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1899 Fujiyama Hotel Miyanoshita Japan Handwritten Dinner Menu – Yokohama Tourist Ephemera
Offered here is an exceptional and highly visual original Meiji-era hotel menu from the renowned Fujiyama Hotel in Miyanoshita, Japan, dated August 27, 1899.
Founded in 1878, the Fujiyama Hotel was one of Japan’s earliest and most प्रसिद्ध Western-style resort hotels, catering to foreign travelers visiting the Hakone region during the height of Japan’s opening to the West. By the 1890s, it had become a premier destination for international visitors traveling inland from Yokohama.
🍽️ Handwritten Dinner Menu (Bill of Fare)
This example features a fully handwritten multi-course dinner in English and French culinary style, including:
- Julienne Soup
- Boiled Fish with Lobster Sauce
- Canard aux Haricots (Duck with beans)
- Filet de Boeuf à la Périgueux
- Chicken Macaroni Milanaise
- Compote of Mutton & Vegetables
- Asparagus Hollandaise
- White Beans & Stewed Tomatoes
- Chocolate Pudding
- Iced Cakes
- Stewed Pears
- Cheese, Tea and Coffee
This reflects the European-influenced cuisine served to Western guests in Meiji-era Japan, a fascinating intersection of cultures during a pivotal historical moment.
🎨 Design & Aesthetic
The menu card is beautifully printed and hand-finished with:
- Hand-colored botanical artwork (maple leaves and iris)
- A finely rendered bird motif
- Japanese numerals alongside Western formatting
- Elegant period typography
A striking blend of Japanese artistic tradition and Western hospitality design
🌏 Yokohama Art & Tourism Connection (Reverse Side)
The reverse features period advertisements tied directly to the foreign tourist trade:
- Arthur & Bond, Fine Art Gallery, Yokohama
One of the most prominent curio dealers supplying Japanese art to Western collectors during the late 19th century - K. Tamamura, leading photographer of Japan
Kozaburo Tamamura (1856–1923) was among the most important Meiji-era photographers, known for his hand-colored photographs sold to international travelers
These connections firmly place this piece within the global exchange of art, culture, and tourism in Meiji Japan
📏 Details
- Date: August 27, 1899
- Location: Fujiyama Hotel, Miyanoshita (Hakone), Japan
- Format: Printed illustrated menu with handwritten entries
- Size: Approx. 9 x 7 inches
- Double-sided (menu + advertisements)
🧾 Condition
- Moderate age-related wear
- Edge and corner wear
- Light toning and minor surface marks
- Structurally sound and displays very well
Please review all photos carefully.
📚 Historical Significance
A superb example of Meiji-era travel ephemera, capturing:
- Early Western-style luxury hospitality in Japan
- The rise of Hakone as an international resort destination
- The Yokohama-based art and photography trade serving foreign visitors
A highly collectible and visually appealing piece bridging Japanese art, tourism, and global cultural exchange
💡 Final Note
Original hotel menus from Meiji Japan—especially dated, illustrated, and tied to known establishments—are increasingly sought after by collectors of travel ephemera, Japanese history, and cross-cultural artifacts.
