Miyazu Subscription — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the book about?

In 1908 Karl Walser travelled to Japan with Bernhard Kellermann and drew in Miyazu, on the west coast. His drawings gave no place names. Noriko Matsuda has matched them to the real places, Dominique Uldry photographed those places in 2026, and Osamu Okuda, co-editor of the book, contributes the foreword. The book sets the pairs side by side: the drawing of 1908, the photograph of today.

When will it be published?

In spring 2027, the year of Karl Walser’s 150th birthday.

What does it look like?

A flat landscape format, 240 × 190 mm, 480 × 190 mm open. About 160 pages, some 60 illustrations, hardcover with a sewn binding that opens flat. Offset printing, one print run, one paper.

In which language is it published?

Fully in English and Japanese. Captions and short texts appear in both languages beside the images; the longer essays run in two separate language sections. A German edition is not planned.

Where will it be printed?

The place of printing has not yet been decided. Japan is the preferred option; the copies for the West would come from the same print run.

Why a subscription rather than ordinary sales?

Because the book has to be funded in advance. Production, translation and distribution cost CHF 61,800. Foundations, bookshop sales and the publisher’s own contribution cover part of this; the subscription covers the larger remainder. Around 120 subscriptions at the first tier are enough.

Which tiers are there?

Four. CHF 500 brings the signed book, your name in the list of subscribers, a porcelain mug and a T-shirt. CHF 800 adds a cliché print, 40 × 30 cm. CHF 1800 brings two copies, one with a dedication, mug, T-shirt and a large print, 70 × 50 cm. CHF 3500 brings a patron’s credit, three copies, mug, T-shirt, two large prints and a conversation with the editors; the first subscription at this tier also receives the two original volumes by Kellermann and Walser, “Ein Spaziergang in Japan” in the 1912 edition and “Sassa yo Yassa” in the third edition of 1920, both designed and illustrated by Karl Walser. All prints show Dominique Uldry’s garden of the Mikami House. In euros the tiers cost €530, €850, €1900 and €3700. There are 295 places in all.

Until when can I subscribe?

Until 31 January 2027; after that the book goes to press. Those who subscribe by 31 October 2026 come first in the list of subscribers and receive the low edition numbers of the cliché prints.

What will the book cost in bookshops later?

Probably around CHF 70. The subscription edition is signed, numbered and available only here.

When is payment due?

In full, on subscription.

What happens to my money until publication?

Subscribed amounts are not used until the book is passed for press. Only then do they go into paper, printing and binding.

Can I withdraw?

Yes. Until the book goes to press, you may withdraw your subscription at any time and receive the full amount back. After that the amount is committed, and we deliver. In addition, you may withdraw within fourteen days of subscribing without giving reasons.

And if the book is not published at all?

Then the amount subscribed will be refunded in full.

How can I pay?

In Swiss francs or euros, depending on the country of delivery, by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), in Switzerland also by TWINT. You subscribe directly with the publisher, not through a platform.

What do the mug and T-shirt show?

The porcelain mug carries Karl Walser’s kokyū player, a plate from “Sassa yo Yassa. Japanische Tänze” (1920); the T-shirt his geisha in a kimono with shishi pattern of 1908.

What does the print show?

The garden of the Mikami House in Miyazu, photographed by Dominique Uldry — the same garden Karl Walser drew in 1908. The image is shown on the project page. It is printed in landscape format on fine-art paper with a white margin. The print transfers ownership of the object, not the reproduction rights.

When will the gifts arrive?

Mug, T-shirt and print are sent once payment has been received, so before the book. The book follows after publication in spring 2027.

What does shipping cost?

Nothing; it is included in the price. For deliveries to Japan, import charges may apply; these are borne by the recipient.

What is the subscribers’ page?

A non-public page with an advance selection of images, a workshop report and the schedule. Once you have subscribed, you will find its address in your order confirmation.