site AvaxNews).

Tourists take photographs as a wild sika deer eats a bag on June 6, 2019 in Nara, Japan. Nara's free-roaming deer have become a huge attraction for tourists. However, an autopsy on a deer that was recently found dead near one of the city's famous temples discovered 3.2kg of plastic in its stomach and caused concern at the effect of tourism as Japan struggles to cope with a huge increase in domestic and international tourists. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

A diver in a pool at the Army 2021 International Military and Technical Forum, at the Patriot military park in Moscow Region, Russia on August 22, 2021. (Photo by Sergei Karpukhin/TASS/Alamy Live News)

British actress Millie Bobby Brown and Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen break the sake barrel during the opening ceremony for Osaka Comic Con 2023 at the Intex Osaka on May 5, 2023 in Osaka, Japan. (Photo by Jun Sato/WireImage)

Cosplayers dressed as a Battle Sister and an Ultramarine from Warhammer 40,000 pose during Los Angeles Comic Con at Los Angeles Convention Center on December 03, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty Images)

“Sokolica”. Sokolica, Poland. (Photo and caption by Marcin Kęsek/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

ATTENTION! All pictures are presented in high resolution. To see Hi-Res images – just TWICE click on any picture. In other words, click small picture – opens the BIG picture. Click BIG picture – opens VERY BIG picture.