Takeji Iwamiya

Iwamiya was born on 4 January 1920 in Yonago, Tottori, the second son of parents running a shop selling traditional confectionery. An uncle of his ran a commercial photography studio, and this triggered the boy's interest in photography; but as a high school student he was keenest on baseball. After graduation from high school he worked Hankyu Department Store in Umeda (Osaka), where he entered the Mitsuwa photography club (ミツワ写真クラブ, Mitsuya shashin kurabu), led by Bizan Ueda and Nakaji Yasui. Following success in a photographic contest arranged by Asahi Shinbun, Iwamiya was invited to join the Tampei Photography Club and went on to become an assistant of Yasui's. He joined the Nankai Hawks in 1939 but left after half a year and in 1941 was sent to Manchukuo as a photographer.

Iwamiya returned to [mainland] Japan before the end of the war, and after the war opened a photofinishing shop serving a US base at Sannomiya (Kobe). While recuperating from tuberculosis in 1954, he photographed a mannequin factory nearby in Osaka; these photographs won the gold medal in the second Fuji Photo Contest, and were exhibited in the Matsushima Gallery (松島ギャラリー, Matsushima gyararī) in Ginza (Tokyo), as Iwamiya's first solo show. He also exhibited in West Germany, and at around this time got to know Ken Domon, who exerted a great influence on him. In 1955 he set up Iwamiya Photos (岩宮フォトス, Iwamiya fotosu) for commercial photography. Iwamiya's photographs of Sado island were exhibited at the Osaka Fuji Photo Salon and elsewhere in 1956; these would later appear in book form.

Two of Iwamiya's apprentices went on to be famous photographers in their own right. Seiryū Inoue joined Iwamiya's studio in 1951 and was encouraged by Iwamiya in his photographic work in Kamagasaki. Daidō Moriyama joined Iwamiya's studio in 1959 and was taken under Inoue's wing until Moriyama's departure for Tokyo in 1961.

From 1962, Iwamiya brought out a considerable number of books, mostly depicting Japanese crafts and architecture; several won awards. In 1966 he became a professor of Osaka University of Arts.

Iwamiya died in Osaka on 26 June 1989.

Works by Iwamiya are in the permanent collections of the following institutions:

• Canon Marketing Japan; 30 works acquired in the 1990s[13]
• Osaka University of Arts; 735 works acquired in the 1990s[13]
• Osaka Contemporary Art Center (Osaka)[11]
• Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography; 30 works acquired in the 1990s[13][14]
• Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum of Art (Yamaguchi City); 12 works acquired in the 1990s[13][15]
• Yonago City Museum of Art; 735 works acquired in the 1990s[13]

• Sadogashima (佐渡ヶ島) / Sado Island. Kadokawa Shashin Bunko 34. Tokyo: Kadokawa Shoten, 1956. Black-and-white photographs of Sado island. (in Japanese) Captions and text in Japanese only (despite the color photographs and English title on the cover).
• Nikkō (日光). Nihon no yashiro (日本のやしろ). Tokyo: Bijutsu Shuppansha, 1962. Photographs of Nikkō. Text by Ichirō Haryū (針生一郎) and Toshio Fukuyama (福山敏男). (in Japanese)
• Katachi: Nihon no denshō (かたち 日本の伝承). Tokyo: Bijutsu Shuppansha, 1962. Two volumes. Text by Shūji Takashina (高階秀爾). (in Japanese)
  • 1. Ki kami tsuchi (木・紙・土)
  • 2. Ishi kane suji take (石・金・織・竹)
• Sado (佐渡). Tokyo: Asahi Shinbunsha, 1962. Photographs of Sado island. (in Japanese)
• Katachi: Japanese Pattern and Design in Wood, Paper, and Clay. New York: Abrams, 1963. London, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1964. Text by Donald Richie. (in English)
• Design and Craftsmanship of Japan: Stone, Metal, Fibers and Fabrics, Bamboo. Tokyo: Bijutsu Shuppansha, 1963. New York: Abrams, 1965.
• Le Japon des formes: Bois, papier, argile. Tokyo: Bijutsu Shuppansha; Fribourg: Office du Livre; Paris: Société Française du Livre, 1963. Text by Atsuko N. Nii and Donald Richie, translation by Edith Combe. (in French)
• Forme giapponesi. Milano, Silvana editoriale d'arte, 1963. Text by Atsuko N. Nii and Donald Richie. (in Italian)
• Tōshōgū (東照宮). Tokyo: Bijutsu Shuppansha, 1963. Photographs of Tōshō-gū. Text by Isamu Kurita (栗田勇) and Kiyofumi Yajima (矢島清文). (in Japanese)
• Japon, beauté des formes: Pierre, métal, fibres, bambou. Tokyo, Bijutsu Shuppansha, 1964. (in French)
• Die Schönheit japanischer Formen: Stein, Metall, Textilien, Stroh, Bambus. Tokyo, Bijutsu Shuppansha, 1964. (in German)
• Itsukushima (厳島). Nihon no yashiro (日本のやしろ). Tokyo: Bijutsu Shuppansha, 1964. Photographs of Itsukushima. Text by Masatake Uwayokote (上横手雅敬) and Toshio Fukuyama. (in Japanese)
• Nihon no shi (日本の詩) Tokyo: Bijutsu Shuppansha, 1965.
• Nihon no yashiro (日本のやしろ). Tokyo: Bijutsu Shuppansha, 1965. (in Japanese)
• Impressions of Japan. Tokyo: Bijutsu Shuppansha, 1965.
• Kyō (京) / Kyoto in Kyoto. Kyoto: Tankō Shinsha, 1965. Photographs of Kyoto. Text by Jirō Osaragi. (in Japanese)
• Ishi no tera (石の寺). Kyoto: Tankō Shinsha, 1965. Text by Isamu Kurita. (in Japanese)
• Yamato no sekibutsu (大和の石仏). Kyoto: Tankō Shinsha, 1965. Text by Tatsuko Hoshino. (in Japanese)
• Kekkai no bi: Koto no dezain (結界の美 古都のデザイン). Kyoto: Tankō Shinsha, 1966. Text by Teiji Itō (伊藤ていじ). (in Japanese)
• Ryūkyū (琉球). Nihon no kōgei (日本の工芸). Tokyo: Tankōsha, 1966. Photographs of the Ryūkyū islands. Text by Seikō Hokama (外間正幸). (in Japanese)
• Kamera kikō: Ryūkyū no shinwa (カメラ紀行 琉球の神話). Tokyo: Tankōsha, 1966. Photographs of the Ryūkyū islands. Text by Torigoe Kenzaburō (鳥越憲三郎). (in Japanese)
• Tōka no bi: Koto no dezain (灯火の美 古都のデザイン). Kyoto: Tankō Shinsha, 1967. Photographs of lanterns. Text by Teiji Itō. (in Japanese)
• The World of the Japanese Garden: From Chinese Origins to Modern Landscape Art. New York: Weatherhill, 1968.
• Kyōto no niwa: Karā (京都の庭 カラー). Kyoto: Tankō Shinsha, 1968. Photographs of the gardens of Kyoto. Text by Michio Takeyama (竹山道雄). (in Japanese)
• Kyūtei no niwa (宮廷の庭). Kyoto: Tankō Shinsha, 1968. Photographs of Japanese palace gardens. (in Japanese)
  • 1. Sentō Gosho (仙洞御所). Photographs of Sentō Imperial Palace. Text by Yukio Mishima and Teiji Itō.
  • 2. Katsura Rikyū (桂離宮). Photographs of Katsura Detached Palace. Text by Yasushi Inoue and Teiji Itō.
  • 3. Shugakuin Rikyū (修學院離宮). Photographs of Shugakuin Detached Palace. Text by Jirō Osaragi and Teiji Itō.
• Arte del objeto japonés / Art of the Japanese Object / Art de l'objet japonais / Kunst des japanischen Gegenstands. Text by Maria Lluïsa Borràs. Barcelona: Ediciones Polígrafa, 1969. (in Spanish, English, and French) (in German)
• Nihon Bankokuhaku no kenchiku (日本万国博の建築) / The Edifice in Expo 70. Tokyo: Asahi Shinbunsha, 1970. Photography by Iwamiya, Yasuhiro Ishimoto, and Shōzō Kitadai of the buildings of Expo 70 (Osaka). (in Japanese) (in English)
• Imperial Gardens of Japan: Sento Gosho, Katsura, Shugaku-in. New York: Weatherhill, 1970. ISBN 0-8027-2436-1. 1978. ISBN 0-8348-1507-9, ISBN 0-8027-2436-1. Text by Teiji Itoh, Yukio Mishima, Yasushi Inoue, Jirō Osaragi, and Loraine Kuck. (in English)
• Shinpen Kyūtei no niwa 2 (新編宮廷の庭). Kyoto: Tankōsha, 1971. (in Japanese)
• Kyōto (京都). Tokyo: Mainichi Shinbunsha, 1971.
• The Japanese Garden: An Approach to Nature. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1972. ISBN 0-300-01601-8. Text by Teiji Ito, translation by Donald Richie. (in English)
• Kyōto no miryoku. Karā: Rakuchū (京都の魅力 カラー 洛中). Kyoto: Tankōsha, 1972. Photographs of Kyoto. Text by Naokatsu Nakamura (中村直勝). (in Japanese)
• Nihon no niwa (日本の庭). Tokyo: Chūōkōronsha, 1972. Text by Itō Teiji and Yūsaku Kamekura (亀倉雄策). (in Japanese)
• Nihonkai (日本海). Kyoto: Tankōsha, 1972. Photographs of the Japan Sea. Text by Tsutomu Minakami. (in Japanese)
• Nihon no kokoro: Hyakunin isshu (日本のこころ 百人一首). Special Winter 1972 issue of Taiyō (太陽). Tokyo: Heibonsha, 1973. Much of the photography, of hyakunin isshu, is by Iwamiya. (in Japanese)
• The Graphic Design of Yusaku Kamekura. New York: Weatherhill, 1973. Text by Herbert Bayer, Masaru Katsumi, and Yusaku Kamekura. (in English)
• Ōsaka (大阪). Osaka: Toppan Sēruzu, 1973. Photographs of Osaka. Text by Takeshi Ōtaka (大高猛). (in Japanese and English)
• Tōrō (燈籠). Tokyo: Shūeisha, 1973. Photographs of garden lanterns. Text by Masatarō Kawakatsu (川勝政太郎). (in Japanese)
• Shiragi no sekibutsu (新羅の石仏). Tokyo: Asahi Shinbunsha, 1974. Photographs, by Iwamiya and 崔元伍, of stone Buddhist statuary of Silla. Text by 黄寿永. (in Japanese)
• Nihon no teien (日本の庭園). Tokyo: Shūeisha, 1974. Photographs of Japanese gardens. Text by Osamu Mori (森蘊). (in Japanese)
• Nihon no senshoku (日本の染織). Tokyo: Mainichi Shinbunsha, 1975. Photographs of Japanese dyed and woven materials. Text by Tomoyuki Yamanobe (山辺知行). (in Japanese)
• Butsuzō no imēji: Shashinten (仏像のイメージ　写真展). Osaka: Osaka University of Arts, 1975. Catalogue of an exhibition of photographs of Buddhist statuary. (in Japanese)
• Iwamiya Takeji shashinshū (岩宮武二写真集) / Takeji Iwamiya Works from 30 Years. Tokyo: Nihon Shashin Kikaku, 1976. A retrospective of Iwamiya's work. (in Japanese)
• Kyō no niwa (京の庭). Tokyo: Kokusai Jōhōsha, 1976. Photographs of the gardens of Kyoto. Text by Kantō Shigemori (重森完途). (in Japanese)
• Sado (佐渡) / Sado. Sonorama Shashin Sensho 2. Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 1977. Black-and-white photographs of Sado island. (in Japanese) With a short text in English, but the captions are in Japanese only.
• Karā Kyūtei no niwa (カラー宮廷の庭). Kyoto: Tankōsha, 1977. Color photographs of the gardens of Japanese palaces. (in Japanese)
  • Sentō Gosho (仙洞御所). Photographs of Sentō Imperial Palace. Text by Yukio Mishima and Teiji Itō. (in Japanese)
  • Katsura Rikyū (桂離宮). Photographs of Katsura Detached Palace. Text by Yasushi Inoue and Teiji Itō. (in Japanese)
  • Shugakuin Rikyū (修學院離宮). Photographs of Shugakuin Detached Palace. Text by Jirō Osaragi and Teiji Itō.
• The Japanese Garden. 2nd ed. Tokyo: Zokeisha, 1978. ISBN 0-87040-441-5. Text by Itō Teiji. (in English) Translation of Nihon no niwa.
• Kyō: Iro to katachi (京いろとかたち). Nihon no Bi (日本の美). Tokyo: Shūeisha, 1978. (in Japanese)
• Nihon no katachi (日本のかたち). Kyoto: Tankōsha, 1978. Text by Mitsukuni Yoshida (吉田光邦) and Yoshio Hayakawa (早川良雄) (in Japanese)
• Kyōto: Iwamiya Takeji jisenshū (京都 岩宮武二自選集). Osaka: Toki Shobō, 1979. Photographs of Kyoto. (in Japanese)
• Forms, Textures, Images: Traditional Japanese Craftmanship in Everyday Life. New York: Weatherhill, 1979. ISBN 0-8348-1519-2. Text by Mitsukuni Yoshida and Richard L. Gage. (in English)
• Mokuzen shingo (目前心後). Osaka: Iwamiya Takeji Shashin Jimusho, 1980. (in Japanese) A collection of writings by Iwamiya.
• Ankōru: Iwamiya Takeji shashinshū (アンコール 岩宮武二写真集). Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten, 1984. ISBN 4-00-008022-9. Photographs of Angkor Wat. Text by Yoshiaki Ishizawa 石沢良昭). (in Japanese)
• Utsukushii Hyōgo (美しい兵庫) / The Beautiful Hyogo. Hyōgo: Hyōgo Prefecture, 1986. (in Japanese) Iwamiya is editor and contributing photographer.
• Radakku mandara: Iwamiya Takeji shashinshū (ラダック曼荼羅 岩宮武二写真集). Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten, 1987. ISBN 4-00-008034-2. Color photographs of Ladakh and its mandalas. (in Japanese)
• Iwamiya Takeji-ten: Ima ni ikiru (岩宮武二展 今に生きる). Tokyo: PPS Tsūshinsha, 1989. ISBN 4-938635-27-5. Exhibition catalogue. (in Japanese)
• Ajia no butsuzō: Iwamiya Takeji shashinshū (アジアの仏像 岩宮武二写真集). Tokyo: Shūeisha, 1989. 2 vols. ISBN 4-08-531014-3. Photographs of Asian Buddhist statuary. Text by Takashi Koezuka (肥塚隆). (in Japanese)
• Sengo shashin / Saisei to tenkai (戦後写真・再生と展開) / Twelve Photographers in Japan, 1945–55. Yamaguchi: Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum of Art, 1990. (in Japanese) Despite the alternative title in English, almost exclusively in Japanese. Photographs by Iwamiya, pp. 115–21; text pp. 205–208.
• Japanese Gardens: Images, Concepts, Symbolism. Tokyo: Hitachi, 1990.
• Borobudūru: Iwamiya Takeji shashinshū (ボロブドゥ-ル 岩宮武二写真集). Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten, 1990. ISBN 4-00-008050-4. Black-and-white photographs of Borobudur. (in Japanese)
• Les cimes de l'éveil: Monastères bouddhiques du Ladakh. Paris: Hologramme, 1990. Text by Gilles Béguin. (in French)
• Ueda Shōji to sono nakama-tachi: 1935–55 (植田正治とその仲間たち：1935～55, Shōji Ueda and his friends, 1935–55). Yonago, Tottori: Yonago City Museum of Art, 1992. Catalogue of an exhibition held in February–March 1992, with works by Iwamiya on pp. 131–42. (in Japanese)
• Iwamiya Takeji sakuhin-ten: Sengo kara 1970 nendai made no sakka katsudō (岩宮武二作品展 戦後から1970年代までの作家活動). JCII Photo Salon Library 55. Tokyo: JCII Photo Salon, 1995. Catalogue of an exhibition of Iwamiya's works from the end of the war till the 1970s.. (in Japanese)
• Katachi: Classic Japanese Design. San Francisco: Chronicle, 1999. ISBN 0-8118-2547-7. Text by Kazuya Takaoka. (in English)
• Nihon no katachi (日本のかたち) / Katachi: Japanese Sacred Geometry. Tokyo: Pie, 1999. ISBN 4-89444-100-4. Text by Kazuya Takaoka (高岡一弥). 2005. ISBN 4-89444-462-3. (in Japanese) (in English)
• Kyōdo-sakka Iwamiya Takeji-ten zuroku: Shashin de toraeta bi to fūdo (郷土作家岩宮武二展図録: 写真でとらえた美と風土). Amagasaki, Hyōgo: Amagasaki Cultural Center, 2001. Exhibition catalogue. (in Japanese)
• Ajia e no shiten: Anri Karutie-buresson / Iwamiya Takeji (アジアへの視点: アンリ・カルティエ=ブレッソン／岩宮武二). Osaka: Osaka University of Arts Museum, 2002. Exhibition of photographs of Asia by Henri Cartier-Bresson and Iwamiya. (in Japanese)

• Site about Iwamiya, 1997. (in English)
• Site about Iwamiya hosted by Osaka Contemporary Art Center. (in Japanese)
• Iwamiya at Fujifilm Museum. (in Japanese)