mirai chan is a little japanese girl. she’s also the polarizing main character of a series of books by photographer kotori kawashima. once i saw her, i couldn’t forget that striking little face.

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i came across their first book in anhe 65, in taipei. i couldn’t read it so i couldn’t get any reference. but, as the internet is great, i found the book by chance! it was not the exact same one, but still. if the first book illustrated one year of mirai’s life, the one i found online showed her in paris.

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apparently, the first book was first published by a tokyo gallery and it was soon sold out. ever since, it has been republished and has become one of the best-selling photo books in japan. i understand the sales exceed 10,000 units since march of 2011.

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kotori kawashima is a photographer born and based in tokyo. mirai is the daughter of one his friends. she lives in the nigata prefecture, in a village on sado island.

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also, the photographer has a book collaboration with manga illustrator wisut ponnimit. it is called mirai chan’s future.

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photobooks focused on cute characters seem to be an ongoing trend in japan. you probably remember my post of the friendship between a grandmother and her white cat. here you have an instagram effort, probably a photo book in the making.

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i wish i knew more about the book when i was still in japan. perhaps i could have found it. well, i guess there’s always a next time!

photo credits: kotori kawashima

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