Beato often organized his images into two volumes, one of which had Views of Japan printed on its cover. The arrangement of photographs reflects the route a diplomat, long-time foreign resident, or tourist would have followed from Yokohama and Edo (Tokyo) south to Nagasaki via the Tokaido Road, the major thoroughfare between Tokyo and Kyoto. Photographs in his albums also include popular destinations, such as Kamakura, Hakone, and Nikko.
Thus, these photographs provided collectors with views of frequently visited sites and depictions of means of travel that replicated their own experiences in Japan. Or, for other travelers, including those of the armchair variety, the photographs reflected their fantasies of this newly discovered place.
Map by Maja Hight-Huf.