Three photo books for learning about Japanese photography
As you explore the world of photobooks,
you begin to notice countless lesser-known books surrounding the well-known masterpieces.
Small regional publishers, self-published editions, limited print runs.
Publishers that existed only briefly.
Small booklets produced alongside exhibitions.
Photobooks are not only works of art,
but also part of printing culture, distribution,
and the personal histories of collectors.
The three books introduced here are, in a way,
books I wish I had known when I first began collecting photobooks myself.
Bessatsu Taiyo Special “Editing Photobooks.” ／ Heibonsha
A special issue centered around 100 essential Japanese photobooks,
selected and discussed by photography critics Manabu Torihara and Akihiro Hatanaka.
What makes this publication interesting
is that it goes beyond simply introducing photobooks.
It also includes interviews with editors,
places where photobooks can be found,
and background stories behind bookmaking itself,
offering a glimpse into photobook culture as a whole.
Photobooks are not created by photographers alone.
Editors,
designers,
printers,
booksellers,
collectors,
and readers —
they remain in the world through the hands of many different people.
Despite being a magazine,
it is an exceptionally rich and substantial publication.
“Shashinshu no Hon” ／ Kanzen
Written by Kotaro Iizawa and Shun Uchibayashi
Edited by Yoshiro Nakamura
A book introducing 662 Japanese photobooks,
from the Meiji era through the 2000s.
Each photographer is represented by several key photobooks,
accompanied by concise yet insightful commentary from critics.
Sometimes, a single sentence can open up an entirely different way of seeing a work,
making this an enjoyable gateway into reading photobooks.
As you turn the pages,
you often find yourself thinking,
“I had no idea a photobook like this existed.”
Rather than systematically studying famous photographers,
this is a book for encountering photobooks you have never seen before.
It is also a dangerous book —
the kind that makes you want to start searching for more.
“The Japanese Photobook, 1912–1990” ／ Steidl
An important survey of Japanese photobook history,
conceived by photobook collector Manfred Heiting.
It also features an introduction by Japanese photography critic Ryuichi Kaneko,
tracing the history of Japanese photography through the photobook format —
from the arrival of photographic technology in Japan,
to Koga, New Photography, photojournalism,
PROVOKE, underground culture, and copy culture.
What makes it especially fascinating
is that it can be read not only as a guide to photobooks,
but also as a history of postwar Japanese printing culture and graphic design.
It also serves as an important entry point
for understanding why Japanese photobooks came to be so highly regarded internationally.
Although it has become increasingly difficult to find today,
it remains one of the books I still return to frequently for reference.
“Shashinshu no Hon” and “Editing Photobooks.”
are still available at many bookstores.
If you are interested in Japanese photobooks,
I highly recommend picking them up.
They offer not only the pleasure of photobooks themselves,
but also a glimpse into the wider culture surrounding them.