Hajime Okada - A Collection of Fūryū Photo Senryu - 1961

A Collection of Fūryū Photo Senryu

Hajime Okada
Shinryusha/1961/Japanese/160*220*15

The Elegant Photography Senryu Collection by Japanese Authors (Shinryusha, published 1961). While combining photographs and senryu poetry, this volume features photographs exclusively of female models. It is a small publication embodying the “Showa elegance” where the glamour culture and light literature of the era intersected. Though containing nudity and semi-nude imagery, its composition emphasizes the “beauty of interpretation”—alluring gestures, bodily curves, and the lingering impression of makeup and attire—rather than explicit stimulation. It connects to the lineage of erotic humor culture dating back to the early Showa period while maintaining a quiet sensuality that avoids vulgarity. The accompanying senryū poems either lighten the photographic world with their airiness or subtly imply deeper meanings. Visuals and literary elements play off each other's negative space, gently evoking the unique humor and sentiment characteristic of the era's popular culture. Rather than uncritically consuming female imagery, the photographs express a Japanese sense of “furyu”—seasonal feeling, graceful gestures, and subtle timing—allowing the nude imagery and senryū to coexist with dignity. This volume exemplifies the flexibility and playful spirit inherent in photographic literature. Born from a small publisher in the 1950s, it remains a rare cultural fragment, radiating a unique charm to this day.