Japanese photographer Miyoko Ihara has been documenting the life of her grandmother, Misao, for 13 years now. She started photographing the series as a means of celebrating and capturing the life of a woman who inspired her.
The strong bond between the two glows in every shot: “Partly because they are both hard of hearing, my grandmother and Fukumaru are always looking into each other’s eyes. They’re really close,” says Miyoko.
About project:
Miyoko Ihara graduated from the Nippon Photography Institute in 2002. Around that time, she began photographing her grandmother, Misao, in order to document her life. One day, Iharas grandmother found an odd-eyed kitten in the shed. She named the cat Fukumaru, and since then the two have been inseparable. This touching and beautiful photo book captures the everyday life of elderly Misao and her steadfast feline companion, following them as together they work in the fields, admire spring blossoms, or nap in the sun. Both friends are hard of hearing, so it is endearing to witness the strength of their connection, enacted through sight and physical presence.
Miyoko recently has published a hardcover photo album “Misao the Big Mama and Fukumaru the Cat“.
Via snapme.ca