Nakaima | Berlin Yasutaka Kojima

Following his series on New York—where he lived for seven years, including his time studying at the International Center of Photography (ICP)—and Tokyo, photographer Yasutaka Kojima presents the third installment of his urban-focused series, capturing the city of Berlin, where he has been based for a decade since 2015.

In this work, Kojima focuses on the "Hof," a distinctive courtyard space embedded within Berlin’s century-old architectural structures originally built as residential workshops and apartment complexes. Amid the quietude found within these courtyards, away from the urban bustle, he discovered a sensory characteristic that resonates with Nakaima (the eternal present), a temporal concept rooted in Ancient Shinto.

The volume features 79 of Kojima’s monochrome typologies documenting the landscapes of these Hof spaces, edited by fellow photographer Risaku Suzuki. Concluding the book are an essay contributed by Suzuki and an afterword penned by Kojima himself.

Designed by graphic designer Katsuya Kato, the cover features an extensive silver foil stamping. The reflective surface mirrors the viewer, while its delicate texture is designed to wear away slightly with every touch—gradually etching the passage of time and the unique memories of each owner into its scenery.