Today was one of those days where I just went with the flow the entire day and was treated to a series of connections with old friends and new. I flew to Tokyo on the 8:30am flight, slept the whole way, then watched some podcasts on the train to Shibuya, and from there it was non-stop action.
Now lets run through the day.
Approaching Tokyo, one can see rice fields, rivers and the outlying areas of the greater Kanto area.
The ever present golf course in Japan. Someday I should try counting how many I can see on a clear day between Tokyo and Sapporo.
It’s better than high rises or factories that is for sure.
Tokyo Bay.
Humans certainly have an amazing ability to build stuff, and it always becomes more apparent from the air.
Manmade island near Haneda airport.
Now check this out, I got off the train in Shibuya just in time to see the fashion blunder of the day. August 31st in Tokyo, and let me tell you it was hot. I mean really f***ing hot. This girl was obviously trying to get a jump start on the fall fashions, and wanted to make sure she was the hottest one around.
New H&M store in Shibuya near Bunka Mura and Labi electronics store. Say sayonara to the small apparel retailers in the area!
Shibuya parking, you take what you can find.
Arrival at Nomade office to check photos with art director Shiratani. We are working on a photo/coffee table book commemorating 10 years with the Blueblood brand. Today was the final meeting to check my photo selection and decide if the book was going to happen or not. Shiratani-san had borrowed a slide projector from Higai-san, a legendary Japanese photog. He projected my photos on the wall to check them out.
Ahhh film, I love it! What a pleasure to sit in a room and project photos on a white wall! I think I am going to have to buy a slide projector. I still have the one my parents gave me, but it has a tendency to eat slides!
The office of Shiratani-san is pretty much a dreamland for book/photo lovers. This man is incredibly passionate about book/printing/design and it is a great pleasure to listen to him talk about all things print related. I learned that the greatest printing company in the world is in Germany. I didn’t know that.
There is a lot going on in this office!
Next up, we stopped by the Slope Gallery and check out who walked in the door. RIP! One of my favorite photographers, RIP just came out with a cool new book entitled “Night Rider” a 20 page piece featuring photos from Niseko night riding. Great book, super quality printing, and the best part, I remember meeting RIP the very day that he shot those photos in Niseko. I even blogged about it.
Sorry for the crappy photo…. This is Yamamoto Taisuke legendary Japanese surf photographer. He stopped by to sign copies of his new book “Dedication”
Taisuke Yokoyama [PHOTOGRAPHY]
Born in Tokyo in 1948, Taisuke Yokoyama now resides in Kamakura and works as a photographer. The pictures he took of the waves at Inamuragasaki when he was at university kick-started his career in photography. During the 30 years since, he has continued to release works of art, specializing in portraits of surfers. Besides his work as a portrait cameraman he also serves as the senior photographer for Surfing Life magazine. Meanwhile his surfing is of a professional level. However, his photographic subjects so far have not just been surfers. He has also taken pictures of numerous celebrities including musicians, artists, and Hollywood stars. Recently he has worked on a photo collection of actor Kenji Sakaguchi, Taisuke Yokoyama, son of satirical manga cartoonist Taizo Yokoyama, and nephew of Ryuichi Yokoyama, the manga artist nationally famous for his work Fuku-chan.
All of us helped to lay out the books waiting for the ink to dry.
Here is the book, set for release on September the 10th.
After dinner and a nice conversation with the Bueno Books family it was time to go meet Biyajima Shin. Japanese pro boarder just off the plane from NZ. About two weeks ago he placed 2nd in the World Heli Challenge! He came in second to Travis Rice, so you know he is doing some serious riding. Conditions were very hard from what he told me. Check out the video below for a little taste. Congratulations Shin!
Yo, gotta go. It’s check out time!
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