VIRA Mika Ninagawa

For years, photographer Mika Ninagawa has captured thousands of images of cherry blossoms each spring—the breathtaking sight of flowers blooming and falling all at once, petals drifting on water, and the silhouettes of blossoms dissolving into light and sky.

First unveiled at Paris Photo in November 2025, this volume was edited, designed, and published by the renowned bookmaker Satoshi Machiguchi. From Ninagawa’s vast archive of 70,000 images, Machiguchi has carefully selected a collection that embodies the essence of the sakura. While heralding the arrival of spring, these blossoms evoke the memories and emotions of the viewer, serving as a mirror to both the artist's and the audience's inner worlds.

The book features a unique cover made of original cloth dyed with pigment extracted from cherry blossom petals collected by Machiguchi himself along the Meguro River. Two distinct editions have been created: the "SKY edition" and the "SOIL edition," reflecting the imagery of petals dancing through the air and eventually returning to the earth. Furthermore, as an exclusive bonus for the Japanese market, the book includes a separately printed contribution by the celebrated novelist and poet Mieko Kawakami.