This card was sent within Japan, from Shimosuwa Village, Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture (奈良県吉野郡下比曽村) to Osaka City (大阪市). The addressee is a photography shop, indicating that this was likely business-related correspondence.
The postmark is clear and sharp, showing the date as August 23, Taisho 4, which corresponds to 1915 in the Gregorian calendar. The place of origin indicated in the cancellation is Shimosuwa, consistent with the sender’s address.
The text is written in a neat, semi-formal vertical script, using standard Japanese characters with a mix of kanji and katakana. The style is practical, likely for business use, and includes both the order content and sender details.
The Taisho period (1912–1926) was a time of political liberalization and continued modernization in Japan. Communication between rural areas and urban centers was common as commerce expanded. Postal services played a key role in maintaining business and logistical operations.
The content of this card is a purchase order (注文書) for photographic supplies, including film and chemicals. It includes item specifications such as product names (e.g., "Velox", "Azura", "Aristo Iris") and quantities, making it a formal business transaction document.
The card bears a 1½ sen Chrysanthemum-design printed stamp, a typical value for domestic postcard postage at the time. The design, by Tomazo Saito, features the imperial crest and was widely used for official and business mail.
In summary, this is a well-preserved example of early 20th-century Japanese business correspondence, reflecting the commercial ties between rural suppliers and urban retailers during Japan’s Taisho era.