Overall Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) – A landmark of Japanese photography and pop culture, still potent and controversial decades later.
Looking at the book now, there is undeniable tenderness. In several shots, she appears shy but willing—never coerced, but also not fully in control. That tension is the book’s real subject. Shinoyama’s lens is admiring but clinical; he reduces her to shape and light, but her gaze often fights back. The large format makes that eye contact unavoidable. You cannot review Santa Fe without addressing the fallout. The book sold out immediately but was banned in some Japanese prefectures for “indecency.” More troublingly, Miyazawa later expressed complicated feelings about the shoot—though she has never fully disowned it. In the #MeToo era, the power imbalance (50-year-old male photographer, 18-year-old female subject) is glaring. That said, Miyazawa went on to a respected acting career (Oscar nomination for The Eel ), and she has since said she does not regret the work, only the timing. -Santa Fe- Rie Miyazawa Photo By Kishin Shinoyama -1991- 13
Display it spine-out unless you’re prepared to explain 1990s Japanese idol politics. If you study it: Pair with contemporary interviews with Miyazawa (post-2000) for balance. If you love it: You’re in good company—it’s a masterpiece of imperfect memory. Overall Rating: ★★★★☆ (4
Buy the 13-inch edition only if you value scale as part of the experience. Otherwise, the standard size is more practical. But for sheer, breathtaking presence —this is the version. That tension is the book’s real subject