Hirata Works Co., Ltd., which I run, mainly handles all aspects of production, including publishing production. Recently, Keiko Kono, who was active as an announcer on Fuji TV, has written an essay titled "Keiko Kotoba" (Gakken Plus), and Tadashi Yasuda, who is also a best-selling author while also working as a manager himself, has written "Superlative Strong Luck" (Poplar Publishing). ), as well as ``Taisetsu Nachikyu no Taisetsu Tomodachi'' (Mirai Publishing), written and illustrated by Akiko Obuchi, and a picture book based on Yoshinori Nagumo. The work is wide-ranging, starting with planning with the author, searching for a publisher, and promoting the book after it has been published. I think my driving force is the author's enthusiasm and the joy I feel when that passion reaches my readers.

Shining jewel-like Nishikigoi capture the hearts of people around the world.

Since the end of last year, I have visited Niigata Nagaoka many times to visit Nishikigoi. Nishikigoi are known as ``swimming jewels'' due to their rarity, with no two having the same pattern, and their graceful and splendid appearance. There was a reason why I decided to visit Nishikigoi. This is because a long-time friend of mine, photographer Masaaki Miyazawa, asked me to take pictures of Nishikigoi. Mr. Miyazawa has also served as the official photographer of Ise Grand Shrine, and is a well-known photographer who has captured the beautiful landscapes and traditional beauty of Japan. The fantastic photo he took of Mt. Fuji with dragon clouds rising into the sky is said to bring good luck, and the person who owns it is said to have good luck. So much so that I want to get my hands on it right away. His next subject was Nishikigoi, which have many enthusiasts around the world.

Nishikigoi is said to have originated in Nijukamura-go, Koshi-gun, in what is now the Nakagami-Chuetsu region, about 200 years ago in the late Edo period.They were originally a winter food in mountainous areas, but the breed has since been improved. It is said that they were stacked together and became the ornamental Nishikigoi of today. Because of its beautiful beauty, it is exported to more than 50 countries around the world, and is even referred to as Japan's "national fish." I deeply sympathized with Mr. Miyazawa's desire and challenge to photograph Nishikigoi, and decided to help him realize his dream.
First, I met the president of the Nishikigoi Association, and when I told him about Miyazawa's passion, he introduced me to several carp farms. A koi farm is like a breeder. The world of Nishikigoi can be worth billions if awarded at a competition. However, it is not easy to raise them on their own, so Nishikigoi owners leave their carp to a koi farm to raise to make them shine. In other words, if you visit a koi farm, you will find that there are some of the most beautiful Nishikigoi that represent Japan.

The owner of the carp farm agreed to spend several days photographing Nishikigoi because he was impressed by the power of Miyazawa's photography. Photography is carried out by moving the Nishikigoi into something like a small plastic pool or large glass case. Backstage materials such as black, gold, and white are pasted on the vinyl pools and glass cases to make the Nishikigoi patterns stand out more beautifully. Then, it becomes a shining photograph, like a painting, like a jewel, that we have never seen before, and shows us overwhelming beauty.
Our current challenge is how to present and communicate these beautiful and moving photographs to the world. Preparations are underway to hold a large-scale photo exhibition at several venues starting next spring. In the future, I am thinking of starting with the publication of a ``Nishikigoi photo book'' and collaborating with various Japanese crafts. And I am confident that it will spread throughout the world.