Engei shashin Volume 2, 1923

Selected Pages from Engei shashin Volume 2, Number 11, November 1923

IHL Cat. #2738

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From the Preface - A Response to the September 1923 Great Kantō Earthquake

Looking at the formations of geese in the clear blue sky and seeing the mountains and fields adorned with a crimson brocade, we are in a wonderful season. We sincerely congratulate our esteemed readers for their continued support and wish them the utmost prosperity. Last July, our company launched "Performing Arts Photographic" to introduce emerging arts [e.g. shingeki 新劇, New Theater], which have become the darlings of modern culture, to society by gathering the finest talents from the theater world, both East and West. This publication received overwhelming praise and achieved remarkable growth, rare in the publishing world, soon after its launch, leading to the prosperity we enjoy today. This success is entirely due to the tremendous support from our readers and the extraordinary talents of the actors, for which we express our deepest respect and gratitude.

On September 1st, a historically unprecedented earthquake struck the Kantō region [Great Kantō Earthquake, September 1,1923] centered around Tokyo, causing near-total destruction to the proud cultural cities of Tokyo and Yokohama. In response, our company dispatched staff to the disaster areas to document the situation and bring attention to the plight of the victims suffering from hunger, urging our fellow countrymen to provide aid as quickly as possible. Braving numerous challenges, our team worked tirelessly to capture the scene, and as a result, we were able to publish "Earthquake Disaster Report" leading the nationwide photo magazines. We received overwhelming requests, with tens of thousands of copies sought. This experience has made us keenly aware of the significant contribution that photo magazines can make to cultural advancement and social service. Consequently, we have launched a photo newspaper*, unprecedented in the East. Unlike traditional photo journals, this photo newspaper will capture daily events occurring in society, providing detailed explanations and publishing them monthly, serving as invaluable historical and educational material, unmatched by any other. Going forward, our company is committed to our photo newspaper and "Performing Arts Photographic," dedicating all our efforts to producing superior content with each issue to meet and exceed the expectations of our readers. We earnestly request your continued support and patronage.

*The Shashin shinbun 寫眞新聞 was launched in December 1923

November 1, 1923 

Kansai Bungeisha Ltd. Partnership

Eigei Shashinsha Management

Shashin Shinbunsha