ANNIVERSARY BOOK｜KYOTOGRAPHIE: A Kyoto Story—A Twelve-Year Cycle

Pre-orders are now available at KYOTOGRAPHIE Information Machiya

Commemorating 12 years of KYOTOGRAPHIE International Photography Festival, this sprawling book uncovers the story behind the festival—from an ambitious dream, to an international stage for photography. Guided by its co-founders and co-director’s—Lucille Reyoboz and Yusuke Nakanishi—personal narrative, it traces the people, places, and moments that have shaped its journey. 

Essays and testimonials by artists, curators, and cultural leaders parallel this narrative. Mami Kataoka, François Hébel, and Richard Collasse explore the festival’s growth and cultural significance, while rich dialogues on themes of diaspora, photography, and transculturalism by Oussouby Sacko, Omar Victor Diop, and Claude Grunitzky follow. We also gain a special insight into the scenography that has defined the festival in an illuminating conversation between scenographer Hiromitsu Konishi and Yusuke Nakanishi.

You’ll also find stories about Kyoto’s cultural heritage told by Genbei Yamaguchi, and reflections on the city’s community with Lauren Hadler and Lucille Reyboz. The festival is driven by love and care, and heartfelt conversation between RongRong&inri and Lucille Reyboz and Yusuke Nakanishi captures this—exploring how artists can shape their environments to nurture creativity and community.

Packed with images and insightful discussions, this book is more than just a retrospective. It’s a celebration of the community that makes it all possible. Whether you’ve been with us from the beginning, or you’re discovering KYOTOGRAPHIE for the first time, this publication is for you: to uncover all the stories and ideas that have shaped a festival unlike any other.

Contributors

Essays

・Mami Kataoka (Director, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, and Director, National Center for Art Research, Japan)
・François Hébel (Director at Large of The International Center of Photography, New York)
・Richard Collasse

Conversations

・Hiromitsu Konishi (Interior Designer, Scenographer, miso)
・Genbei Yamaguchi Tenth Head of Kondaya Genbei, Master obi Artisan
・Oussouby Sacko (Professor and Executive Director of Tokyo Metropolitan Public University Corporation)
・Claude Grunitzky (CEO and Managing Partner at The Equity Alliance, Chairman of TRUE Africa)
・RongRong&inri (Photographers and Founders of Three Shadows Photography Art Centre)
・Lauren Hadler (Head of International Partnerships KYOTOGRAPHIE International Photography Festival)

Featured Artists

・Inma Barrero
・Coco Capitán
・Omar Victor Diop
・Joana Choumali
・Prince Gyasi
・JR
・Laetitia Ky
・Arno Rafael Minkkinen
・Isabel Muñoz
・Paolo Pellegrin
・K-NARF & SHOKO
・Ngadi Smart
・Marjan Teeuwen
・Yoriyas

Book Specifications

Title: KYOTOGRAPHIE: A Kyoto Story｜A Twelve-Year Cycle
Size: 245 × 195 × 50 mm
Binding: Hardcover, Smyth sewn
Pages: 460 pages
Language: Bilingual (Japanese & English)
Editor: Hideko G. Ono
Book Design: Hiroyuki Yamada (RAS Inc.)
Printing & Binding: SunM Color Co., Ltd.
Publisher: KYOTOGRAPHIE
Distribution Partner: Seigensha Art Publishing, Inc.
Publication Date: April 2025
ISBN: 978-4-86152-991-7
Retail Price: ¥8,000+ tax