“Heaven is an American salary, a Chinese cook, and a Japanese wife.”

This view of Japanese women is a common stereotype. The Norwegian photographer Anne-Stine Johnsbråten decided to convey a more nuanced perspective in her debut photobook.

“When I travelled in Japan, I was excited to hear what the women were going to say about work and gender equality. I wondered how they viewed their freedom in a gender perspective. How they see the future.”

The book portrays around 100 Japanese women from different generations, environments and occupational groups.

Underlying structures in society make it hard for women to pursue both a fruitful career and family life in Japan. But the traditional and well-established Japanese gender roles seem to be at a turning point – challenged by strong progressive women. This book gives us a unique insight into the land of vast contrasts from the deeply traditional to the hyper modern, seen from these women's perspective. 

Published by journal
English/Japanese Edition
Hardcover
132 pages, 6 gatefold spreads
245 x 159 mm
ISBN 9789187939433