Leica Camera Japan is pleased to present the simultaneous opening of two exhibitions by Swiss photographer Werner Bischof of Magnum Photos, held at both Leica Gallery Tokyo and Leica Gallery Kyoto.

From postwar Europe to occupied Japan, Bischof traveled across a world in transition, capturing with his distinct eye the resilience and quiet strength of people living through profound change.

These dual exhibitions present two complementary perspectives—Bischof’s view of Japan and his broader reflections on the postwar world—offering a multifaceted look into his documentation of Occupied Japan, the atmosphere of recovery that followed, and the universal emotions that reside within humanity.

Each gallery explores a different theme, allowing visitors to encounter Bischof’s vision in greater depth and breadth.

Capturing both the devastation of postwar Europe and the resilience of the people who lived through it, Werner Bischof made a profound contribution to the development of photojournalism. After joining Magnum Photos in 1949, he worked on the ground in Japan, India, and the Korean War, portraying universal aspects of humanity with quiet precision and penetrating clarity. His photographs embody “timeless values” that transcend nations, cultures, and eras, resonating deeply with viewers across the world.

Werner Bischof visited occupied Japan for Magnum Photos’ project “Generation X,” which aimed to portray young people around the age of twenty across the world. During his nearly yearlong stay, he photographed a young man and woman in Kyoto and Tokyo, while also documenting a nation moving toward recovery. He was deeply moved by Kyoto’s steadfastly preserved traditions and the quiet beauty that endured despite the times of great change.
Guided by Ihei Kimura, with whom he developed a close friendship, Bischof spent two weeks in Kyoto and produced a remarkable series of images shaped by their rapport. Although his life was cut short by an accident in the Peruvian Andes in 1954, his photobook “Japon” was published posthumously.
This exhibition focuses on the works he created in Kyoto, tracing the atmosphere of “a time when Japan was not yet Japan,” and revealing the light and stillness that permeated the city during the occupation era.

Born in Zurich in 1916.  Initially aspiring to be a painter, he switches to photography after attending a photography class in art school.  His early works included studio and fashion.  Starts documentary photography after the World War II with publications in numerous magazines, gaining international recognition.  Joins Magnum Photos in 1949.  Spends 10 months in Japan from 1951 to 52.  Worked on “Generation X” project, initiated by Magnum, to photograph young men and women around 20 years of age globally.  Also covered Okinawa and Korean War out of Japan. Died in Peru in a car accident in 1954.