“One evening in early December 2021 I met a woman named Yaco in the Ginza area. At the time I was a little tired of putting only street snaps into the Record journals, and had begun to think about doing things like portraits of women. We spent a while chatting about this and that, and as the conversation went on she displayed a unique kind of sensitivity, and that instantly helped me make up my mind: the next volume was going to be all about her.

Once I had decided, things quickly fell into place. Without further discussion I took her around the dusky Ginza and Yurakucho neighbourhoods and made pictures of her in the rough coat she was wearing. It was the season when illuminations were turning every street corner into a gorgeous setting, and as she moved freely in front of the camera we were done in less than two hours. After a short break we did some nude work on the floors under and above the gallery: she undressed without hesitating and began to strike casual poses quite naturally before I could even start giving instructions.”