REPO — Quarterly Photography Magazine No.2 1994 Fall | Tsuchida Hiromi Interview | Fuuraisha

REPO — 季刊写真誌 第2号 (Quarterly Photography Magazine, No.2)

風来舎 (Fuuraisha), Hyogo. 1994 (Heisei 6), November 1. Softcover + Portfolio.

OVERVIEW

REPO was an independent quarterly photography magazine founded in Hyogo, operating entirely outside the mainstream publishing industry. Its editorial premise was simple and radical: give photographers a space to speak without editorial constraint, and document the practice of photography from the inside.

The inaugural issue featured an interview with Moriyama Daido (森山大道). This second issue — 1994 Fall — centres on Tsuchida Hiromi (土田ヒロミ), one of the defining documentary photographers of postwar Japan, in a conversation titled 「時代の背景の底辺にして写真をやっていく」 — “Doing photography at the bottom of the era’s background.” Also featured: interviews with Kitai Kazuo (北井一夫) and contributions from Matsutomo Shunpei, Nakayama Akira, Kawachi Shunji, Inoue Masashi, and Date Hidefumi.

What distinguishes REPO from conventional photography magazines is its format: each issue includes a portfolio of original A4 prints (16 sheets) and one A3 folded print — physical photographic objects, not reproductions. This is a magazine conceived as an artifact, not a publication.

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR INTERNATIONAL BUYERS: EASY AI TRANSLATION

While the text is printed in Japanese, you can easily read and study this historic magazine using modern smartphone AI tools. By taking a photo of any page with your smartphone and using free apps like Google Lens, ChatGPT, or Google Translate, the embedded AI will instantly scan and translate the text. Language is no longer a barrier to owning and enjoying this rare piece of Japanese photography history.

WHY THIS ISSUE IS A PRIZED COLLECTOR'S ITEM

1. Tsuchida Hiromi Interview — A rare extended conversation with one of postwar Japan’s most significant documentary photographers, speaking without editorial mediation.

2. Physical Portfolio Included — 16 A4 prints + 1 A3 folded print. Not reproductions — physical photographic objects issued as part of the magazine.

3. Independent Publication — Fuuraisha operated outside mainstream publishing. REPO was made by photographers, for photographers, with no commercial constraint.

4. Series Context — Issue 1 featured Moriyama Daido. Issue 2 features Tsuchida Hiromi and Kitai Kazuo. A concentrated document of postwar Japanese photography at a specific moment.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

• Title: REPO — 季刊写真誌 第2号 (Quarterly Photography Magazine No.2)
• Publisher: 風来舎 (Fuuraisha), Hyogo, Japan
• Year Published: 1994 (Heisei 6) — November 1
• Featured Interview: Tsuchida Hiromi (土田ヒロミ)
• Also Featured: Kitai Kazuo (北井一夫)
• Format: Softcover, A4, 12pp + Portfolio (A4×16 + A3×1 folded)
• Language: Japanese

CONDITION

Fine / Near Fine — Exceptional Survival

• Cover & Spine: Fine. Virtually no signs of handling or wear. Crisp and clean throughout.
• Binding: Tight and fully intact.
• Interior & Pages: Near Fine. No reading creases, no writing, no tears. Portfolio prints complete and undamaged.
• Overall: An outstanding survival for a 1994 independent publication — appears essentially unread.

*Please carefully inspect all high-resolution listing photos before purchasing.