I would like to talk about a traditional aesthetic which is very
distinctive to the Japanese way of thinking. My photography is influenced by this
aesthetic. We Japanese have a word, "a-wa-re." If you have a chance to
read Japanese classical literature--for example, Genji Monogatari (The Tale of
Genji), you'll find the feeling of "a-wa-re" over and over again
in the story. The Tale of Genji was written in the beginning of
the 11th century, the Heian period, by Murasaki Shikibu, a lady in the Heian court of
Japan. We say The Tale of Genji is a masterpiece which has
the feeling of "a-wa-re." Lady Murasaki used the word "a-wa-re"
in various circumstances in her story. Presently in Japan, the general meaning of
"a-wa-re" is "pity" or "compassion," but in ancient
Japan, the term designated not only those meanings, but also feelings which could be
called "pathos," a very Japanese response to the transience of earthly
existence.
Imagine a scene in which cherry blossom petals are
showering down like rain. Ancient people mentioned a deep impression of that ephemeral
natural beauty through the word "a-wa-re." On the other hand, they also
intimated affection for their beloved through the same word. Lady Murasaki expressed every
emotion or feeling of a sensitive heart by means of the term in The Tale of
Genji. She used it effectively in every situation in her story, as if
to show her own reflection on the transience of human life. Of course, her
expression seemed to be influenced by the sense of "shogyo mujo"
expressed in Buddhism (everything on earth is impermanent and nothing remains unchanged or
everlasting). At that time, our ancestors had a kind of understanding about the
teaching of Buddha: all visible things are vanity. However, they never denied the visual
charm of beauty, but loved it dearly. That's why they knew well that human life was
fragile and fleeting, so they had an empathy with the ephemeral beauty on this
earth. People in Heian period, from Lady Murasaki down, used the word "a-wa-re"
as an expression of such deep feeling. They reflected the link between beauty and feelings
of sadness in their works. I think they had more sensitive hearts than we do today in
modern Japan.
When I was a high school student, this lesson from the
Japanese classics was boring for me. I wasn't interested in the term "a-wa-re"
or the traditional aesthetic ideal. I thought that since we were living in modern
society, we would never share those very Japanese feelings detailed in classical
literature. It was a long time until I noticed that my creative work was based on a
concept which should be called "a-wa-re," particularly in the case of
photographing a woman in the nude. I wondered, " What should I do to represent
what I feel through photography?" I wanted to express a deep emotion I experienced in
my heart, but I didn't know what the feeling was at that time. However, after I
photographed a friend of mine, I rediscovered the concept. The traditional meaning of the
term seemed to fit the feeling common to both of us. It had a hint of sadness, and
at the same time, what could even be called joy. It seemed to me that the feeling
suggested an affinity between beauty and sadness. Then I remembered the classical stories
and traditional poetry from ancient times.
I've been attracted by Western Art, but now I'm in
sympathy with the thousand-year-old aesthetic in Japanese literary works. When I
photograph a women in the nude, I want to represent not only her visual beauty but also
something invisible--the ambiance of grace, mystery, sorrow, transience, ambiguity and so
on, which surrounds her. "A-wa-re" implies all. That is to say,
photographing fine art nudes is the best way for me to express a sense of "a-wa-re."
I think that when women--including myself--take off their clothes, they could express the
feelings or emotions in the depth of their hearts better if they could relax. That's my
own opinion. From that point of view, I've been conscious of the very Japanese feeling
"a-wa-re," not only when I photograph a woman in the nude, but also
when I photograph flowers and landscapes.
"A-WA-RE" : 
I would like to talk about a traditional aesthetic which is very
distinctive to the Japanese way of thinking. My photography is influenced by this
aesthetic. We Japanese have a word, "a-wa-re." If you have a chance to
read Japanese classical literature--for example, Genji Monogatari (The Tale of
Genji), you'll find the feeling of "a-wa-re" over and over again
in the story. The Tale of Genji was written in the beginning of
the 11th century, the Heian period, by Murasaki Shikibu, a lady in the Heian court of
Japan. We say The Tale of Genji is a masterpiece which has
the feeling of "a-wa-re." Lady Murasaki used the word "a-wa-re"
in various circumstances in her story. Presently in Japan, the general meaning of
"a-wa-re" is "pity" or "compassion," but in ancient
Japan, the term designated not only those meanings, but also feelings which could be
called "pathos," a very Japanese response to the transience of earthly
existence.