Guardian of Sparks

• Prize
  Gold in People/Culture, 2nd Place winner in People
• Photographer
  Takashi Iwasaki
• Technical Info
  1/3200 Iso200 F8 4/3type Sensor
• Photo Date
  SEP 15,2025

A elder desperately holds a handheld firework, sparks exploding around him. Within his struggle lies the determination to protect Japan’s traditional culture. In an era of population decline and social change, much of our country is at risk of being lost. Yet in this fleeting moment of fire and smoke, we witness the human resolve to preserve and pass down what is uniquely Japanese.