Photographed by Kazutake Sugawara, photographer of the morning TV drama series The calendar features photographs of specimens of Tomitaro Makino, the model for the main character in the morning TV drama series. The calendar is on sale in limited quantities!

MATECH PRODUCTS (located at 3-34-1 Nishi 22 Minami, Obihiro City, Hokkaido), a developer and seller of recycled products, will release "MAKINO Portrait of Plants RISHIRI island 2025 CALENDAR" photographed by Kazutake Sugawara on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, for 3,300 yen (tax included). The book will be on sale at 3,300 yen (tax included) on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.

For more information, please visit https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/matecproductsstore/

Calendar cover

The calendar features only plants collected on Rishiri Island, Hokkaido, including "Ezo-no-Ryukinka" from the collection of 160,000 specimens held by the Tokyo Metropolitan University Makino Herbarium, which were collected by Tomitaro Makino, the model for the main character in the morning TV drama series, and is produced using the world's highest standard 150 million pixel camera. The photographs were taken using a digital camera with 150 million pixels, the world's highest standard. By shooting with light shining straight ahead like a portrait photograph, the minute shadows of the plants are reflected three-dimensionally in this photographic calendar of specimens, which can be called a "new botanical art". Please spend the year 2025 feeling Dr. Makino's strong passion for the plants of Rishiri Island and the breath of these plants.

Calendar January-February

■Product Outline

Size: 345 mm (width) X 415 mm (height)

Number of pages: 7 pages

Price: 3,300 yen (tax included)

Profile of Kazutake Sugawara

Kazutake Sugawara (b. 1960) is a photographer born in Sapporo, Hokkaido. After graduating from the Photography Department of Osaka University of Arts, he made his debut in the French ELLE magazine and has been active in advertising photography and solo exhibitions. His work has been selected for the permanent collection of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France and is highly regarded for its artistic quality and unique perspective. He also served as director of photography for the film "Blue Fish," which was screened as an official selection at the Berlin International Film Festival. Through his study of wet plate photography, Sugawara has pioneered a new method of expression that combines classical techniques with digital technology, and has attracted attention for his innovative approach. His works, which focus on nature, urban landscapes, and people's daily lives, leave a deep impression on the viewer. In addition, he is also committed to photographic education, contributing to the training of young photographers. He has published many books and collections of photographs, and through these works you can feel his passion and quest for photography. 2023 saw his solo exhibition "Luminescence" at the Aomori Museum of Art, and in February of the same year his book "MAKINO: Portrait of Plants" (Hokuryukan) was published. He is a longtime photographer for the Japanese Red Cross Society and a visiting professor at Osaka University of Arts.

Profile of Tomitaro Makino

Tomitaro Makino (May 22, 1862 - January 18, 1957) was a Japanese botanist, known as the "father of Japanese botany. Born in Sagawa-cho, Takaoka-gun, Kochi Prefecture, he became interested in plants at an early age and taught himself botany. He went to the Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Tokyo, and devoted himself to the study of plant taxonomy. During his lifetime, he discovered and named about 1,500 new species and collected about 400,000 specimens. He was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit in 1957.

About Matec Products

Matec Products is a company that develops and sells recycled products and exhibits and sells environmentally friendly products. The company develops products by reusing automobile window glass and sheets, and produces recycled glasses, plates, and vases in cooperation with Fukagawa Glass Works, Ltd. which has its head office in Otaru City. Ltd., headquartered in Otaru City, Otaru, Japan, to produce business card cases made from automobile leather seats. In addition, we have made Nambu ironware using Matech's recycled iron together with Mr. Kazuo Sasaki, a traditional craftsman in Morioka City. We plan to continue to develop and sell a wide variety of upcycled products as part of our SDGs efforts. We will continue our efforts to make recycling more accessible to everyone.

About MATEC

Matec Corporation (headquartered in Obihiro City) is a general recycling company that has been in business for over 80 years. The company has nine branches in Hokkaido. We consider all recyclable materials and waste, such as metal scraps from building demolition, foundations contained in small home appliances, and plastics, as the third resource, and we recycle, create, and develop all kinds of resources. Recently, we opened 24 Junkan Convenience Store 24, a 24-hour unmanned service for the collection of recyclable materials such as used paper and metal products, in Hokkaido. Junkan Convenience Store 24 is increasing the recycling rate of resources that were previously disposed of as waste. Matex is looking at recycling from a variety of perspectives, not only expanding the number of items it handles, but also making new efforts with an eye toward the future of the environment.

Outline of sales stores

Matek Products Store Yahoo! Shopping Store

URL: https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/matecproductsstore/

Matec Products Store

Address : 3-34-1, Nishi 22-jo-minami, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-2472, Japan

Phone: 0155-35-7711

FAX: 0155-35-9911

Business hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Monday through Saturday, closed on Sundays and holidays)

Official HP ： http://matec-products.jp/