Tokumitsu Iwago: Mating Behavior

"Mating Behavior" is a collection of works by Tokumitsu Iwago , a pioneer of Japanese animal photography. This book focuses on the mating behavior of various animals, including mammals and reptiles, and meticulously records the decisive moments.

This work does not sensationalize the act of mating, the source of life, but simply depicts it as a natural scene.

Animals live instinctively in the great outdoors. Their appearance conveys the strength that connects species and the irresistible rhythm of life. At the same time, as you turn the pages, you will find yourself smiling at the cuteness of the animals, and the birth scenes will move you to the heart with the birth of life. While it is a scientific record, the unique charm of Tokumitsu Iwago is that it is permeated with a humorous perspective.

Although it is written for children, the elaborate binding and high-quality printing stand out even today, giving the book a sense of the level of publishing culture at the time.

Mitsuaki Iwago , an animal photographer who would later become known for his book Cat Walks of the World, was also involved as an editorial assistant. He said, "I still remember the photo of the rhino mating."

This unique photo book takes a direct look at the lives of animals, combining documentary quality with humor.

[Title] Mating
[Publisher] Nobel Shobo
[Publication date] Unconfirmed
[Number of pages] 222 pages
[Size] Approx. 30.0 x 21.3 x 1.0 cm
[Format] Softcover
[Language] Japanese
[Title reading] Koubi
[Author/Editor] Tokumitsu Iwago/Author
[Print] Unconfirmed
[ISBN] None
[Condition] Used [6] Above average to average (box has discoloration)
[Accessories] Box
[Published book] Checking
[Related Exhibitions] None

Tokumitsu Iwago (1919–2007)

Born on December 18, 1919 in Kushiro, Hokkaido.
After dropping out of Nihon University's School of Economics, he worked at a camera equipment store and a munitions factory before joining the Dalian Daily Newspaper Company in China in 1941. He then worked at the Mainichi Shimbun Tokyo headquarters editorial office, and began taking animal photographs in earnest after being in charge of special features on animals and plants in the Mainichi Graph. In 1960, he won the Fuji Professional Photography Award (sponsored by Fujifilm). His son is the animal photographer Mitsuaki Iwago.
Died on February 12, 2007.