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Join this channel to get access to perks: Want to learn more about Periscope Film and get access to exclusive swag? Join us on Patreon. Visit Visit our website One of a series of extraordinary home movies shot in Occupied Japan immediately after WWII, this film shows many scenes from a lengthy train tour of the islands. It includes the island of Honshu including Hiroshima, as well as Mikimoto Island and areas in Kyoto. The man who filmed these was a Harvard graduate ('43) and U.S. Army Intelligence Officer named Robert Ryan. Ryan may have very well worked for the OSS, although it's not clear. He definitely worked as an instructor at the U.S. Army's AFFE Intelligence School, and toured Vietnam in the early 1960s to conduct strategic vulnerability surveys. These films dates to the period July 1947-May 1951, when Ryan served in the Department of Defense in the Geographic Branch, Theater Intelligence Division, Far East Command. During this time he served in Occupied Japan and in the Korean theater. This film begins with shots at a railway station and on board an electric train. At (2:28), snow capped mountains are visible in the distance. At (5:14), a waitress takes food orders aboard the train. At (5:37), the train has arrived in Hiroshima where a sign declares in English “No More Hiroshimas“. At (5:46) a devastated graveyard is seen and at (5:50) the “Hiroshima Peace Memorial“ aka “Atomic Bomb Dome“. At (6:53) a bus crossed a ruined bridge. At (7:19), shots aboard a passenger steamer. At (7:41) a military patrol boat marked AM 2421 moves past. At (7:47), shots at pierside in an unknown location, followed at (8:00) by shots of a Torri gate in the water and, at (10:33), older torri gates on land. At (11:32), more travel by electric train. At (12:06), houseboats are seen lined up on (12:23), two Japanese girls pose for the camera. At (13:35) sparklers are used to celebrate a holiday. At (14:00), more travel by train, this time across a high trestle. At (15:38) a visit to Mikimoto, the so called “Pearl Island“ which includes a demonstration of how the cultured pearls are harvested. At (17:21), more travel on a high speed electric train. At (17:30), tourists climb aboard boats for a river trip. At (19:59) the train station for Nagoya,, Central Honshu is seen. At (20:21), a freight train is passed at high speed. At (20:26) the Heian Shrine in Kyoto is visited. At (21:30), a jeep -- probably from the occupation forces -- rumbles into frame. At (24:35) a traditional dance is performed by geishas wearing kimonos. We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: “01:00:12:00 -- President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference.“ This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit
