Kiroku. (Records). Nos. 1 - 5.

Tokyo.: Privately published., 1972 – 1973.. Original publisher's glossy printed wrappers (nos. 1 – 4) or paper wrappers (no. 5) stapled as issued.. 4to. 5 issues. (296 x 207 mm),. Illustrated throughout with photographs by Moriyama. The rarest of Moriyama Daido photo journals.First edition of each issue, each from the edition limited to 300 copies. 'It was back in 1972, that I came out with the self-published photo journal 'Kiroku'. At the time, I was busy with all sorts of work for magazines. Partly because of a daily feeling inside that I shouldn't let myself get carried away by it all, I came up with the idea of a small, self-published personal photo journal. Without any ties to work or any fixed topic, I just wanted to continue publishing a 16-page booklet with an arbitrary selection of favourite photos among the pictures I snapped from day to day. By nature, it was directed first and foremost to myself rather than other people. I wanted a simple, basic title, so I called it 'Kiroku' (record). However, the publication of 'Kiroku' sadly ended with issue number five ... '.The photographer was to revive the magazine in 2006 with the publication of issue 6 (at the time of writing issue no. 11 has been published, and all these modern issues are in print) - however it is exceedingly hard to find the original edition of the early part of the magazine. As is usual in much of Moriyama's Provoke work of the early 1970s, the images in 'Kiroku' are concerned with depicting the tearing down of traditional values in post-war Japan, and thus drawing attention to the indigenous world that remained in the shadows of rapid economic growth. The common denominator is the photographer's desire to shine a light on the gloomier parts of cities usually hidden from sight. These first issues of 'Kiroku' provide a valuable slice of early Moriyama, and provides a unique insight into an important phase of his development.