One day in June

We finally finish work on the "Daichi wo mamoru techo" ("handbook for earth protection", published in July by Tsukiji Shokan) in the making of which I've been involved since the end of 2007. The book was made by the Daichi-wo-mamoru-kai, at once an NGO and a company with a reputation as a pioneer in organic food home delivery. In July, the "kai" is undergoing a rebranding that involves changes of the company’s name and logo, and what we just sent off to the printer is a concept book on which I've been working as an editor almost daily for the past six months.

Color proofs and sample of the "Daichi wo mamoru techo"

The direction of this rebranding campaign was assigned to Maekita Miyako, organizer of the "Candle Night Summer Solstice" and "Hottokenai Sekai no Mazushisa (Don't let it be - World Poverty)", while art director Jonathan Barnbrook, known for his work for Roppongi Hills (CI) and Damien Hirst, was in charge of all design aspects ranging from logos to company trucks. Yabe Ayako (kidd) art-directed the book that contains illustrations by 100% orange, photographs by Hagane Kazuyasu, Ogawa Tsuyoshi and Muneno Ayumi, and articles by molecular biologist Fukuoka Shinichi, food researcher Nemoto Kiko, and musician Kato Tokiko.

Next to serving as an introduction to the unique work of the Daichi-wo-mamoru-kai, who have been in the Japanese organic food business for more than 30 years, the book is supposed to be the ultimate guide to organic dietary life against the backdrop of the recent organic boom. The pocketbook-sized, full-color hardcover edition has 208 pages (including appendix), and the whole thing is characterized by a special kind of combination of a common format and a rather luxurious feel. Our intention with this publication is to showcase the kai’s organic products in an attractive way through photographs and accompanied by original illustrations and texts.

This project that involved everything from photographing large amounts of organic food and ingredients to interviewing organic farmers, food processors, producers and restaurant owners, as well as hearing lots of wonderful stories revolving around organic food from a variety of other people, was a truly interesting experience. No matter how exhausted I am after the shootings and interviews, the organic vegetables I took home work immediately and get me back on my feet as soon as I try them. This makes me strongly aware of the (common and perfectly natural) fact that food is what keeps us alive.

Another day in June

I'm working for two days in Tsumagoimura, Gunma Prefecture, where we do "eco fashion" themed photo shootings for a special edition of a certain magazine. The idea was to photograph in "grand natural surroundings", and this highland at an altitude of more than 1,000 meters is the place we chose. Our model is Takahashi Mari, who is recently quite active also as an actress, and the man behind the camera is Contemporary Production’s Shindo Mitsuo. He is at once in charge of the entire magazine’s art direction, and since he requested to shoot these photos himself, so we decided to let him do it. We learn that occasions where he does the photographing himself have drastically increased recently. With the help of two assistants he gives quick instructions, this time he shoots using a large strobe light.

Photo shooting in Onioshidashi Park, Tsumagoimura

Equipped with various facilities of the Prince Hotel Group, and a Muji campsite, Tsumagoimura is in fact a first-class summer resort with absolutely nice, crystal-clear air. Themed on a contemporary interpretation of the hippie culture of Takahashi Mari’s hometown San Francisco, the styling focusing on eco brands and designers is the work of Kaneda Sakae. Make-up artist Kaori-san is a vegetarian, and as the rest of the team is made up of health and eco conscious individuals as well, talk behind the scenes during this job is all about such topics.

Before and after the photo shooting I talk a lot with Shindo-san, who was also heavily involved in the concert at Yokohama BLITZ that was staged in connection with the " 4th Tokyo International Conference on African Development" in Yokohama in May. "I really want to change the world, not political methods!" is the most impressive remark I ever heard from him.

The number of people around me with such proud "come on let’s change the world" kinds of attitudes keeps increasing, and what they propose in a ringing voice is to change the world with the power of creativity, and the power of food. I'm not sure what exactly we can change, but I really enjoy working with all those positive thinking people. A positive mindset means being prepared, and only people who are prepared can carry on with their ideas.