Kyoto is home to the world’s only tatami instrument performance unit, Japan Tatami Musical Instruments Manufacturing Band (Tatami Band). Born from a passion to share the unique Japanese culture of “tatami” with people around the world, the band is led by Kyoto’s creative tatami craftsman, Mr.Kazuhiro Nishiwaki. He personally crafts and plays these unique instruments. The performances offer an interactive experience—”See, listen, and touch”—while spreading the beauty of Japan’s traditional craftsmanship worldwide. The lively stage includes songs, performances, talks, and fun activities that bring smiles to the audience. So far, the band has held concerts abroad, including in Taiwan and Malaysia, helping to spread tatami culture globally.
“Every place and culture in the world has its own unique and wonderful music. Music has the power to give people dreams, hope, and happiness. I want to play music on tatami and share it with people all around the world.” — Mr.Kazuhiro Nishiwaki, Leader of Japan Tatami Musical Instruments Manufacturing Band
目次
Performance in Taiwan
Nishiwaki Tatami Shop, run by Mr. Kazuhiro Nishiwaki, received the “Kyoto City Shining Local Enterprise Award” from Kyoto City in 18 January 2023. The award honors businesses that have been cherished by the local community for many years, contribute to safety and security, preserve cultural traditions, protect the natural environment, and support the active participation of diverse individuals in their operations.
Starting my photography journey in 1998 during my time as an expatriate in Singapore, I have now been a photographer for over 20 years. My deep affection for Kyoto is reflected in my work, which has been exhibited internationally. I am a photographer with a global perspective, dedicated to capturing the universal beauty found in the interplay of light and shadow.
My core focus is on documenting and preserving Kyoto's landscape, which is being negatively affected by the rapid increase in inbound tourism. I work across genres—from landscapes to portraits—always prioritizing the unique "essence" of the subject and the atmosphere of the moment. I am also actively engaged in international photographic expression, including photo shoots for tourists visiting Japan, exhibiting my work both domestically and abroad, and participating in cultural exchange projects.
2008年日本写真家協会（JPS）展 入選（プロ写真家への登竜門）Selected for the 2008 Japan Professional Photographers Society (JPS) Exhibition (a gateway to becoming a professional photographer)
International Exhibitions: The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles (JFLA) and the Consulate-General of Japan in New York's annual Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival)
The eaves of a traditional townhouse bathed in light and shadow, the stone-paved streets silent in the early morning, and the back alleys where the scent of daily life lingers.
Instead of the "Kyoto-ness" seen in tourist brochures, my mission as a photographer is to document and convey the genuine Kyoto—the lives of the people who live here and the atmosphere shaped by the passage of time.
However, this Kyoto is being quietly destroyed.
The traditional townhouses of Kyoto are not just scenery; they are a way of life.
Now, they are being sold off, along with their "memories of life," under the guise of temporary lodging businesses.
Tourism is undoubtedly a major industry that supports Kyoto. There is no denying that. However, if tourism transforms Kyoto from "a city for its residents" into "a spectacle for tourists," it becomes an act of cultural destruction.
I don't want to photograph a "tourist destination." I want to photograph a "living Kyoto," where people live, gather, and connect.
I will continue to photograph Kyoto. To document and share the "authentic Kyoto" that still remains. And I hope to contribute, even in a small way, to returning Kyoto to a place where "daily life, not tourism, is the main character."
Kyoto is not a place to see; it's a place to live.
