The Dayton Art Institute is hosting Looking for Japan: Early Japanese Photography, a 2026 FotoFocus Biennial exhibition on view from Saturday, September 5 through Sunday, November 29. Exploring Japan’s transformative Meiji period (1868–1912), the exhibition features photographs ranging from personal images and postcards to albums and hanging scroll collotypes. Visitors will encounter hand-colored prints depicting landscapes, cities, portraits, historical architecture, clothing, hairstyles, weapons, and tattoos, offering insight into how Japanese culture was documented, preserved, and presented to both local and Western audiences during a time of profound social change. The exhibition invites reflection on history, identity, tourism, and cultural exchange through the lens of early Japanese photography.

Dayton Art Institute

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Looking for Japan: Early Japanese Photography

The Dayton Art Institute presents a fascinating look at Japan’s Meiji era through rare photographs, albums, and hand-colored prints. This FotoFocus Biennial exhibition explores cultural change, modernization, and the ways Japan was represented to the world through the emerging medium of photography.

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Looking for Japan: Early Japanese Photography