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VOL. 27, NO. 27, March 14, 2008 (Chaitra 01 2064 B.S.)
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Hidden Japan
Japanese photographer Kijuro Yahagi’s photos disclose many hidden sides of Japan’s life, culture, nature and society
By A CORRESPONDENT
Whenever one talks about Japan and its development, common people visualize Japan as a country of tall buildings, fastest moving bullet train and other such technological miracles.
After watching the photographs taken by Kijuro Yahagi, a renowned Japanese photographer, one can have different outlook as his photographs, though consists of some photos of big cities and traffic, represent the hidden sides of Japan like its rural surrounding, traditional houses, mountains, green paddy fields and so on.
From bustling busy cities with traffic jams to simple rural life, renowned Japanese photographer Kijuro Yahagi captures the things which most of other photographers have not shown interest towards.
“Mr. Kijuro Yahagi, Japanese photographer who achieved numerous prestigious awards in Japan and abroad, took the photographs displayed in today’s exhibition. The photographer had extensively traveled to some 20,000 kilometers throughout Japan and compiled a photo collection- Hidden Japan – Shizen ni Hisomu Nihon,” said Japanese ambassador to Nepal Tatsuo Mizuno. “Mr Yahagi’s photographs represent animistic scenes involving natural features and objects like mountains, rocks, stones and trees as well as sceneries such as gardens, fields surrounded by mountains, large cities full of hurrying pedestrians, traffic jams. Every picture brings to the surface glimpses of various aspects of Japan. In other words, the exhibition represents Japan as it is.”
Organized by the Embassy of Japan, Japanese Universities Alumni Association, Nepal and Japanese Language Teachers Association, Nepal, the exhibition has more than 51 photographs pasted at the wall of Embassy of Japan Panipokhari.
It helps people of Nepal enjoy a wide range of Japanese landscape and culture.
Supported by the Japan Foundation, an organization dedicated to the promotion of academic and cultural exchange among Japan and other countries of the world, the photo exhibition will remain open for public till March 19.
“The art of photography is the common language of the world. It has no boundaries and is enjoyed by the people regardless of their nationalities. It fosters mutual understanding and respect among people of the globe,” said Japanese ambassador to Nepal, Mizuno.
Inaugurated jointly by Japanese ambassador to Nepal Mizuno and chief executive officer of Nepal Tourism Board, the photo exhibited at the exhibition site speaks volume about many unknown aspects about Japan.
Japanese landscape is so diverse that one can find snow capped mountains, sea, plain lands, green forests as well as other natural beauties.
Known for its speed of modernizing the cities making them world’s greatest known for superb technologies, Japan also retains its traditional way of life. From old houses with traditional architecture to its unique way of planting rice, one can see all kinds of diversity in Japan.
Some of the photographs like terrace of lands, mountain roads and traditional houses also reminds Nepalese about the commonalities.
“I sincerely hope that the exhibition will serve not only as an introduction of representative works of Mr. Kijuro Yahagi but also will provide an ample opportunity for Nepalese viewers and photographers to enjoy various Japanese landscape and culture,” said Japanese ambassador Mizuno.
