FUCHIKAMI (Hakuyo).
Manchu no kaiso [Reminiscences of Manchuria].
Blurring the line of nostalgia and reality in Manchuria
“Manchuria is familiar to me like my hometown - The leisurely nature of the natural world, of history, of society, of the scenery, and in particular of the life-style of the Japanese - this is an artistic photo-book that grasps the harmony of different ethnic groups with emotion and praise.” (text on leaflet).
In 1928 Fuchikami (1889-1960) moved to Manchuria where he worked for the advertising/propaganda department of South Manchuria Railway Company. He completely changed his photographic style and the present book is a compilation of his work during his years in Manchuria. There a curious nostalgia about the mixture of staged and documentary photography and the harmonious atmosphere was clearly an illusion. This large format publication on heavy paper stock cost Yen 2000 when it was published in 1958, two years before his death.
