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Handmade Photobooks

Photobooks made with Japanese traditional bookbinding technique which has a history of over 1000 years. 
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Mementos of Happiness
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For the series "Mementos of Happiness," I designed 3 different types of miniature photo books: string-binding, accordion and scroll. Each contains 17 images from the series and my text in English and Japanese. 

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String-binding type: All made of Japanese traditional paper (washi). For the main body, I used very thin Echizen washi. For the cover, I used test pieces for my exhibition works printed on hand-screened Kamikawasaki washi. For the case, I turned the test pieces inside out and showed the back side of the paper. I also wrote the title with a brush in a calligraphy style and added my name stamp. I left the rough edges naturally as they were.

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Accordion type: All made of Japanese traditional paper (washi). For the covering, I used test pieces for my exhibition prints using kamikawasaki washi (traditional hand-screened paper from Fukushima), which are too precious to throw away! 

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Scroll type:  I used very thin Japanese traditional paper (washi) for the body and added at the beginning of the body a piece of Japanese paper hand-screened with natural fallen leaves.  The core is a small stick of bamboo.

 

(As of July 2021) I will start to sell these books soon. Thank you for your interest! 

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In Silence and In Sorrow
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I created this accordion-type version "In Silence and In Sorrow" in commemoration of the exhibitions held in 2019 in Emon Photo Gallery in Tokyo and Kyotographie KG+ in Kyoto. It contains all the 14 images from “In Silence and In Sorrow” and text in English and Japanese.  As for materials, I used only washi (Japanese traditional paper) and finished edges also by hand. To show the edges, I shifted pages little by little. For the covers, I used persimmon-dyed washi and placed natural dried leaves from Fukushima. Size 165 mm x 165 mm. Priced at 6000 yen. Limited edition of 10. Sold out. Thank you for your interest!

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I also made an original collection book. It contains all the 14 images from my series “In Silence and In Sorrow.”  The prints are all original gelatin silver, printed on Kamikawasaki-washi, traditional hand-screened paper from Nihonmatsu, Fukushima Prefecture, which I use for the exhibition prints. The image size is about 18 cm x 22.5 cm, which is about half the exhibition print size. For the cover, I hand-screened paper together with natural dried leaves from Fukushima.  

In Silence and In Sorrow 

 

This photobook was made in commemoration of the exhibition at fotofever in Paris in 2015. The string-binding method is called "four-hole binding." It contains all the 14 photographs of the series "In Silence and In Sorrow," inkjet-printed on very thin Japanese traditional Echizen Washi paper from Fukui Prefecture.

 

The front and back covers are parts cut out of my original gelatin silver prints on hand-screened Kamikawasaki Washi paper from Nihomnatsu, Fukushima Prefecture. (Any photographer knows that there are always some odd prints which are not included in the final selection. As hand-screened Kamikawasaki Washi is so precious and even if they are odd prints, they are still interesting, so I decided to use them here…)

 

The dust jacket with the title is for protection. The size is 19 cm x 14 cm x 0.5 cm.  

 

Price: 30 euros / 33 dollars / 4,000 yen

 

Limited editions of 20.  Sold out.  Thank you for your interest. 

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In Silence and In Sorrow
Original Print Collection Book

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This original print collection book contains all the 14 images from my series “In Silence and In Sorrow.”  The prints are all original gelatin silver, printed on Kamikawasaki-washi, traditional hand-screened paper from Nihonmatsu, Fukushima Prefecture, which I use for the exhibition prints. The image size is about 18 cm x 22.5 cm, which is about half the exhibition print size. Mounting paper is also kamikawasaki-washi. For cover and case, I used washi from a different region dyed and hand-screened with natural leaves.

 

External size is about 25 cm x 33 cm x 2.5 cm.

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Limited edition of 3. Sold out. Thank you for your interest.

Lost in Fukushima 

 

I made my first photobook "Lost in Fukushima" with an old Japanese handmade bookbinding technique. For cover and case (called "Chitsu" in Japanese), I used Aizu Momen, traditional cotton from Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture, which has a history of over 400 years.

 

Japanese bookbinding has a history of over 1000 years. As is often the case with traditional art and craft skills, the number of old-style book binders has been drastically decreasing. It was a great pleasure for me to have a chance to learn some skills directly from a master last year.

 

This photobook contains 32 photographs, printed on museum-quality paper. External size about 14 cm x 19 cm x 3 cm. I make this photobook when I get an order.

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Price: 150 euros / 180 dollars / 18,000 yen (tax excluded) 

 

(As of June 2021) Making of this book suspended due to difficulty in obtaining some materials.   Thank you for your interest. 

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If you are interested in how I make this book, I am sure that the following video will be interesting! (Camera, directed and edited by Yoshimasa Ono)

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