Nobuyoshi Araki has spent five years photographing his neighborhood. At three in the afternoon, he leaves the house and takes photographs – of the sky, of flowers, of the streets. Now past 80 years of age, his desire for images has only grown stronger. “My paradise was the neighborhood,” Araki says about his new book “Anbako” (“dark box” or “camera obscura” in Japanese). “Being alive is what’s important. That’s what I’m recording in photographs.”
Through his photographs of the neighborhoods, Araki has been taken on a journey into the past. His first encounter with a camera. Seeing his elementary school upside-down in the viewfinder of his father’s camera obscura. All alone, in a world of silence. But, says Araki, it was warmth that he sensed there, not loneliness.
Araki chose to honor this early memory, this decisive encounter, by using it in the title of his new book.
“I designed the first and last pages of ‘Anbako’ upside-down. It’s a trip into my memories for me.”
“Anbako” was released by Switch Publishing on May 25, 2023 – Nobuyoshi Araki’s 83rd birthday. Includes an original signed polaroid & additional booklet with a long interview by Araki.

About the Author

Nobuyoshi Araki, born on May 25, 1940, is a renowned Japanese photographer and contemporary artist known professionally as Arākii. He is recognized for his photography that combines eroticism and bondage within a fine art context, having published over 500 books. Araki studied film and photography at Chiba University and obtained a degree in 1963. He worked at the advertising agency Dentsu, where he met his future wife, essayist Yōko Aoki, in 1968.
Araki is considered one of the most prolific Japanese artists, with many of his photographs blurring the line between art and pornography while exploring themes of eroticism. Some of his notable photography books include “Sentimental Journey” (1971) and “Tokyo Lucky Hole” (1990). “Sentimental Journey ‘1972–1992′” is a diary capturing his life with his wife Yōko until her passing from ovarian cancer in 1990. Araki’s work also includes photographs taken during Yoko’s final days, published in “Winter Journey.”
Araki’s contributions extend beyond photography, as he provided photography for the Sunrise anime series “Brain Powerd.” In 1981, he directed the roman porno film “High School Girl Fake Diary” for Nikkatsu studios, which received mixed reviews.
His work has attracted the admiration of Icelandic musician Björk, who served as one of his models. Araki photographed the cover and inner sleeve pages of her 1997 remix album “Telegram.” He has also photographed pop singer Lady Gaga. In 2004, a documentary titled “Arakimentari” by American director Travis Klose delved into Araki’s lifestyle and work.
In 2013, Araki experienced vision loss in his right eye due to a retinal artery obstruction. This inspired his exhibition called “Love on the left eye,” held in June 2014 at Taka Ishii Gallery in Tokyo. Additionally, Araki was commissioned by Italian luxury label Bottega Veneta to photograph Saskia de Brauw and Sung Jin Park for their spring/summer 2015 campaign in Tokyo.
However, Araki has not been without controversy. In 2011, when asked about his close access to models, he controversially claimed that he gained such access through sex. In April 2018, a former model named Kaori accused Araki of financial and artistic exploitation in a blog post. She stated that she worked without a contract, was subjected to explicit shoots in front of strangers, faced irregular payment, and had her nude images used without her consent. When she requested that he stop republishing or exhibiting certain photographs of her in 2017, Araki responded by claiming she had no rights. Kaori cited the Me Too movement as her inspiration for speaking out. These accusations have prompted discussions about power dynamics between photographers and their subjects. In December 2018, the activist group Angry Asian Girls Association protested the opening of an exhibition of Araki’s photographs at C/O Berlin to raise awareness of Kaori’s claims.