Hotarubi -Summer Fairies-

For my series Summer Fearies, I explore the relationship between the ecology and natural environment of "Himebotaru" flying in the summer night forest. The spectacle of fireflies, an endemic species of Japan, flying through the summer forest is like a scene where the stars in the sky repeat twinkling. That sight is fantastic enough to forget the awe of the night forest. It is the shine brightness of life of only 10 days in the summer. The forests they live in include forests that have been replanted by clearing old virgin forests, and some forests left behind after clearing virgin forests for development.These places also have a connection with Japanese nature worship, and are familiar with "Shinto", which believes in "animism", an ancient Japanese way of thinking that feels God in all things. For many years in the forests of Yamagata Prefecture in Tohoku, Japan, I have been observing the ecology and habitat of "Himebotaru" and have come to feel that it is not an individual but a species. And I myself have noticed that the repeated glow of fireflies is remembered in my brain not for a moment, but for a longer unit of time. The sun goes down, the forest starts to get darker, the fireflies start to fly and continue to fly through the darkness. Himebotaru draw beautiful parabolic trajectories in the night forest. While capturing reality, I create stories by condensing them into a single image by adding subjective perspectives and sensations, including the excitement of looking at it without time, and the awe of mountains and forests. In this series, the trails of light drawn by fireflies are realistically captured and superimposed on the night forest. Alteration and damage caused by deforestation, natural disasters, climate change, and exploitation of wild places by tourism and industry. The mesmerising light and awe-inspiring images of the forest at night suggest the need to protect the forest. The unpredictability of the fireflies' trails of light suggests concern about the urgency of our planet's climate crisis, while at the same time holding a strong and enduring hope for the future.