Scenes from Japan during the 19th century. Japanese pedestrians walking, in a light rain, on a town bridge in Japan. Pedestrians in kimonos hold wagasa umbrellas. Rickshaws cross the bridge. Japanese women play shamisen, and two girls use a hand fan and an uchiwa fan.
Men pull a long wooden boat upstream against a strong current in a narrow rocky river in Japan. Several similar boats come rapidly downstream through rapids and dodging rocks in the water. Some of the men use oars to steer while another sits in the front quickly pivoting the bow using a long pole. Some of the men hold parasol umbrellas over head to shield from the sun.