To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the passing of legendary rope master Haruki Yukimura, his son and photographer, Keisuke Higure, recently organized and curated a special two-part exhibition project in Tokyo. Held across two contrasting districts—Asakusa, steeped in traditional heritage, and Omotesando/Shibuya, known for contemporary culture—the exhibitions offered a profound look into Yukimura-sensei’s artistic legacy, spanning from his classic film-era works to his final years, as well as the ongoing evolution of Yukimura-ryu today.
In the introductory statement for the project’s crowdfunding campaign, Keisuke-san shared the deeply personal motivation behind this milestone event:
“Among the promises we made during his lifetime was one: ‘to release a chronicled collection of Haruki Yukimura’s work.’ Even after surpassing his initial one-year life expectancy, he continued to shoot passionately every month to honor this promise, literally putting his very life on the line to leave these works behind. Yukimura expressed emotion and affection through kinbaku. To mark the milestone of the 10th anniversary of his passing, I wished to hold a photo exhibition featuring a selection of these works that captured those ‘forms’ and ‘expressions’ on film.”
Two Venues, Three Eras of Kinbaku
The memorial project was divided across two galleries from October 8 to October 12, 2026, with each venue highlighting different facets of Yukimura-sensei’s life and lineage—all captured through the lens of Keisuke Higure.
1. “Keisuke Higure × Haruki Yukimura Photo Exhibition” at Atelier R (Asakusa, Oct 8–11)
Spanning two floors, the Asakusa venue bridged the present and the final chapter of Yukimura-sensei’s life:
First Floor (The Living Lineage): Showcased photographs of rope work by three 1st-Class Instructors who carry the torch of the Yukimura-ryu legacy today: Ibarako (Harumayu), Eve Himuro (Haruyoi), and Murasaki (Haruan).
Second Floor (The Final Years): Featured the poignant monthly shoots Yukimura-sensei conducted during the final year of his life. Visitors were able to witness the fully matured, consummate rope style to which he dedicated his remaining strength.
2. “The World of Haruki Yukimura: 10th Memorial Photo Exhibition” at Urasando Garden (Omotesando, Oct 9–12)
The Omotesando venue transported visitors back to the film era. The gallery displayed striking, previously unpublished black-and-white photographs of Yukimura-sensei’s earlier rope work. For this occasion, Keisuke-san carefully selected original negatives from his vast archive, freshly digitizing and printing them as unique, one-of-a-kind exhibition pieces.
Talk Events & Related Programs
Alongside the photographic displays, several special events brought together performers, models, and longtime associates to reflect on Yukimura-sensei’s life and artistry:
Three-Way Talk Panel & Solo Performance (Oct 10 at Urasando Garden): I had the privilege of joining 1st-Class Instructor Murasaki (Haruan) and former popular actress Shinobu Kasagi for a discussion panel. Kasagi-san was one of Yukimura-sensei’s favorite models around 15 to 20 years ago, with Keisuke-san entrusted with shooting her photobooks at the time. Keisuke-san also joined the conversation, sharing previously unknown behind-the-scenes stories about his father, which made for a lively and memorable session. Our panel was followed by a solo talk performance by Akira Naka.
Special Talk Show (Oct 11 at Atelier R): Renowned actress and model Yuu Kawakami took the stage for a special talk event reflecting on her experiences. (Note: While the live kinbaku performances originally slated for this day at Atelier R were canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, enthusiasts were still able to witness live rope work by Ibarako, Eve Himuro, and Nuit de Tokyo / Haru Kakeru at the separate “Nawa Yuugi Vol. 5” event held on October 10).
Sold-Out Open Photo Session (Oct 12 at Urasando Garden): The multi-day memorial concluded with a packed, completely sold-out open photo shoot for an upcoming kinbaku photobook featuring Ibarako (Harumayu) and model Riku Mukai.
The Three Commemorative Photobooks
A major highlight of this 10th-anniversary project was the publication of three distinct commemorative photobooks, each corresponding to the themes exhibited at the venues:
“Yukimura-ryu” (B5 / 40 pages): Connected to the 1st-floor display at Atelier R, featuring the rope work of instructors Ibarako (Harumayu), Eve Himuro (Haruyoi), and Murasaki (Haruan), with models Ichika, Akane, and Iroha.
“Tsumugi” (B5 / 50 pages): Connected to the 2nd-floor display at Atelier R, compiling the unpublished works from Yukimura-sensei’s final years with model Iroha.
“Nawayuugi” (A4 / 80 pages): The centerpiece publication from the Urasando Garden exhibition. This hardcover-style collection features the newly unearthed black-and-white works from Yukimura-sensei’s film era. Produced as a strictly limited edition of only 100 individually numbered copies, it is a rare collector’s item that captures the raw essence of his classic period.
A Note on International Availability
During the exhibition, “Yukimura-ryu” and “Tsumugi” were sold exclusively at the Asakusa venue, while the limited-edition “Nawayuugi” was available only at Omotesando. For our international readers and practitioners interested in acquiring these commemorative photobooks—particularly the strictly limited 100-copy run of “Nawayuugi”—arrangements for a limited US/international release are currently being coordinated. Please stay tuned to Kinbaku Today for an upcoming announcement regarding pricing and ordering details.
