Even after so many years living in Japan, I still feel really interested in the subtle culture differences of our countries. These innocent differences and sometimes funny ways to come across them really fascinates me.

Especially the differences in the thinking between men and women of Japan and abroad is something romantic and kind of arousing.

Humans should kind of collide to each other innocently with full of curiosity. (perhaps let’s do that safely only after the present crises.)

Recently I think of the meaning of life and death. My partner has a chronic illness and she is vulnerable to the virus.

What does it really mean to be alive? I try to smile despite the fear.

I thought to write my blog everyday from now as long as I can. So this is kind of self discipline test to attempt this public journal.

The condition in Europe is severe. Then this global emergency could be compared to that of a war.

Here in Japan however, the government is lax and merely suggested people of going out. In grocery shop cashier line, people queue just as before without a safe distance. People hang out just the same since restaurants are open, and people commute to office. Business as usual, despite the global pandemic.

I fear the consequences of these inadequate precautions.

Yesterday I took photo in a nearby park despite the corona virus. The model came all the way from Tokyo just for me.

It was such a beautiful day, and we had obento lunch box in the park and played Minecraft and took photos.

It has been a while since I have touched my camera. Many things have happened in my life and I just have not had the chance or mood for photo. I have not wanted to take photo actually. I felt like my pictures have turned their back on me.

But yesterday I felt the natural continuation of my journey as a photographer. Fundamentally for me to take a photo is natural action, regardless of others opinion.

I wish to continue this journey as stubbornly and innocently as I can.

Cost of life

What is the cost of the reckless race of economy for those vulnerable in the society?

Government in Japan hands out two masks per household and instructions how to wash them, while Adagio for Strings was played in the streets of Spain. They didn’t even get to keep funerals.

Japan should play Adagio for Strings too.

This is a sorrow country.

Peach Goddess

I visited Fukushima yesterday and saw Miwa Yanagi’s exhibition Myth Machines.

I was very moved about the reference to the Japanese mythology of peach and goddess.

I didn’t know about the artist Yanagi before, but I got the sense that she has just the kind of passion that moves my heartstrings.

I liked her color photos but her black and white photos as well; a bit similar to works of Eikoh Hosoe.

Also the photos that used CG elements were surprisingly natural and realistic. Well, without photos being good it wouldn’t work.

I really liked this.

Then, yesterday I talked about cancer with my friend.

This life is so fragile. We must not forget it.

Waiting for Rain

I have been busy living my life as a 3D designer in Tokyo company. I have had many difficulties in trying to adapt into the new lifestyle of working in a Japanese company. But I like meeting new people; humans fascinate me. I wish this lifestyle as a company designer would also invigorate me as a photographer.

I feel so many months have passed since I started commuting to Tokyo, and rainy season is here soon. I look forward see the hydrangea in full bloom.

Playing outside with my son and his friends has been a great joy for me. In my darkest hours of tears and self-doubt, my son was next to me. I am very grateful for him.

Photography is the way to watch the world. It reminds me not to waste a moment. As Susan Sontag said, photographs are a kind of melancholy objects. When moment is captured it is already gone and untouchable.

We humans are weak and sensitive to light and we perish too. So life itself has a sense of melancholy in it.

I wish to celebrate this melancholy with my photographs.

Exhibition

My exhibition 金木犀 “Fragrant Tree” was finished today. I am thankful for everyone who came to see my photos.

I feel happiness whenever I can feel human connection with someone. That is why I take a photo.

Pre-Raphaelites

I found my new treasure last week. A book about Pre-Raphaelites, Masterpieces of Art by Gordon Kerr.

The paintings depict religious figures as normal people, then aspects of the society of the era and love and female beauty.

The strong emotional concepts of the paintings are so natural but never overstated. There was a painting of a sailor boy who learned about the passing of his mother after his return from the sea. The boy’s face is partially buried on the green grass, his cheeks red. His emotion is not shown directly, but by the face of a female figure next to him. It’s natural and beautiful.

The book makes me feel the strong empathy by the artists to the ordinary human suffering. The paintings never ridicule but wrap their subjects in a gentle fabric of artistic expression. Jesus stretching his arms in leisurely, his shadow accidentally being cast on a wood beam resembling his crucifixion, his mother shocked by the realization. His face is carefree and gay, maybe even stupidly so, yet this must be how the person lived in the real world.

The pictures surprise and I love to be surprised by art. “Art is love”, the book states. Maybe art is kind of celebration of human, the love expressed by the passion and sometimes chosen suffering of the artist, to express a higher truth about our existence.

For me art offers a kind of safe room to think about my life and past.

I wish we could live our lives more spiritually, celebrating our desire and existence.

To Catch a Moment

I have been thinking to start to use digital camera for my photography, after a long break.

Developing and especially scanning film is such a chore. I would take more photos if I have digital camera. Plus, now that I will be full time worker to a Japanese company, I doubt I will have enough time to develop film. Rather than sitting in front of computer scanning film, I’d rather go outside and shoot more.

One of the reasons why I dislike digital is that Flickr groups and descriptions of even really good photographers seem to always mention or focus to the camera, or lens or technique.

“It is important to catch good moments with a camera”, my friend said. Indeed.

Now that I look at the photos I have taken over the years, I really don’t care whether I’ve taken them with digital or film camera. Both are good, and both have their sides.

Enjoy your life and enjoy photographing your life.