Kagerou Dayfly .

4to (257 x 183 mm), pp.[188]. 93 black-and-white and 6 colour photographs, 9 pages of contact sheet reproductions, design by Yoshiro Tatsuno. Spotting to fore-edge. Original laminated wrappers, Japanese text in black to spine and lower side, calligraphic design embossed to upper side; lightly toned, spine creased. Original paper covered board slipcase illustrated with black-and-white reproductions of contact sheets; spine toned and creased, small area of abrasions towards foot of spine. Glassine dust-jacket; toned, creased and chipped. Laid in is the original white obi printed in black; lightly toned and creased, missing ? of front panel and flap.

First edition. Moriyama has been quite dismissive of this, his only book of nudes, stating that he made it to generate money to fund a trip to New York to visit Yokoo Tadanori’s exhibition. During this trip he was to take the photographs that would form Another Country in New York (1974) and later 71-NY (2002). In an interview published in 71-NY he states ‘I was completely uninterested in that book. I only made it to raise money for my trip. I got an advance of 500,000 yen from the publisher. In my mind I never made that book. It’s a pretty good book, though! Yeah, but I hope it isn’t the only book of mine that survives the holocaust.’

Auer, M. and M., 802 photo books, p.555.