青幻舎 SEIGENSHA Art Publishing

Japanese knotweed is a plant from the knotweed family, brought to Europe by Siebold as a souvenir of his long stay in Japan. The plant’s hardiness has enabled it to spread across the world. It is now recognized as an invasive species that destroys buildings and ecosystems. Japanese knotweed has become synonymous with the word weed. This unique collection represents photographer Koichi Watanabe’s 10-year efforts to document Japanese knotweed from places associated with the plant to the rest of the world, guided by the its checkered and twisted fate.