Publisher/日立製作所

Google翻訳
"Japan... a chapter of image" is a photobook by American photographer W. Eugene Smith (1918–1978). Smith, who published numerous photo essays in Life magazine, was commissioned by Hitachi, Ltd. to photograph Japan in the early 1960s. Focusing on factories, giant machinery, and people working on production sites, he broadened his gaze to include urban crowds, daily life, and traditional landscapes, depicting Japan's transformation during the period of rapid economic growth, interwoven with contrasts between machine and man, tradition and modernity. From this project, a company address book "Hitachi Reminder" featuring photographs was also produced and distributed at events such as the 1962 Osaka International Trade Fair. With its unique structure combining Smith's photographs with words related to Hitachi products and industry in an alphabetical index, it is a rare document that tells the story of the Hitachi project along with this book. Although commissioned by a company, this photo essay goes beyond mere PR photography, strongly reflecting Smith's own view of Japan. It is also an important book for understanding his relationship with Japan, as it leads to his masterpiece "Minamata," which he worked on about 10 years later.