Journey to Kumogakure Hot Spring (signed)

Masakazu Murakami's first photobook, featuring photographs taken while he toured various hot spring resorts as if escaping reality.

Rising steam, eroded rock faces, dimly lit baths, drunkards, alleyways, the presence of night ── scenes where pleasure and exhaustion, solitude and intimacy, and the presence of life and death intermingle in rustic hot spring resorts across Japan are captured in grainy monochrome.

In his late twenties, Murakami distanced himself from photography for a time, then began to return to it through his travels to hot spring resorts. This work doesn't focus on touristy hot spring landscapes, but rather deeply imprints the humidity and human element permeating the land, along with a sense of escapism and ecstasy.

Daido Moriyama described it in the obi as "a fugitive who settled down and became a repeat offender," while Kotaro Iizawa remarked on its "transcendent 'Japan' atmosphere." Masato Seto's words, "The Japan I love so much permeates here," are also striking.

Through rough grain and strong contrast, this book brings to life the atmosphere of hot spring towns that seem to have been left behind by time.

⚫︎Winner of the 5th Visual Arts Photo Award Grand Prize

[Title] Kumogakure Onsen-yuki (Hidden Hot Spring Journey)
[Publisher] Visual Arts College
[Publication Date] 2007
[Number of Pages] 112 pages
[Size] Approx. 22029015mm
[Format] Softcover
[Language] Japanese
[Title Reading] KUMOGAKURE ONSEN YUKI
[Author/Editor] Masakazu Murakami/Author
[Printing]
[ISBN] 9784861521300
[Condition] Used, signed [6] Good to Very Good
[Accessories] Obi (belly band)
[Featured in] -
[Related Exhibitions] -

Masakazu Murakami (Murakami Masakazu) 1977-

Born in Tokyo. Photographer, editor.
After graduating from university, he studied photography at Tokyo Visual Arts. In 2000, while still a student, he won the Grand Prix at the 16th Hitotsubo Exhibition and the Grand Prize at the 5th Visual Arts Photo Award.

He compiled a series of photographs taken during his travels to various hot spring resorts across Japan, as if escaping reality, and published the photobook "Kumogakure Onsen-yuki" in 2008. He gained attention for his works that captured rough monochrome and the humidity and human element permeating the land.

From 2008, he worked in the editorial department of "Nippon Camera" and was involved in editing photobooks and books by photographers. In 2021, he established PCT LLC and operates the website "Photo&Culture, Tokyo." He also serves as the editor-in-chief of the photography magazine "Sha Shin" (Fugen-sha), launched in 2022, thus actively contributing as an editor supporting photography culture.

His representative works include "Kumogakure Onsen-yuki," "Chikatetsu Nikki" (Subway Diary), and "Yume no Mata Yume" (Another Dream within a Dream).

His major awards include the Grand Prix at the 16th Hitotsubo Exhibition and the Grand Prize at the 5th Visual Arts Photo Award.

< Related Figures >

Daido Moriyama, Masato Seto, Kotaro Iizawa, Osamu Kanemura