Kohei Yoshiyuki

photographer

Japanese^[1,4] b. 1946, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan^[1,3] d. 21 January 2022^[1,2] active 1972–2022

Kohei Yoshiyuki (1946–2022) was a prominent Japanese photographer known for his daring and controversial documentation of Tokyo's subculture. He first gained notoriety in the early 1970s with his series 'Kōen' (Park), which used infrared film and modified flash attachments to capture clandestine sexual encounters and voyeuristic behavior in city parks at night. His work revealed a hidden, illicit underbelly of Japanese society that contrasted with its polished public surface. After working for news agencies like Keystone Press, he became a freelance photographer, publishing his work in various magazines before establishing himself as a significant figure in modern photography. His prints are held in major international collections, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.^[1,2,3,4,5]

• voyeurism
• subculture
• nightlife
• urban exploration