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YOSHIKATSU HAYASHI
PHOTOGRAPHER

Yoshikatsu Hayashi was born in Tokyo in 1950 as the fourth son. He made his professional photographer debut in Geinou jin 100 nin no kao in 1973. While he was an active Editorial photographer, he specialized in photographing themes which conveyed historical background, such as photographing Japanese traditional arts, including Noh, the landscape in the original state in Japan. He holds many photo exhibitions, nationally and internationally including New York, Sao Paulo and Beijing, etc. Hayashi has put out a large number of photography books including Jyuunishi Densetsu, Ryu Densetsu,Kanze-souke-noumen, Shin Silk road, Toukaidou no Tabi, to name afew. His new book is Oyajino senaka uncovers the charming relationship between him and his father, Tadahiko. Currently, he is a member the Japan professional photographers society and a representative of the Tadahiko Hayashi work laboratory.

MARI HAYAMA
Writer, Scriptwriter, Lyric writer

Mari Hayama is widely known as a writer at Mainichi Mozart, and Eien no Mozart and Brilliant Mozart, that saw the late Mikijiro play Sarieri. She is also known for writing the lyrics for a famous commercial Iichiko such as Ima wa konomama, Sabaku no bara, Kimi no Uta etc. Her lyrics have resonated with many women because of the sensitivity and emotion they convey. She has also written lyrics for the kids TV show NHK kodomo no Uta as well as the script for episode 1, 2, 8 and the final of Kamogawa syokudousyokudou that, the very popular NHK BS Premium Drama featuring acting by Kenichi Hagiwara, Shima Iwashita, Shioli Kutsuna. Hayama is currentry working on the script for a foreign movie and is a member of Jasrac, Writers guild of Japan, Television & tadio writers' Association of Japan.

YOKO KIMURA
The Chief Editor of Mainichi shougakusei newspaper
The Editorial Manager of Gakusei newspaper

Born in Tokyo in 1967, Yoko Kimura began working on the Mainichi Newspaper as a journalist since April 1990. In May 1991, Kimura transferred to her new post in the Sendai branch office where she actively covered news topics relating to police, trial, sports, prefectural and municipal government. She undertook the role of writing and editing for the News ga wakaru (news magazine for kids) for 10 years after assuming the role of Editor for the paper layout at the Tokyo head office. She was later responsible for editing and publishing children's books and wrote war-related articles focussing on children, women and animals in the the 'Life' department of news. She became the Chief Editor of Mainichi shougakusei newspaper in April 2021.

YUMIKO KATAYAMA
Haiku poet & Essayist

Born in Chiba Prefecture in 1952. Yumiko Katayama was a haiku poet under Takaha Shugyo on "Kari", a haiku magazine. Following the end of "Kari" publication, she founded and launched "Kou" as the successor of the previous haiku magazine in 2019. She has received many awards such as the 5th Haiku Research Awards, the 21st Haiku Association Criticism Awards, and the 52nd Haiku Association Award. She worked as a haiku poetry award judge at "NHK Haiku" from 2009 to 2010, "Mainichi Haiku Dan", "Dakotsu Award" and the Executive Director of Japan Haiku Association. She has published haiku collections such as "Kou" and "Hiei". Besides being a haiku poet, she has also published essay collections such as "Tori no you ni Kaze no you ni".