A 1929 Studio Built for Daylight
The Emi Photo Studio (江見写真館) is a two-storey wooden photography studio built in 1929 in Yamashita, Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on February 15, 2000. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a pioneering photo studio in Tsuyama.
The Agency records it as a two-storey wooden building with a sheet-iron roof and a building area of 187 square metres; its registration number is 33-0032. It was designed by the local Harada (Kumajiro) construction office. The studio, which gives its founding year as 1873, is still in business.
Why It Was Registered
The Emi Photo Studio was registered as a building that has become a model of design. The Agency points to its entrance front and its north clerestory, and says the building preserves the characteristics of photo-studio architecture well.
Before electric lighting, portrait studios worked by daylight. North light avoids direct sun and changes little through the day, and the tall north window rising into the roof plane was how studios like this one brought that light into the camera room.
What to Look For
The Emi Photo Studio faces west. To the right of the entrance, a semicircular reception room bulges outward, and above the entrance is a pair of tall, narrow arched windows (Agency for Cultural Affairs). From the street, take in the curve of the bay against the paired arches.
Walk round to the north side to find the clerestory running up into the roof. It is the practical counterpart to the decorative front, the part of the building that shows what the studio was for.
Visiting the Emi Photo Studio
The Emi Photo Studio is a working studio, open 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and closed on Wednesdays, according to the studio. The exterior can be seen from the street. We found no official information on interior visits, so contact the studio first if you hope to see inside (0868-22-2267). The address is 28-13 Yamashita, Tsuyama City.
Q&A
- When was the Emi Photo Studio building built?
- In 1929, to designs by the local Harada (Kumajiro) construction office.
- When was the Emi Photo Studio registered as a cultural property?
- On February 15, 2000.
- What are the Emi Photo Studio's main architectural features?
- A semicircular reception room beside the entrance, paired tall arched windows above it, and a north clerestory rising into the roof.
- Why does the studio have a tall north window?
- To bring steady north light, free of direct sun, into the camera room.
- Can you visit the Emi Photo Studio?
- It is a working studio; the exterior can be seen from the street. There is no official notice of interior visits, so ask the studio. Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., closed Wednesdays.
Basic Information
| Name | Emi Photo Studio (江見写真館) |
|---|---|
| Location | 28 Yamashita, Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2000/2/15 (Heisei 12) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Wooden, 2 storeys, sheet-iron roof, building area 187 square metres |
| Owner | Not listed in the national record |
| Public Access | Exterior viewable from the street (working studio, closed Wednesdays) |
References
- Emi Photo Studio (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00001531
- Emi Photo Studio (official website)
- https://emi-photo.com/
Last verified: 2026.10.06