Komori participated in the Tokyo Camera Club 2025 Photo Exhibition -- "A World of Connection" held at Shibuya Hikarie from Friday, September 12 to Monday, September 15 (a national holiday). This large-scale exhibition is organized by Tokyo Camera Club, Japan's largest SNS-based photography community with over 5.75 million fans.

Guided by our corporate purpose, Delivering Kando "beyond expectations" by contributing to society with print technology, Komori continues to create new possibilities as a printing press manufacturer by leveraging print technology across diverse fields.

As part of this initiative, our booth showcased works printed on our digital printing presses, expanding new ways to enjoy and express photography. For our fourth appearance at this event, we presented the theme "Immersive Photo Print: A New Kando Experience Through Print Technology," blending photography and print technology to create an immersive experience that makes visitors feel as if they have stepped inside the photograph.

Highlights from the Komori Booth
We showcased 15 works at the Komori booth, including prints produced on our latest UV inkjet digital printing press, the J-throne 29. The exhibit featured an impactful lineup centered on large-format prints, such as a 1.5m x 2m piece (four times the size of B1), along with B1 and B2 sizes. In addition to standard matte paper, we explored diverse expressions using specialty papers, including traditional Japanese washi, canvas, and semi-transparent sheets printed on both sides for backlit prints illuminated from behind.
Some of the exhibited works were selected from over 1,000 submissions within the Tokyo Camera Club community. These works featured vivid scenes that make you want to step inside, and emotionally moving moments captured in an instant--creating a captivating atmosphere throughout the booth.

Collaboration and New Initiatives
This year, Komori was honored to collaborate with OM Digital Solutions Corporation, providing printing support for 24 works displayed at their booth, using our Impremia IS29s, UV Inkjet Digital Printing System. We are grateful that our print quality was highly appreciated and delighted that this opportunity allowed more people to experience Komori's printing technology firsthand.

For the first time, we hosted a talk session at our booth. Photographers SILK DRONE, Hajime Hirano, chucky, and Mr. Osawa from Sakuhina Koubou--a consultation hub for print-focused craftsmanship--shared their perspectives on photographic expression through print techniques and offered valuable tips for creating exceptional works.

Before the event, the photographers visited Sakuhina Koubou to see their works printed on Komori's digital printing presses. On-site, they printed multiple candidate pieces, switched paper types, made data adjustments based on the printed results, and through trial and error, pursued the possibilities of photography and print in a collaborative setting. Each exhibited work was carefully crafted, born from repeated dialogue and co-creation between the photographers and printing professionals.

Voices from the Talk Session
SILK DRONE is a duo of aerial photographers who create drone-based works centered around the themes of "a world never seen before" and "legal compliance."

SILK DRONE (SILK & micah): "We selected colorful works with a strong narrative where light takes center stage. The ability to submit in RGB is a real advantage for photographers. The wide RGB color gamut, the fine detail achieved through precise printing, and the craftsmanship behind high-accuracy double-sided printing represent a true revolution in printing. Looking ahead, we　aim to foster a culture of appreciating photography, creating exhibitions that offer immersive experiences and spaces worth visiting. Ultimately, the printing process plays the key role in shaping the quality of the final piece, and guaranteed quality unlocks new possibilities for creative expression."

Hajime Hirano skillfully captures the vitality of wheat in his hometown of Saga prefecture through photography, working as a "mugigrapher®."

Hajime Hirano: "When I first saw the prints, I thought they were done with more than eight colors. Achieving such vividness with just four colors was astonishing. Until now, I only used matte paper for exhibitions, but Komori showed me how paper can transform expression. My works have deep shadows, which I thought would be challenging, but washi paper turned out to be a great match."

chucky, together with model Naomi-nu, pursues an expression that captures time and atmosphere by layering the beauty of traditional Japanese attire over scenes of the four seasons under the theme "Kiseki."

chucky: We made detailed adjustments on the printing floor in consultation with Mr. Osawa. Furthermore, the works exhibited this time achieved a finish that felt exactly as seen and imagined, as if you were right there in the scene. Lighting up photographs creates immersive experiences, shifting their role from simple display pieces to active components of the exhibition space.

Sakuhina Koubou serves as a consultation hub for print-focused craftsmanship. Drawing on many years of experience as a printing press operator, Mr. Osawa has offered proposals from a professional perspective, always respecting creators' desire to achieve their envisioned expressions in print. During the talk session, he spoke about Komori's high-definition digital printing with the Impremia IS29 and Sakuhina Koubou's original profile "Haikara."

Mr. Osawa: "Haikara is characterized by its ability to broaden the color gamut while faithfully reproducing tonal gradations, enabling us to meet photographers' exacting demands--especially for shadow detail. We hope to continue collaborating with photographers, discussing 'what kind of work they want to create,' and taking on diverse creative challenges together".

At the Tokyo Camera Club Photo Exhibition, we have often heard photographers voice concerns such as "the colors on screen differ from those in print" or "printing is deep and difficult," as well as aspirations like "I want to create prints this beautiful." Through our collaboration with Sakuhina Koubou, we were able to help turn these creative visions and intentions into reality, while also introducing the appeal and possibilities of digital printing to a broader audience.

Expanding Engagement
To further enhance internal engagement, Komori Group organized an in-house photo contest. Numerous entries were received not only from domestic offices but also from overseas locations, bringing together a collection of captivating photographs from around the world.
Three outstanding works, selected through internal screening, were exhibited at the venue, attracting attention for their individuality and creativity. In addition, a special viewing session was held for prospective employees graduating in 2026, giving them the opportunity to experience firsthand the innovation and artistry behind Komori's print technology.

Appreciation and Future Commitment
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all photographers, applicants, Tokyo Camera Club staff, and visitors who made this event possible. Komori will continue to leverage print technology to propose new ways of enjoying and expressing photography, creating experiences that inspire and connect people.

SILK DRONE / chucky / Hajime Hirano (mugigrapher®) / Satoru Fukuda / Kousa Kobayashi / Arisa / Ayaka Kinoshita / Natsumi Handa / Sadaaki Igawa / Kikuo Fujita / Hideaki Ishibashi (Komori Corporation) / John Zenner (Komori America Corporation) / Samuel Decastro

Event Details:
Tokyo Camera Club 2025 Photo Exhibition "A World of Connection"
Date: September 12 (Fri) - September 15 (Mon, public holiday), 11:00-20:00
(Closing at 17:00 on the first day, 18:30 on the last day)
Venue: Shibuya Hikarie 9F "Hikarie Hall A"
URL: https://tokyocameraclub.com/special/exhibition_2025/ (Only Japanese)

About Tokyo Camera Club:
Tokyo Camera Club is Japan's largest SNS-based photography communities with over 5.75 million fans. With a cumulative total of approximately 71 million works submitted, Tokyo Camera Club "provides a place for creators around the world to freely showcase their work." It features not only a tremendous number of submissions but also a high quality of work.

About Komori Group Purpose:
Delivering Kando "beyond expectations" by contributing to society with print technology
As Komori approaches the 100th anniversary of our founding, we established this new purpose as a compass for our continued sound development. Komori will move forward over the next 100 years with a purpose that can resonate with all stakeholders.
https://www.komori.com/en/global/company/purpose/