Some time ago, I had the most pleasant opportunity to work with Manami Okazaki, an author and journalist with a dozen interesting books published under her belt. She was writing a book about cats then and commissioned me to do several photoshoots for the book, including a trip to Tashirojima and folk artisans.
And in 2019, that book is finally finished!
Aptly titled ‘Land of the Rising Cat,’ the book richly illustrates the Japanese’s fascination with cats in the past, present, and future. It tells the deep connection between people in Japan and their feline friends, from religion to pop culture — all bases covered. If you are curious about the book, please get in touch with the author and buy it from her. She also maintains an Instagram handle devoted to Japanese folk culture @japan.mingei.
This project marked the first time I ever had my works published as a book, and I am overjoyed with emotions when I see my photos printed, among other stunning images from other contributors.
Since the book is successfully out of its cocoon now, I want to share some of my personal favorites that did not make the edit. And I will probably post more to my Instagram page @jerfareza!
