Asia - Saigoneer

[Photos] Travel to a Bustling Singapore in 1979 Through Doi Kuro's Lens

2021-07-19T13:00:00+07:00

While some Southeast Asian cities were completely unrecognizable from their current self in 1979, Singapore at that time was already on its way to becoming the region's most developed location.

While it was a bit rougher around the edges back then compared to the hyper-modern Singapore of today, these photos from Doi Kuro — a Japanese photographer who traveled throughout Southeast Asia in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s — provide hints of what the city-state would become.

Skyscrapers are already starting to line the downtown Marina Bay, while the streets look much more orderly than the likes of Bangkok and Hoi An, cities which Kuro also explored and documented with wonderful film photographs.

Drivers wait at a red light at an intersection. Motorbikes like these would be a rare sight today.

Given the sometimes-anodyne nature of contemporary Singapore, perhaps some would yearn for a setting more like what is depicted here, though old shophouse neighborhoods can still be found in some areas.

Explore the city-state in 1979 below.

Singapore's harbor with high rises in the background. The nation is now home to one of the world's busiest ports.

Boat traffic at Clifford Pier.

The entrance to a Chinese restaurant.

Bananas piled outside of a produce shop.

A sidewalk newsstand with rows of magazines for sale.

Daily life in an older Singapore neighborhood.

A scene like this would be hard to find today.

Waiting for a bus.

Colonial-era buildings line a small road.

[Photos via RedsVN]

[Photos] A Dynamic Bangkok in 1984 via the Lens of Photographer Doi Kuro

2021-06-07T13:00:00+07:00

Before the days of mega-malls and the Skytrain, Bangkok was still plenty busy.

Like many of you, we could happily look through old photos of Vietnam all day. However, sometimes it's nice to expand your geographical scope a bit and explore the rest of the region.

Thanks to Japanese photographer Doi Kuro, who took fantastic photos of Vietnam during visits in the 1990s, we can wander through Bangkok back in 1984.

Today, the Thai capital is known for its glittering skyline and world-famous shopping hubs, but these photos show that much of what still makes the city great: street food, soi full of character and life, and people doing everything under the sun, was also there over 30 years ago.

Take a trip to a Bangkok from another time below, courtesy of Doi Kuro:

A group of young Thais on motorcycles.

A traffic police officer at an intersection.

A group hanging out off of Yaowarat Street, the main road in Bangkok's Chinatown.

Kids on Yaowarat Street.

Dusk lighting over Chinatown from the Krungkasem Srikrung Hotel.

A full moon over Rama IV Avenue.

Vendors selling soft drinks and snacks.

A slice of life in a Bangkok soi.

Peanuts! Get your peanuts!

Tuk-tuks are still an icon of the city.

Drivers waiting at a stoplight.

Inside a barbershop.

[Photos via Facebook page Doi Kuro]

Vintage Illustrations From 1931 Showcase Native Birds of Indochina

2021-06-02T11:00:00+07:00

Somebody definitely paid attention in art class.

Birds are among nature's most marvelous creations. Descendants of the dinosaurs, they take to the skies with ease that other species can only dream of. It's no surprise, then, that someone would be drawn to compile a book of strikingly realistic bird paintings, such as Les oiseaux de l'Indochine Française, or Birds of French Indochina, published in 1931.

Written and illustrated by the duo of J. Delacour and P. Jabouille, the book depicts an impressive array of birds from what is now Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Take a look at some of these renditions below:

Left: Cambodian babbler (top) and black-headed babbler (bottom). Right: Two subspecies of red nectar.

Left: Red-breasted sucker (top) and yellow-bellied sucker (bottom). Right: Plum blossom (top) and yellow-bellied sparrow (bottom).

Left: Subspecies of the maroon oriole. Right: Yellow-billed jay.

Left photo: Blue jay. Right: Yellow-bellied jay.

Left: Bar-bellied pitta. Right photo: Gray-headed cochoa (top) and blue-headed cochoa (bottom).

Left (from top): Gold-breasted splenic, red-tailed babbler, blue-winged pygmy, silver earring. Right: Red-headed green woodpecker (left) and black-headed woodpecker (right).

Left: Pink-tailed waterfowl. Right (from top to bottom): Striped babbler, scaly babbler, rufous-chinned laughingthrush.

[Images via RedsVn]

[Photos] An Idyllic Slice of 1957 Cambodian Life

2020-12-17T14:00:00+07:00

Vietnam isn't the only country in the region to change dramatically over the last several decades.

While we're huge fans of photos that transport us back to bygone eras of recent Vietnamese history, it's no less interesting to get a glimpse of our neighbors back in the day as well.

The below shots were taken in Cambodia in 1957 by LIFE Magazine photographer John Dominis. They portray Phnom Penh, the capital, as well as the famous ancient temples of Angkor Wat outside Siem Reap and some views of the Cambodian countryside.

In fact, some parts of these scenes haven't actually changed very much in the intervening years: the gilded Royal Palace still takes up prime real estate near Phnom Penh's riverfront, while the spectacular ruins and giant trees of Angkor still stand.

At the same time, it's hard not to look at these pictures and wonder what became of the people in them: their smiles and movements were captured 18 years before the genocidal Khmer Rouge swept into power, plunging Cambodia into terror and poverty, setting the country back decades.

Wander around Cambodia over 60 years ago below:

Outside the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh.

A traditional dance performance.

Visitors at Angkor Wat.

A pair of monks at Angkor.

Tree roots consume a temple gate at Angkor.

A rural Cambodian market.

Recess at a school in the countryside.

Women weave fabric.

Say amok!

[Photos via RedsVN]

[Photos] Remarkable Color Photos Document Life in Japan Over 100 Years Ago

2020-02-19T11:00:00+07:00

Even a century ago, Japan was a little weird.

Today, the Land of the Rising Sun is known for its quirky, at-times futuristic culture. Around a hundred years ago, there were no robots in Japan, but traditional culture sat alongside delightful oddities nonetheless.

In the series of photos below, Eliza Scidmore, National Geographic's first official female writer, photographer, and board member, captured the people of the country in some of the first color photographs ever published by the now-revered magazine.

Scidmore was born in Madison, Wisconsin, moved to Washington D.C., and in 1883 began extensive travels that took her through the new American west, the tundra of Alaska, and across Asia.

She fell in love with Japan, and even convinced the US government to plant sakura (cherry blossom) trees along the Potomac River in the American capital, leading to today's annual Sakura Matsuri in D.C. Scidmore was even buried in Yokohoma after passing away in Switzerland in 1928.

Take a look Japan decades ago through Scidmore's photographs, and find more in National Geographic's online collection:

[Photos via Spoon & Tamago]

[Photos] 21 Rare Old Photos Showcase Kuala Lumpur's Unique Architecture

2019-11-30T14:00:00+07:00

If you’ve enjoyed our collections of old Saigon photos so far, this set of rare images of Kuala Lumpur taken throughout the 20^th century might pique your interest.

Compiled by an archivist only known by the initials R. S. Murthi, the images are mostly digital scans of postcards that have been cleaned and posterized. The Malaysian capital’s vernacular architecture and landmarks are the focal point of the album, with the most recognizable being the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, known for its unique mix of western and Mughal styles.

Time-travel to Kuala Lumpur in the past century through the photos below:

1920

1930

1957

1960

1963

1964

1965

1968

1975

1980

[Photos via Says]

[Photos] 21 Rare Old Photos of Kuala Lumpur Through the Decades

2019-11-26T14:00:00+07:00

If you’ve enjoyed our collections of old Saigon photos so far, this set of rare images of Kuala Lumpur taken throughout the 20^th century might pique your interest.

Time-travel to Kuala Lumpur in the past century through the photos below:

1920

1930

1957

1960

1963

1964

1965

1968

1975

1980

[Photos via Says]

[Video] This Vintage Travelogue Showcases Life in Rural and Urban Taiwan in the 1950s

2019-10-28T15:15:40+07:00

In today’s Asia, mentions of Taiwan conjure up visions of futuristic technological advancements and major progress in LGBT rights.

This vintage travelogue, however, might provide rare and vastly different insight into the island nation’s past. Majestic Island is a 1950s video feature by Periscope Film, a company specialized in providing stock historical footage from a range of subjects including aviation, transportation and the military.

In the feature, filmmakers traveled to Taiwan, better known by the name Formosa at the time, to capture some amazing color montages of the country in the mid-20^th century. It starts with expansive shots of Sun Moon Lake, a picturesque lake in the heart of the island and a highly sought-after tourist destination today, and moves on to depict aboriginal and rural communities in the area. Scenes in 1950s rural Taiwan might pass for those captured in the Mekong or Red River Delta in Vietnam, where farmers toil in the paddy fields all day.

Apart from documentary-style shots, the video feature also includes a plot in the form of slice-of-life segments of the Chang family, who lived in the countryside. According to the narrative, the Changs were farmers, but had a son who lived in Taipei as a fighter pilot, so — through their family engagements — the plot showcases the transition from rural to metropolitan Taiwan, as well as cultural facets of the country such as a dragon boat race and Chinese opera.

Of course, being the product of its time, the American-made vintage reel harbors some questionable attitudes toward its Asian subjects. The tone of the narration is a bit patronizing, such as the usage of outdated phrases like “the teeming Orient,” that might discomfort some viewers. At one point, in his description of aboriginal Taiwanese, the narrator refers to them as “erstwhile savages.” Yikes.

Still, despite its obsolete attitudes, for those with an interest in Asian history, Majestic Island offers a rare glimpse into Taiwan’s mid-century history. Watch the clip below:

[Photos] The Dynamic Life of Vientiane Residents in the 1990s

2019-10-09T11:00:00+07:00

Even now, media portrayals of Laos are usually associated with a well-constructed image of a nation of quietude, spirituality and natural beauty untouched by rampant development.

These images are, of course, true to a certain extent, especially when compared with its neighbors Cambodia and Vietnam, but these amazing images taken by Belgian photographer John Vink also serve to show a dynamic side of Vientiane, the capital of Laos, and its residents.

According to his website, Vink studied photography in 1968 at Brussels’ La Cambre, one of the country’s most renowned visual arts institutes. He’s been a freelance photojournalist since 1971.

“Like several photojournalists who came to maturity in the 80s, Vink became impatient with the apocalyptic stories published in magazines about the developing world,” his biography reads. “Instead of thinking of history in black-and-white terms, Vink reconceptualizes the coverage of other, foreign places, revealing that their cultures are already familiar to the viewer, because they're part of the total fabric of the world.”

These black-and-white images of Laos were taken during several trips he took throughout the 1990s, showing a range of daily occurrences on the streets of Vientiane. Vietnamese viewers might find some of these activities similar, such as makeshift cockfights in which the “arena” is made out of cardboard, throngs of parents picking up their kids after school, and a painter meticulously putting the finishing touches on a work of propaganda art.

Occasionally, there are glimpses of temples, monks and Buddha statues, reminding the audience of the country’s religious side. But judging by the shots showing a fiery sepak takraw (kick volleyball) match right in the courtyard of a temple, these venues are also crucial platforms for sports and recreation, apart from spiritual contemplation.

John Vink is now based in Brussels, but he’s still an avid photographer. See his recent work on his Instagram here.

[Photos by John Vink via Redsvn]

[Photos] Taiwan's Diverse Society Embodied in Surrealist Street Photography

2019-08-29T14:00:00+07:00

Chang Chao-Tang has been regarded as one of Taiwan's most influential photographers known for his mastery of surrealism. Chang's primarily black-and-white images reveal the absurdity of everyday life and reflect the 75-year-old photographer's sharp observations, deep understanding and empathy for the world.

In 1958, Chang's brother lent him a camera as an excuse to escape the stresses of high school life. And for five decades, Chang's compelling mix of western existentialism and Chinese ideology has translated into his work, which helped shape the culture of photography in Taiwan.

“I try to capture the moment when the real and the unreal meet — a kind of uneasy encounter of alienation and uncertainty, to solve external boredom and internal emptiness,” Chang told My Modern Met when asked about the reasons why he photographs.

"My imagery serves as a confession of the anger and loss felt by the youths within a conservative and bored political reality," he told Invisible Photographer Asia at his first solo exhibition at the Taiwan Fine Arts Museum in 2013. The black-and-white images evoke a sense of alienation and hollowness amid intimacy and the absurd which is the trademark of Chang's photographic style.

Some dismissed Chang's works for being excessively rational and lacking a sense of humor. He disagreed, believing that his photos would look very different if that was true. "Many have spoken about my sense of humor reflected through the dark humor in my photographs. Being rational is probably a combination of my creative attitude and appearance to the world at large," he commented.

See some of Chang Chao-Tang's most iconic works below:

[Photos via My Modern Met]

- [Photos] In Minimalist Street Photography, Good Frames Come to Those Who Wait

- [Photos] A Montage of Saigon's Street Life from 1964-1968

- In Taiwan, a Vietnamese Baker Creates Bánh Mì Thịt From Scratch

[Photos] Rare Scenes of a Rebuilding Seoul After the Korean War

2019-08-21T14:00:00+07:00

While Seoul may now call to mind sleek skyscrapers whose neon lights resemble the bioluminescent tentacles of benthic sea creatures, that wasn't always the case. Following the savage civil war that left the country in rubble, the city underwent an arduous rebuilding process.

Han Young-soo's photos, taken between 1956 and 1963, reveal a gritty Seoul scrounging to gather itself together and return to a sense of normalcy. The shots of citizens working and traversing the dusty streets stand as a testament to resilience, and memories of tragedies tucked behind resolute expressions.

"Though struggling with the multifaceted after-effects of [the] Korean War, the 1950s was [a] period of recovery. I was able to find hope watching cities and rural communities being rebuilt, in bustling the markets and the sparkling eyes of children the laughter I had forgotten. Slowly but steadily I was recovering my own humanity...I realize now that this was what led me to a lifetime of photography in which I gradually opened my eyes to photography and moreover the wonders of life itself," Young-soo once wrote.

The photos were displayed at a 2017 exhibit at New Jersey's International Center of Photography, his first major international showcase. Young-soo's work has since appeared at the Rencontres d’Arles photo festival and been published in two books, Seoul: Modern Time and Once Upon a Time.

Han Young-soo (1933-1999) was born in what is today North Korea. He fought on the front lines of the Korean War in the early 1950s and subsequently moved to Seoul, where he worked as a photographer and eventually owned and operated a studio. While he was largely unknown during his lifetime, his daughter has championed his work since his passing and is credited with helping him gain global recognition.

Take a look at more of the collection's photos below:

[Photos courtesy of the Han Youngsoo Foundation via The Guardian]

- [Photos] The Boisterous Energy of South Korea's First-Ever Drag Parade

- [Photos] Romanian Photographer Captures North Korean Fashion Sense

- [Photos] A Ride on North Korea's Glamorous Subway Trains

[Photos] Vintage Stamps From 1950 Depict Tourist Sites in Indochina

2019-08-12T15:00:00+07:00

As if prematurely nostalgic for a colony that was rapidly slipping through their fingers, France issued a set of stamps focused on their Southeast Asian territories.

Released in 1950 in Paris, several years after Vietnam began producing their own stamps, this collection seemingly sought to give French citizens an idyllic view of Annam, Cochinchina and Tonkin, as well as Laos and Cambodia. Rather than depicting the era's uprisings at rubber plantations, clandestine bombings or civil disobedience, they focus on serene scenery and stoic individuals.

Clearly labeled with place names and accented by vaguely Vietnamese patterns, the stamps commemorate an uncertain "anniversary." Delight in the calm images while chortling over the fact officials likely used the postage when sending missives detailing the dire conditions engulfing their dreams of colonial rule.

Take a look at the images below:

Central Highlands Montegards (left) and H'mong ethnic woman from northern mountains (right).

Northern Vietnamese woman in traditional attire (left) and Laos woman (right).

[Photos via RedsVN]

- Check out These Vintage Stamps From French Indochina

- [Illustrations] A Stamp Design Project Pays Homage to Women Across Vietnam

- [Illustrations] Local Artist Transforms Classic Vietnamese Instruments Into Postage Stamps

[Photos] Travel Through Time to Singapore in the 1960s

2019-08-05T12:00:00+07:00

There used to be a time when the sights and people of Saigon and Singapore didn’t look too dissimilar.

This compilation of photos taken in Singapore in the 1960s was compiled by Redsvn, showing a national island that was as orderly and glamorous as it is today. Still, in the shots exist corners that are less polished and cluttered, but remain charming because of that urban chaos.

Of the images, the most famous are perhaps those by David Ayres, who did two rounds in the Royal Navy and was stationed in the UK's naval base in 1963–1964 and 1966–1967. The regal cleanliness of Raffles Place was perfectly preserved in the shot above. Just like in 1960s Saigon, rickshaws, vintage cars and casual cyclists filled local streets, while residents took strolls in crisp white shirts and pants. Rows of shophouses in Chinatown adorned with colorful block letters could pass for scenes in Saigon’s own Cho Lon neighborhoods.

Somewhere along the line, the two street cultures of the two cities diverged. Singapore continued growing vertically at a rapid rate, peppering main thoroughfares with international-style high-rises. Quaint streets and canals were replaced by wide expressways while sleek infrastructure significantly improved quality of life. Vestiges of these 60s scenes are now only found in a few streets in Chinatown, such as Joo Chiat or Emerald Hill.

Saigon is also being invaded by skyscrapers, especially in the last decade, but it’s also content with the messier, grittier side of street life. In between glass towers, clusters of vendors and hawkers provide a common ground for people from all walks of life to grab some grub.

Visit a retro side of Singapore through the photos below:

Photo by David Ayres.

Photo by PROFleecyman.

Photo by Larpoon.

[Photos via Redsvn]

- [Photos] A Black-and-White Glimpse of 1977 Thailand

- [Photos] Wilbur's Vietnam: 1960s Saigon Through the Lens of a Famed National Geographic Editor

- [Photos] A Visual Tour of Late 1960s Saigon by Brian Wickham

[Photos] The People of 1880s Indochina Captured in a Series of Striking Portraits

2019-06-22T06:01:27+07:00

When French photographers Hippolyte Arnoux and Émile Gssel traveled to Indochina in 1880, they documented not only its landscapes, but also its people.

These images, which appear in the book Voyage de l’Egypte à l’Indochine, include striking portraits of Vietnamese, Chinese, Cambodian, Indian and indigenous people across different geographies and social classes.

Arnoux eventually went on to become the first commercial photographer in Saigon. Yet the duo's early images of individuals, families, community groups, chess players and street workers form some of their most celebrated and vital work.

Take a look below:

- [Photos] Saunter Across Hanoi's Old Quarter Streets in 1896

- [Photos] On the Cusp of a Tourism Boom, a Pristine Sapa of the 1920s

- [Photos] A Child Wedding of Tay Ethnic Minority in Lao Cai in 1920s

[Photos] An Eerie Tokyo in the 1970s by Canadian Photographer Greg Girard

2019-06-13T14:00:00+07:00

Born in 1955, Greg Girard is well-known for his photography work in some of Asia's largest cities.

In Girard's newest book, titled Tokyo-Yokosuka 1976-1983, the Canadian photographer puts together photographs taken during the time he lived in Japan, capturing the urban area's quirks, characters and darkened streetscapes. Girard intended this to be a short visit on his way to Southeast Asia in 1976 at age 18, but he ended up moving to Tokyo, teaching English as his day job and exploring the city on foot when he had free time.

“I had this real appetite for working the place out and trying to make it mine through photography…You walk the streets and attempt to translate them into a frame – in that way, you are kind of claiming the place,” Girard told the British Journal of Photography.

During the time he was there, Girard also found out about the US military bases located in Yokosuka, southwest of Tokyo, and started taking the train there to explore these areas, which led to the emergence of a different theme in the book.

Take a look at some of the photos below and check out the book on Girard's website:

[Photos via Greg Girard]

- [Illustrations] Watercolor Paintings of Tokyo, a City That Defies Total Darkness

- [Photos] Photographer Highlights Tokyo’s Surrealistic Neon-Lit Nightscape

- [Photos] In Tom Blachford's Nightscapes, Tokyo Appears Like a Sci-Fi Dystopia

[Video] A Rare Look Into Indochina From the French Perspective

2017-07-10T11:58:00+07:00

It’s not particularly difficult to seek out a good collection of old Saigon photos, as the city has always been a muse for photographers from all walks of life. However, old video footage of the country might be a little harder to procure, which makes this documentary about Indochina under French occupation a rare find.

The short clip, titled Indochine Coloniale, appears to be an informative feature for the French public on the country’s work in Indochina, which was France's primary colony in Asia. In between footage of Vietnam’s scenery and city streets, the narrator provides the audience brief tidbits on Vietnamese culture and the economy, such as rice paddies, rubber plantations and fisheries.

Moreover, the documentary also promotes Saigon’s Pasteur Institute and its role as a crucial research facility in Indochina.

Have a gander at the video below:

[Video via YouTube user T Kramer]

- [Video] A Tour of Saigon in the 1900s

- [Video] Saigon's Oldest Known Footage Captures Snippets of Life in 1899-1900

- [Video] Public Transportation In Old(er) Hanoi

Japanese Emperor, Empress to Meet With Vietnamese Families of WWII Japanese Soldiers

2017-02-27T11:27:01+07:00

Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will visit Vietnam this week, meeting with the Vietnamese wives and children of Japanese soldiers stationed in the country during World War II.

According to the Japan Times, the visit by the imperial couple begins tomorrow and will include a week of international travel, not only to Vietnam but also to Thailand, where they will pay their respects to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

But before the 83-year-old emperor and his wife make their way to Bangkok, the pair will continue their ongoing work to heal the wounds of war. In Vietnam, the Japanese occupation during the 1940s and its aftermath will be the focus of their trip.

Japan’s five-year occupation of Vietnam was relatively brief compared to the French presence in the country. When, in 1945, the roughly 100,000 Japanese soldiers stationed in Indochina withdrew from the region after WWII, Channel News Asia reports, a handful of Japanese men stayed behind to join forces with Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minh. Approximately 600 Japanese soldiers provided military expertise and training to their Vietnamese comrades, supporting the Viet Minh’s fight against French colonialism. During the First Indochina War, about half of these men died due to disease and combat, the news outlet reports. However, when the French were finally defeated in 1954, the Vietnamese government chose to send the Japanese soldiers home.

The first wave of Japanese soldiers sent back to Japan included Nguyen Van Duc, the husband of Nguyen Thi Xuan, now 94, according the news source. By that time the couple had married and were expecting their third child, the Washington Post reports.

Though a later group of Japanese soldiers were permitted to bring their families along, Vietnamese authorities did not allow Duc to bring his family with him, leaving Xuan and her children behind. In the following years, the family endured poverty and hardship, with Xuan often ridiculed for her marriage to a Japanese man.

After 1975, however, Vietnam-Japan relations improved quickly. Today, the island nation is Vietnam’s largest aid donor and among its top investors in the private sector.

In addition to their meeting with these wives and children, the Japan Times reports Emperor Akihito and his wife will also dine with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang before visiting Hue to meet with Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers.

[Photo via Reuters]

- [Video] Highlighting Vietnam's Forgotten Moroccan Soldiers

- When the Japanese Occupied Vietnam: Part 1

- [Video] This Is What Saigon Looked Like in 1945

[Photos] From Fishing Village to Metropolis: Tracking the Evolution of Tokyo

2017-02-02T11:30:00+07:00

The following images – dating from 12^th century to the 1950s – show the evolution of Tokyo, which means Eastern Capital, from a provincial center to major city, particularly following Emperor Meiji’s formal establishment of the city in 1869.

12^th Century Edo. Photo via Business Insider.

Edo under the Tokugawa shogunate. Photo via Business Insider.

Edo as seen in the 18^th century. Photo via Business Insider.

American Commodore Matthew C. Perry docks in Edo (1853). Photo via Business Insider.

Downtown Tokyo (1905). Photo via Business Insider.

Tokyo's lotus-covered Shinobazu Pond (1910). Photo via Business Insider.

Mount Fuji seen from Tokyo (early 20^th century). Photo via Business Insider.

Canals in Tokyo (early 20^th century). Photo via Business Insider.

The opening of Yurakucho Station (1910). Photo via Business Insider.

Tokyo – A typical street scene (1917). Photo via Flashbak.

Tokyo’s Akasaka district in ruins after the 8.3-magnitude earthquake on September 1, 1923. Photo via Flashbak.

Tokyo's theater district (1930). Photo via Business Insider.

Allied firebombing of Tokyo (1945). Photo via Business Insider.

Downtown Tokyo (1955). Photo via The Atlantic.

An aerial view of Tokyo's Hamacho district (1955). Photo via The Atlantic.

[Top photo via Business Insider]

- [Video] Vietnamese Workers Take Center Stage in Japan Government Video

- Japanese Company Plans to Launch On-Demand Shooting Stars

- The Rise and Fall of the Great Japanese Unagi

[Photos] A Glimpse Into 1950s Cambodia and Laos

2017-01-18T11:50:39+07:00

Over the past month or so, we’ve come to love the stunning 1950s photography of Frenchman Raymond Cauchetier.

The shutterbug, who got his start in the French Air Force as part of its Indochina press corps, eventually became a renowned photographer in France, capturing the birth of its New Wave film scene. However, long before Cauchetier was snapping photos on the film sets of Jean-Luc Godard, he was commissioned as a photographer by Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihanouk himself, according to the British Journal of Photography.

In the 1950s, the Cambodian monarch enlisted Cauchetier to photograph the country for tourism purposes. The Frenchman traveled the country for a week, and King Sihanouk spared no expense in assisting the Frenchman, even providing him with a helicopter from which to shoot photographs.

In the end, Cauchetier snapped thousands of images but left with just a few copies, leaving behind the rest in an air-conditioned safe at the king’s palace. Shortly thereafter, King Sihanouk was deposed, the country’s political scene became unstable and during the Khmer Rouge years, all 3,000 of Cauchetier’s Cambodia photos were destroyed.

“They blew it up thinking it was jewels,” Cauchetier told the British Journal of Photography. “All the films were burned. And there were no jewels. I found out about it 10 months later, I still have 10 or 20 copies from that time, but the rest are gone.”

Around the same time, Cauchetier also traveled to Laos, capturing images of Vientiane and Luang Prabang along the way. Have a look at the incredible black-and-white photos below:

Cambodia

King Norodom Sihanouk.

1950s Phnom Penh.

Raymond Cauchetier (right) shaking hands with King Norodom Sihanouk (left).

Laos

Plain of Jars.

Luang Prabang from above.

Life along the Mekong River.

A girl takes cover behind a parasol in Vientiane.

[Photos via Flickr user manhhai]

- [Photos] The Many Faces of 1950s Vietnam

- [Photos] 1950s Ha Long Bay in Black and White

[Photos] A Guide to Traveling 1910 French Indochina

2016-12-26T11:20:22+07:00

In the days before every backpacker wandered the streets of Saigon with a guidebook in hand, one turn-of-the-century French travel firm advertised Indochina as an adventure destination for European travelers.

The brochure below, published around 1910 by the Touring Club of France, describes Indochina’s top tourism destinations in both English and French. Covering Cambodia, Laos and all three regions of Vietnam, the modest guide touts the region as unpretentious, “free from the despotic enthusiasms of fashion”. When it comes to describing local people and customs, there's certainly some cringe-worthy language in here – cultural sensitivity wasn't exactly huge in 1910 – however the brochure also gushes over several tourist destinations that remain popular to this day, including the wonders of “Along Bay”, the Marble Mountains, Hue’s imperial monuments and Siem Reap's Angkor Wat.

Flip through the 1910 pamphlet below, courtesy of Flickr user manhhai:

[Photos via Flickr user manhhai]

Asia - Saigoneer

[Photos] Travel to a Bustling Singapore in 1979 Through Doi Kuro's Lens

[Photos] A Dynamic Bangkok in 1984 via the Lens of Photographer Doi Kuro

Vintage Illustrations From 1931 Showcase Native Birds of Indochina

[Photos] An Idyllic Slice of 1957 Cambodian Life

[Photos] Remarkable Color Photos Document Life in Japan Over 100 Years Ago

[Photos] 21 Rare Old Photos Showcase Kuala Lumpur's Unique Architecture

[Photos] 21 Rare Old Photos of Kuala Lumpur Through the Decades

[Video] This Vintage Travelogue Showcases Life in Rural and Urban Taiwan in the 1950s

[Photos] The Dynamic Life of Vientiane Residents in the 1990s

[Photos] Taiwan's Diverse Society Embodied in Surrealist Street Photography

Related Articles:

- [Photos] In Minimalist Street Photography, Good Frames Come to Those Who Wait

- [Photos] A Montage of Saigon's Street Life from 1964-1968

- In Taiwan, a Vietnamese Baker Creates Bánh Mì Thịt From Scratch

[Photos] Rare Scenes of a Rebuilding Seoul After the Korean War

Related Articles:

- [Photos] The Boisterous Energy of South Korea's First-Ever Drag Parade

- [Photos] Romanian Photographer Captures North Korean Fashion Sense

- [Photos] A Ride on North Korea's Glamorous Subway Trains

[Photos] Vintage Stamps From 1950 Depict Tourist Sites in Indochina

Related Articles:

- Check out These Vintage Stamps From French Indochina

- [Illustrations] A Stamp Design Project Pays Homage to Women Across Vietnam

- [Illustrations] Local Artist Transforms Classic Vietnamese Instruments Into Postage Stamps

[Photos] Travel Through Time to Singapore in the 1960s

Related Articles:

- [Photos] A Black-and-White Glimpse of 1977 Thailand

- [Photos] Wilbur's Vietnam: 1960s Saigon Through the Lens of a Famed National Geographic Editor

- [Photos] A Visual Tour of Late 1960s Saigon by Brian Wickham

[Photos] The People of 1880s Indochina Captured in a Series of Striking Portraits

Related Articles:

- [Photos] Saunter Across Hanoi's Old Quarter Streets in 1896

- [Photos] On the Cusp of a Tourism Boom, a Pristine Sapa of the 1920s

- [Photos] A Child Wedding of Tay Ethnic Minority in Lao Cai in 1920s

[Photos] An Eerie Tokyo in the 1970s by Canadian Photographer Greg Girard

Related Articles:

- [Illustrations] Watercolor Paintings of Tokyo, a City That Defies Total Darkness

- [Photos] Photographer Highlights Tokyo’s Surrealistic Neon-Lit Nightscape

- [Photos] In Tom Blachford's Nightscapes, Tokyo Appears Like a Sci-Fi Dystopia

[Video] A Rare Look Into Indochina From the French Perspective

Related Articles:

- [Video] A Tour of Saigon in the 1900s

- [Video] Saigon's Oldest Known Footage Captures Snippets of Life in 1899-1900

- [Video] Public Transportation In Old(er) Hanoi

Japanese Emperor, Empress to Meet With Vietnamese Families of WWII Japanese Soldiers

Related Articles:

- [Video] Highlighting Vietnam's Forgotten Moroccan Soldiers

- When the Japanese Occupied Vietnam: Part 1

- [Video] This Is What Saigon Looked Like in 1945

[Photos] From Fishing Village to Metropolis: Tracking the Evolution of Tokyo

Related Articles:

- [Video] Vietnamese Workers Take Center Stage in Japan Government Video

- Japanese Company Plans to Launch On-Demand Shooting Stars

- The Rise and Fall of the Great Japanese Unagi

[Photos] A Glimpse Into 1950s Cambodia and Laos

Cambodia

Laos

Related Articles:

- [Photos] The Many Faces of 1950s Vietnam

- [Photos] 1950s Ha Long Bay in Black and White

[Photos] A Guide to Traveling 1910 French Indochina

Related Articles:

- [Photos] Life on the River in Early 1900s Saigon

- In 1910, Indochina’s First Flight Departed From Saigon

- [Photos] British Photographer Captures Life in Early 1900s Vietnam