Yu Aoi- Dandelion, photos by Yoko Takahashi, 2006
In 2006, photographer Yoko Takahashi collaborated with actress Yu Aoi on this travel photo book titled "Dandelion."
The small team of three women, with photographer Takahashi, actress Yu Aoi, and stylist Misa Dannai, spent ten days traveling across Russia, documenting their time aboard the Trans Siberian Railway. Departing from traditional studio setups, this project relied solely on natural light and candid moments captured during the journey, conveying a natural tension between the subject and the stark landscapes despite the extreme cold.
The title Dandelion was personally chosen by Yu Aoi, inspired by a fur hat she wore that reminded her of dandelion seeds.
Notably, Yu Aoi traveled without bringing any cosmetics and was photographed throughout the shoot with a completely bare face. Reflecting on this, she said, “This is the only work I do with a bare face, so I want to do it again.”
Takahashi focused on capturing Yu not as an actress but as an individual, with unpolished expressions, natural postures, and beauty in its raw, unrefined state. Dandelion stands as a record of that authenticity, encapsulated in a single volume.
First printing, with Obi.