On January 29, KEK held an award ceremony for Kitsunetsuki, the first prize winner of the KEK Award at KEK Photo Walk 2025. The Photo Walk was organized as part of the international photography event Global Physics Photo Walk, which brings together research institutions from around the world.
The initiative aims to share the appeal of science and the atmosphere of cutting-edge research environments with the public through photography, using advanced research facilities as its backdrop.
At the ceremony, Shinichi Adachi, Executive Director for Communications at KEK, presented the award certificate along with a commemorative prize. “Accelerators are a familiar sight for KEK staff,” he said, “but when captured by photographers, they remind us just how extraordinary they truly are.”
The commemorative prize was a specially crafted plaque containing an authentic piece of bubble chamber film that had been used in KEK experiments. By incorporating real materials from the research field, the prize symbolizes the concept of the Photo Walk, where scientific research and photographic expression intersect.
In addition, the KEK Photo Walk 2025 Photo Exhibition is currently being held from January 24 to February 7, showcasing works by all Photo Walk participants. The exhibition also features selected outstanding works from the J-PARC Photo Walk, offering a wider perspective on large-scale research facilities. The displayed photographs capture scenes from advanced research environments—normally inaccessible to the public—through the unique viewpoints of each participant.
Through continued participation in global initiatives, KEK remains committed not only to communicating its scientific achievements, but also to sharing the appeal of research environments and the cultural value of science with audiences in Japan and around the world.