THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. THE WINNER IS SJP @MissSJP ON TWITTER.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED. PLEASE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND DON’T FORGET TO RETURN TO MY CHERRY BLOSSOM STORIES BLOG IN THE FUTURE FOR MORE COMPETITIONS.

It’s competition time again and this prize is one of the best ever! One lucky winner in the UK will receive a hardback copy of “Zaido”, the magnificent new photobook by Yukari Chikura, published by Steidl, worth £75.00! All you need to do to enter is:

1. Go to my Twitter page.
2. Like and retweet the competition tweet.
3. Follow @yukarichikura on Twitter.

The winner will be announced on Monday 07 September, 2020. UK entries only. This prize will be sent in the post and delivered by Royal Mail Signed For® 1st Class in the first full week in September, 2020.

This artbook is not just sleek and luxurious. It’s culturally engaging, a perfect addition to your coffee table that you’ll display for years. The photos inside will intrigue you as they enrich your heart and soul. You can’t help but handle this book with all the care it deserves. It has a lovely two-colour cloth cover. The title is embossed in silver foil. The pages are glossy and thick and a delight to touch, see and feel.

At the beginning, in a transparent sleeve, is a brief six-page booklet containing a charming short story titled “The Tale of Danburi-Chōja” (Dragonfly Millionaire). This explains how the Zaido ritual came to be. A detailed map of where this sacred ritual is performed is also enclosed. You’ll also discover a real hand-made omikuji paper fortune sealed to a photo of discarded fortunes halfway through the book.

Several years ago, Yukari Chikura felt physically and emotionally hollow and severely depressed when her father suddenly passed away. At the time, she was also suffering from serious injuries to her face and legs after a major accident. When this pain was just beginning to melt away, the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami struck Japan in 2011 and once again Yukari Chikura felt crushed and overcome with grief. During this desperate time, her deceased father appeared to her in a dream. He told her to visit a village hidden in snow where he used to live. This village, the people who live there, and the Zaido rituals they perform are the subjects of this artbook.

Zaido is an ancient 1300-year-old shrine ritual, dating back to the Nara period. On the second day of every new year, villagers from four communities in the area make their way to sacred sites to perform seven ritual dances which they hope will bring them good fortune in the New Year. The photos in this artbook truly capture the essence of this ritual and Yukari Chikura’s feelings as she looked through the lens.

This artbook is an absolute treasure. You’ll admire and absorb every single page. Make sure you head over to Twitter to enter this competition and good luck!