Drawings of Student Lodgers - A Retro Look from the Meiji and Taisho Periods!

Are you ready for a bit of history? Student lodgers in Japan, particularly in the late 1800 and early 1900s, were typically male and often left their families when they moved from the countryside to the cities for their studies.

Rather than modern dormitories, these students often stayed with families that weren’t their own. In exchange for food and a bed, they’d take on a number of household chores. They typically wore traditional clothes, like kimono, but could also be spotted in trendy school uniforms.

You might even be familiar with the student lodger look but never had a name for it! Giyu Tomioka (from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba) almost looks unrecognizable...