Manyôshû: A Voyage of Love in Ancient Japan

"The timely message of the Manyôshû (Collection of Myriad Leaves, compiled in the 8th century), the ancient Poetry Anthology of Japan, reminds us of the human spirit and the inspiration that comes from love and a way of life that is gradually disappearing," say designer Kara Yamaguchi and photographer Akio Nishimoto. Yamaguchi, who studied kimono design in Japan, emphasizes contemporary design inspired by the fashions of the Nara period (794-710), when the Manyôshû was compiled. Photographer Akio Nishimoto travelled to places mentioned in the poems attempting to reflect a disappearing world in his photographs.