Publisher/窓社

Google翻訳
"Kodama (Signed)," a photobook by Japanese photographer Hajime Kimura. While studying architecture at university, he came across a collection of local history materials in a library he visited for a seminar research project. Drawn to the simple, unspoiled landscapes that are gradually being forgotten in modern times, he headed to a mountain village in Niigata after graduating from university and photography school. There, he documented the lives of the "Matagi," a village group that hunts wild animals such as bears using traditional hunting methods. These people live a life of half-farming, half-hunting, battling the harsh natural environment of extreme cold and heavy snow. Kimura spent several years from 2007 documenting their lives. Hunting in the snowy mountains, slash-and-burn agriculture in the summer, and beautiful landscapes... The traditional Japanese way of life and the beauty of the scenery are expressed so beautifully that it is like an ink painting. Rather than modern themes such as "urban" or "contemporary," he focuses on subjects that are generally overlooked or being forgotten, presenting us with new questions and re-evaluations, while simultaneously vividly depicting traditional Japanese culture. His style has received high praise overseas as well. Signed by the photographer .