To celebrate his upcoming 50th birthday, Kishou will be releasing a new photobook, 「谷山紀章50歳記念写真集」(Taniyama Kishou’s 50th Birthday Commemorative Photo Album. The book will be released on Takita’s birthday, August 8.

This time, he spent three days with a female photographer, who managed to capture “the Kishou that everyone wanted to see.” He also said there would be less … skin … this time around.

Sample photos:

A translation of Kishou’s hand-written message about the book:

As I approach my 50th birthday,
I have no choice but to release another photo book.
I think to myself, “I should have just left it alone,”
but since it’s already decided, there’s nothing I can do.
If you’re going to look anyway,
maybe it will give a little courage to a few people
as a symbol of middle age.