Photographer Kotori Kawashima’s “Mirai-chan” book was a big hit in Japan, and now its star, the charming young Mirai-chan, makes her way to the Hobonichi Techo Weeks covers. The covers feature unpublished photographs taken during Mirai-chan’s first overseas trip. In order to give this Weeks the feel of a bound photography book, the book cover is given a glossy finish, with the photograph stretching across the entirety of the front and back of the cover. The candid, rosy-cheeked girl is also printed inside on the front and back endpapers, and on both sides of a pencil board included with the book, making these Weeks books a very pleasant companion.
Kotori Kawashima
Photographer. Born in Tokyo in 1980.
Graduated Waseda University’s First Faculty of Letters with a specialty in French Literature and began apprenticeship under Japanese poet and photographer Genki Numata.
Won first prize in the 10th Shinpusha Itaru Hirama Photo Award in 2006.
Released photography book BABY BABY in 2007.
Won the photography award in the 42nd Kodansha Publishing Culture Award in 2011 with his hit book “Mirai-chan.
Released a collaboration in 2014 with legendary Japanese poet Shuntaro Tanikawa, entitled Goodnight, Gods.
In 2014, released photography book Myojo, taken during 30 visits to Taiwan over the course of 3 years, and won the 40th Kimura Ihei Award.
Mirai-chan is Kotori Kawashima’s most famous work and contains pictures taken over the course of a year in Sado Island. Kawashima followed the real-life adventures of a very charming young girl with rosy cheeks and bowl-cut hair. This groundbreaking collection sold 120,000 copies. The book won the 42nd Kodansha Publishing Culture Award.
Mirai-chan playfully blows a kiss to the roses blooming around her on a bright, sunny day in Paris. Inside the cover on the front and back endpapers are photographs of Mirai-chan exploring unfamiliar cafes and restaurants. Included with the book is a pencil board with a photograph on either side of the board, both taken on Sado Island ― summer on the front, and winter on the back.
Mirai-chan pops out from a rooftop window and watches the Paris streets below. Inside the cover on the front and back endpapers are photographs of Mirai-chan frolicking along the unfamiliar streets of a new country. Included with the book is a pencil board with a photograph on either side of the board, both taken on Sado Island ― silly on the front, and serious on the back.
