Background information
"Masahisa FUKASE had published 3 books about 'Sasuke', a cat he had after divorcing from Yoko; this photo volume, 'Wonderful Days' introduces the cats that were part of the happier part of his life.
Kabo - Seal point Siamese (Adopted by the Fukase family in the mid 1960s. Lived to be 23.) - In 1964, Masahisa FUKASE and Yoko moved into the Matsubara Danchi housing complex. As they began life as a newly married couple, Masahisa FUKASE decided one day that he wanted a pet cat. During a stroll near his apartment, he met a neighbor who owned a seal point Siamese cat. The neighbor gave Masahisa FUKASE one of its kittens. He named the kitten Kabo. Every time Yoko came home from an outing, Kabo liked to jump onto her lap and sharpen his claws on the obi belt of her kimono.
Hebo - Mixed breed (Adopted by the Fukase family in the late 1960s. Lived to be 21.) - Although Masahisa FUKASE finally attained his dream of living with a cat, unfortunately Kabo became more attached to Yoko. Frustrated, a few years later Masahisa FUKASE fell in love at first sight with a tiny black long-haired kitten at an angler’s hut where he often went to fish for herabuna, a Japanese crucian carp – a hobby of his at the time. He tucked the kitten in his fishing jacket and brought it home. Since then he would be seen doting on this cat, which he named Hebo, and repeating the words 'Hebo is all mine.' At times Hebo would act like a dog, fetching small pieces of kamaboko fish cakes cut into squares that Masahisa FUKASE threw, and bringing them back to his owner. The cat also enjoyed gazing out of the window of their apartment.
After Masahisa FUKASE and Yoko’s divorce in 1976, Masahisa FUKASE left the Matsubara complex for good. Yoko’s mother Kazuko Wanibe, who had been living with the couple at the time, continued to take care of Kabo and Hebo until the end."
Content
The out-of-print photographic volume 'Wonderful days' by Masahisa FUKASE contains roundabout 30 black-and-white photographs from the Masahsa FUKASE's apartment with cats, interieur and his wife Yoko. Although there is no information about when the photographs are done, the interieur helps to estimate the date of the photos to 1960s to 80s.
About the Japanese photographer, Masahisa FUKASE (1934-2012)
Photo books by Masahisa FUKASE
- Ed(s)/Author(s)
- Michitaka Ota
- Book design
- Katsuya KATO
- Format
- Open binded HC (no dust jacket, as issued), 23 x 21 x 1,5 cm., 64 pp., 29 b/w ills., English / Japanese, Ltd. to 800 copies