Continuing from Part 1, let’s talk more about the Fukuoka Art Book Fair “Pages.”
The Fukuoka Art Book Fair is laid out across three main areas. With the main booths in the
Yokaden (余香殿) and Bunshokan (文書館) halls, and pop-up food stalls in the outdoor “Yummy Area,” each location boasts a different atmosphere and a unique lineup of exhibitors. It allows you to enjoy the art book fair as if you’re taking a stroll through the grounds of the Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine.
Grabbing a Bite at the Yummy Area!
After wandering through the booths, once you start feeling a bit hungry, it’s time to refuel at
the “Yummy Area.” A variety of food and drink stalls, mainly from Fukuoka and the
surrounding Kyushu region, are gathered here, making it a tempting stop even on a full
stomach.
Nambu Shokudo (南部食堂), based in Fukutsu city, Fukuoka, offered a lineup of seasonal onigiri (rice balls) that are easy to eat on the go. Their small bento box featuring two different flavors, wrapped in a bamboo sheath, was also popular. Normally, they run a diner that promotes daytime drinking, serving meals packed with local, seasonal vegetables and spiced dishes. They also offer take-out side dishes. It’s also fun to discover local shops like this at an art book fair.
Other vendors included Kare-ya Nasori (咖喱屋 納曽利), a pop-up style spice curry shop based in Kurume city; Chaban (茶番), a culture-focused teahouse that also serves tea at music festivals and events; and SCREAM, which offers specialty ice cream—perfect for the warm spring sunshine! I had to tear myself away from the Yummy Area, feeling thoroughly reluctant to go…!
Now that my energy and stomach were recharged, it was time to head back to the Yokaden hall!
Misakomisako / PALESTINE ART BOOK FAIR
Here I found misakomisako, who was exhibiting as an individual. Based in Fukuoka, she works in graphic design, photography, editing, and art production. The symbolic “PALESTINE ART BOOK FAIR” flag she displayed was originally used during a guerrilla event held in front of the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo for the Tokyo Art Book Fair. It’s a painful reminder that even months later, the situation in Palestine continues to worsen.
Her booth featured books like Holy Land Palestine: A Solo Stroll (by Azusa Suga), which reports on the beautiful landscapes and life in Palestine before the invasion. There was also Design is for EVERYBODY, a collection of five essays from Futuress, a global feminist community based in Switzerland. The book re-examines familiar designs and societal norms from a “feminism x design” perspective, with essays set in Turkey, Norway, the USA, India, and Palestine. Also available were fabric patches with cute illustrations screen-printed with the words “STOP GENOCIDE.” It was a sobering reminder that being able to enjoy an event like this is not something to be taken for granted. I was also impressed by how the exhibitor, misakomisako, carefully explained the content of each book.
Next, on to the booth of designers who travel the world.
Hekichi (へきち)
This unit, composed of graphic designer Hirokazu Matsuda and illustrator Masatoshi Tabuchi, was exhibiting in the tatami-floored Bunshokan hall. They have been active since 2011, focusing mainly on producing art books. The first thing that surprised me was the sheer number of works. It makes you start by thinking, “Did you really make all of this?!” The designer, Mr. Matsuda, who showed me around, is a formidable talent, having won the JAGDA New Designer Award in 2025. The illustrator, Mr. Tabuchi, consistently creates illustrations and paintings using only a vivid blue, making his work instantly recognizable.
World Journey Around The Art Book Fair 1 NY, USA is a book version of Mr. Tabuchi’s report on his trip to the New York Art Book Fair (NYABF). The plan is to visit one art book fair somewhere in the world each year and create a summary about the books purchased and nearby sightseeing. It even includes an analysis of the exhibitors and their thoughts on participating in overseas art book fairs…! The extras that come with the book—a passport-style card, a replica ticket, a postcard of a middle-aged man—are also cute. In addition, they had an illustration zine packaged like a sashimi tray and a report book compiling their monthly events. You could spend hours here and still not see everything!
The Fukuoka Art Book Fair “Pages” was a great success. With not only the exhibitor booths but also events and archive exhibitions, it offered a packed program, and it’s no wonder that so many people traveled from far away to attend (I met visitors from Korea, China, and even Kanazawa!). It was the perfect art book fair for people who want to look at books carefully, those who want to enjoy workshops and events, and those who just want to eat delicious food (lol). I’ll end this report by hoping to encounter even more interesting exhibitors next year.
