Enjoy the Rainy July: "Purple," Komatsu's Photo Exhibit!

Our Tohoku region has been officially going through the Tsuyu （梅雨）, a rainy season in the early summer. If you find the season unpleasant because of the hotness and humidity, come to Semboku City! It has been rather cool and refreshing – we are welcoming the rains as a sign of a prosperous summer here!

 

To give you a more seasonal feeling, here is where you should stop by!

Hitomi Komatsu's New Exhibition

Pukapukan is a photography gallery and a café by a local photographer, Hitomi Komatsu, who is originally from Kakunodate town, Semboku City. The freshness in her photography has captured so many people as it has been featured in the Prefecture’s official guidebooks. (See her recent cherry blossoms show.)

Komatsu’s works impress you with the vibrant colors of the Japanese seasons. Since 2009, she has been producing photo exhibits themed in the Colors of Japan: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, and this June for the 5th event, she chose Purple.

Photo of the Month: "Sakisomeshi " (咲きそめし)

 

Her new exhibition has just started from Friday, June 17th. The gallery is open from 10:00 to 17:00 and closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. It is a free event.

Please stop by at her gallery along the Hinokinai River in Kakunodate Town. The gallery has a quiet and refreshing atmosphere. You will definitely forget the time with only a cup of coffee.

 

より大きな地図で Tazawako Map を表示

Hitomi Komatsu and Her Exhibition on Cherry Blossoms

The beautiful pictures below are by Hitomi Komatsu （小松ひとみ）, a photographer from Semboku City, whose works have been used in Semboku City and Akita Prefecture guide maps and pamphlets. Her delicate but dramatic images are capturing, so that many people are fans of her works.

 

Komatsu’s Exhibition on Her Passion, Cherry Blossoms:

Although Komatsu has her headquarter in Kakunodate Town, Semboku City, she has been capturing images from all over Akita Prefecture. We found an article on Akita Keizai Shinbun about Komatsu’s most recent exhibition called “Sakura Aise” (桜 逢瀬).

Hitomi Komatsu at her exhibition in Akita City, Sakura Aise. (Photo/Akita Keizai Shinbun)

It was an occasion to see her summarized works over the past 10 years, in which the visitors could clearly see her devoted enthusiasm to cherry blossoms – this is the reason why she calls herself “Sakura-Kurui," or Cherry Blossoms Freak.

63 works were displayed, including imageries captured in Okayama, Fukushima, and Kakunodate. There was a new series of 6 panorama pictures displayed in a style of byobu, Japanese folding screens. “All the works are used in silver halide films. I feel personal attachments to every one of the trees,” Komatsu comments.

Her previous works have been mainly themed in scenery of four seasons and flowers in Northern Tohoku region. “The cherry blossoms bloom beautifully, all thanks to the care by Sakuramori* from all over in Japan. I hope this exhibition would make visitors even more appreciative for cherry blossoms, which has loaded with much loving care,” says Komatsu.

(*桜守; a traditional term for people who take a great care of cherry blossoms trees on a belief that it has to be protected and passed on to the next generation.)

Where to see Komatsu’s Works:

Unfortunately, "Sakura Aise" ended in Akita City by April 4, but it will travel to Kakunodate, Sendai, Tokyo, and Sapporo.

Also: a very similar exhibition will be held at her hometown gallery/café, Pukapukan, from April 22nd to May 5th. This place is only a few minutes walk from the famous cherry blossom tunnel along the Hinokinai River. It would be a perfect spot to stop by and relax to have the best your hanami visit!

See on Google Map : http://goo.gl/maps/pW3c