Horiyoshi III book of dragon paintings, Ryushin, 40% off for a limited time!

 Coinciding with the release of our new Irezumi book, Dentowaza,  we are offering our classic first book Ryushin at a reduced price. Perhaps the best book to date featuring the ink paintings of master Horiyoshi III of Yokohama. Orginally priced at 199 Euro plus shipping it is now available for 119 Euro plus shipping. Shipping worldwide is 35 Euro.
 Easiest way to order is to pay directly to our PayPal account senju@kofuusenjupublications.com. Write "Ryushin 40% off", so we know what you are ordering.
The offer is valid until the 26th of January 2012.

Information on Horiyoshi III and the recent earthquake in Japan.

Please go here for more information.

"KOKORO", our new photobook on Horiyoshi III is out now!

To get all the information on how to order etc, please follow this link!

Amaterasu.

Long time client Christoffer is back after a longer break for travels and such. I am delighted!
The posting in the near future will be mostly visual since I am way deep into the publishing and book world.
Please see the links for Kofuu-Senju Publishers, a book creating effort by Horimatsu (Matti Sedholm) and Horikitsune (Alex Reinke).

We will try to maintain control of our publications through every step. This means that they will be photographed by us, written by us (sometimes with guests), designed by us and published by us.

Breaking the Surface, Filling the Lungs. Action!

Finally a working version of the Kofuu-Senju Publisher's website is up and running! In the next few weeks more information on various topics will be added, so check back when you have time and inclination to do so.

Work on the first book project, "Kokoro", a portrait of Master Horiyoshi III is progressing nicely.
Me and Horikitsune will return to Japan this spring to continue the collecting of photography and insights that was started last fall.
Besides "Kokoro" we have a number of projects and publications lined up for the years to come, so rest assured that we will be around for some time. Hopefully our work will tell the stories that we see as we look around within our personal universes, and hopefully you'll want to share those glimpses of the floating world with us.

Walking Back to the Temple (Shunkoin).

As Myself and Horikitsune were walking back to the Zen temple we had chosen as our accomodation in Kyoto this scorching hot and early september, I captured some images that have come to be important to me. The why is a silent one.

Horikitsune Updates.

Horikitsune, dear friend of mine and student of master Horiyoshi III of Yokohama has updated his briliant new website with some more photos of his work, as well as some more texts to accompany his and Horiyoshi III's vision of Irezumi.
I truly recommend a visit to www.horikitsune.com

Horikitsune Update.

Dear friend, Irezumi Horishi and long time student of Master Horiyoshi III Horikitsune (Alex Reinke) has totally remodeled his website. The new site is amazing and well worth a visit. Go there!

Kyoto in Shades of Gray; Tenjuan Garden.

Rght next to the very famous Rinzai Zen Temple Nanzenji, there's a smaller subtemple by the name of Tenjuan. It's easily overlooked as you walk by, but ever since I have found my way there, I've made sure to come back whenever I visit Kyoto.
This time I went there with Horikitsune (Alex Reinke) and we had a lovely stroll in the temple's beautiful garden. If you like Koi this is a nice place for viewing them up close. If you stand next to the edge of the pond they swim up to have look at you.

Maiko.

Horikitsune and Myself went from Fukuoka via Hiroshima to Kyoto in order to experience it photografically once again. Horikitsune had visited many times before, but never with a good camera and photographic experience.
For me it was the fifth trip in four years, pursuing the ghosts of photography. One early evening I took Horikitsune up to the old quarters, Gion, and showed him where I stand and wait for Maiko and Geisha to appear as the sun is setting and the Kyoto night begins.
These are the images from the corner that night.

Kyushu Style Irezumi.

As mentioned in an earlier post, I went together with Horikitsune (Alex Reinke) to visit Horiyoshi III in Yokohama, Japan earlier this autumn. Our days were spent photographing Master Horiyoshi as he went about his creative life, images that will hopefully become a book next year.
There was of course some time for other pursuits and among other things we visited Nakamura-San in Fukuoka on the southern island of Kyushu. It's a six hour ride with the Shinkansen from Yokohama and it proved well worth the trip. Travelling together with us were Horiyoshi's son Kazuyoshi and his friend Horikazu.

Nakamura-San works in a different style and all the work is done using hand tools.
The technique/tool used is not called Tebori, but Shamisenbori (indicating the hand movement which resembles the way one plays the Shamisen, a traditional Japanese string instrument), and it was fascinating to watch Nakamura-San create wonderful Irezumi at speeds that would put any tattoo machine operator to shame.

Nakamura-San and his apprentices were gracious hosts and we had a very pleasurable visit.

Eihiji.

Alex Reinke took me to Eihiji in sticky humid japanese September. My traditional Japanese clothes clinging to the skin and the camera bag heavier than usual. Pausing outside, smoking, trying not to rush it. I decided I was going to photograph the temple that Dogen founded using only my 105/2 Nikon prime lens. Alex and I didn't say much to each other. No words. Doing.

Days, weeks, soon even a month, has passed, but I still can't, will not, desire not to dress in imperfect words what has to be experienced.