Vol.7 Tracing the Memories of My Grandparents — How the Art Book ‘Tadoru’ and the Photo Book ‘Hiraku’ Were Born Collaboration with Yumi Hoshino

Creating a Book That Holds Family Memories

The project introduced here began with a request from architect Yumi Hoshino, who wished to preserve her family’s memories in a tangible form. From the early stage of concept design, ITO BINDERY was involved in shaping the idea into reality—combining UV inkjet printing with on-demand printing techniques to achieve precise thread-sewn binding, even for a small edition. The result is a one-of-a-kind art book born from the ground up.

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A Family Project That Began with a Wish

On New Year’s Day 2025, Yumi’s grandmother, the painter Masako Aoki, expressed her desire to create a book of her works. To compile over one hundred paintings created across half a century, her husband Tomoyoshi Aoki took on the photography and digitization, while Yumi handled the editing. Thus began a quiet, intimate family endeavor. In May 2025, Hoshino reached out to ITO BINDERY, hoping to entrust the binding to local craftsmanship capable of giving lasting form to her grandmother’s artistic journey.

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Connecting with the Craftsmanship of Sumida

As a student, Hoshino had researched and experienced the manufacturing culture of Tokyo’s Sumida district, where ITO BINDERY is based. She felt that this was the right place to entrust such a personal project. Accepting the challenge of a limited run of 100 copies, we introduced her to the binding process and paper characteristics during her first visit. From there, the design began to take shape through close collaboration and repeated prototyping. To reflect the tone and atmosphere of the artworks, we proposed a Codex-style thread-sewn binding using thick recycled cardboard for the cover and soft, tactile text paper. The book opens completely flat to 180 degrees, allowing every detail of the artwork to be seen naturally—balancing both structure and texture.

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Two Volumes That Become One

The project comprises two interrelated books: the art book Tadoru and the photo book Hiraku. The covers use thick boards inspired by ITO BINDERY’s iconic Drawing Pad, designed so that Hiraku serves as both the back and spine when combined. When stacked together, a mountain illustration connects seamlessly across the two covers, highlighting the precision of the cutting and printing. Like a couple standing side by side, the two books complete each other as a single work.

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Where Craft and Memory Intersect

Binding family memories is more than a physical act—it is a dialogue between material, structure, and emotion. At every stage—selecting paper, folding sheets, sewing signatures—we were conscious of the feelings behind each choice. For ITO BINDERY, Tadoru and Hiraku represent a deeply memorable project where craftsmanship and memory beautifully intertwine.

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Profile: Yumi Hoshino

Born in Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan in 1999. After completing her master’s degree in Architecture at Chiba University, she began working at a real estate development firm in Tokyo in 2024. With a lifelong appreciation for dance, music, and space, Hoshino’s creative sensibility was nurtured from an early age. Influenced by her grandfather, she also developed a passion for photography, capturing landscapes and daily life during her travels. Through her academic research, she explored the connection between local craftsmanship and community life in Sumida, where she currently resides.

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