Please note that this exhibition closed on Thursday, February 25, 2010

The PHOTO IS gallery on the first floor of FUJIFILM SQUARE is pleased to present the photo exhibition, Tracing the Life and Times of Ryoma Sakamoto Through Photos.

Ryoma Sakamoto was a leading innovator during the turbulent period that spanned the late Edo Period and Meiji Restoration of 1868. After fleeing his home in Tosa domain (present-day Kochi Prefecture), Sakamoto founded the Kameyamashachu, a trading company and political organization, and worked tirelessly to bring together the powerful Satsuma and Choshu clans to restore Imperial rule and bring about a new era of Japanese history.

Although Sakamoto was assassinated in his prime at the age of 33, countless novels have been written about his exploits and several movies have been made of his life. His fame lives on to the present day, and he is often cited as the most admirable figure in Japanese history by the people of Japan.

The exhibition depicts the life and times of Ryoma Sakamoto through a series of photographs of people, places and customs of the Edo period along with a collection Sakamoto's personal letters and possessions, which have been kindly provided by the Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum.

This tumultuous period of Japanese history coincided with the introduction of photographic technology into Japan, and for the first time ever it became possible to capture images of the world as it really was rather than relying on artists' depictions. It may be even be said that the era saw the dawn of the culture of photography in Japan as well as heralding the beginning of Japan's period of modern history. We are pleased to welcome one and all to come and experience the power of photography to revive memories of a bygone age.

The following complementary event will also be held during the exhibition.