Takahiro Mizushima Long Hug Town

"Long Hug Town" is a photo collection that directly captures the warmth and raw energy of people Takahiro Mizushima encounters on the streets of Ota Ward, Tokyo, where he was born and raised. His childhood experiences of running away from home and memories of wandering the city intertwine with his work, creating a series of intense snapshots where the photographer's own life and the atmosphere of the city intersect.

Mizushima is a photographer who values the "sense of connection" that arises in the moment when he calls out to people and builds relationships. He encounters people of all ages and genders. Night street corners, fleeting exchanges with passersby, memories of "Long Hugs" shared on the street... All of these are woven into a fictional utopia: one city, "Long Hug Town."

This work compiles the winning pieces from the 2017 Young Art Taipei Photo Eye Grand Prix. It traces the trajectory of a series spanning about 10 years, with photographs taken in Taiwan, where he recently relocated, resonating and mingling within the collection. In contrast to the landscapes of cities undergoing redevelopment and becoming more efficient, here, the scent of humanity, humidity, and warmth vividly breathe.

Photographing as if embracing the city, as if embracing people—
"Long Hug Town" is a record of the "place" Mizushima built within his photographs, and a quiet, heartfelt love letter to the people living in the corners of the city.

[Title] Long Hug Town
[Publisher] STAIRS PRESS
[Publication Date] April 2018
[Pages] 176 pages
[Size] Approx. 12.8 x 18.2 x 1.8 cm
[Format] Softcover
[Title Reading] LONG HUG TOWN
[Author/Editor, etc.] Takahiro Mizushima / Author, Chao-Fan Wan / Editor, Ling-Ning Lo / Design
[Printing] 
[ISBN] 978-4-908851-03-2 C0072
[Condition] New
[Accessories] None
[Featured In] 
[Related Exhibitions] 

Takahiro Mizushima (1988-)

Born in Tokyo in 1988.

After graduating from Tokyo Visual Arts in 2009, he has been creating photographic works with the city and its inhabitants as his main theme. In 2014, he was selected as a finalist for the 10th "Photo 1_WALL." In 2017, he won the Grand Prix at "Young Art Taipei Photo Eye" (Photo One), a portfolio review held in Taipei.

In 2018, he participated in 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT's "Photo City Exhibition - William Klein and Photographers Living in the 22nd Century -". Since then, he has continuously participated in exhibitions both in Japan and abroad, including the Lianzhou Foto Festival (2019, Lianzhou, China) and THE TEXTURE OF PROMISES (2022, San Sebastián, Spain).

He was nominated for the 50th Ihei Kimura Photography Award for his photo exhibition "Memoirs of Huandao" from July 15 to July 28, 2025 (Nikon Salon).

He is currently based in Tokyo and Taipei. He belongs to the independent gallery TOTEM POLE PHOTO GALLERY (Tokyo), and through his activities there, he is also expanding his opportunities for independent presentations.

mizushima-takahiro.com

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