5:24 AM
“EARTHQUAKE, EARTHQUAKE, EARTHQUAKE.”
A 6.1 near Fukushima, just off the coast of Southern Hokkaido. And yes, we felt it. Nothing major up here, just a slow roller about five seconds after the alert jarred us from a deep sleep. Last week saw a much larger quake and a subsequent tsunami alert for much of Northeastern Hokkaido. This is the land of quakes. Normal business here. Throw in a few volcanoes, too. It bubbles and shakes, smolders and emits.
The workshop is over, but most of us are still exploring our way around Hokkaido.
A few days here to recoup, plan, and prep for the chapter, which will begin later this week in another country. I shouldn’t be amazed, but I am. I’m amazed at what the students can pull together over the course of a workshop where we experience constant movement, unfamiliar territory, and challenging assignments. Two-thirds of the way through, the books and stories are incomplete, but within one day, they come together. Whether it’s a twenty-page or a hundred-page layout, a short film, or a handmade accordion book, the students put the time in to emerge with “something.” Experience first, then story.
Once we move to Hokkaido, I switch from Nikon to Fuji, just to mix things up. The initial idea is to go 16×9, as I did in Morocco, but Japan is tight. Oh, so tight, so instead I move to 5:4, which always reminds me of 6×7 film. Not quite square, not quite landscape. This feels right for Hokkaido, where I pretend I know how to shoot landscapes. I also focus on dyptichs. Two up, one color, one black-and-white. This has been a learning moment for me, thinking in terms of two or three instead of longer essay-style things. I also begin to design the book samples in my head. I will make at least two sample books once I return to the US. And I have a title and idea for the text.
Tonight we will gather for the last time. One last assignment for the crew, to be read aloud to each other. A personal and final note to Japan for 2026. Will we return to Japan? Yes. As of now, it’s not until 2028, but I have personal plans that include my Brompton and my binoculars, but there is no time for this now. Sometime later, it will happen.
Comments 12
Sounds like it was a memorable visit and trip for all. Creative energy must have been infectious, very cool. Am going to have to get to one of these workshops.
Can you offer a quake guarantee? If not, no fault.
Thanks for sharing Dan.
Author
I think they happen daily in Hokkaido. A good place to come if that’s your bag. And it’s just awesome in general.
It was just Godzilla snoring;) Jealous as hell. Cheers from Palermo Daniel San!
Author
Love me some Palermo.
It’s a shame (not really) that you weren’t on a commuter train when the alert went off because then everybody’s phones go off simultaneously.
Author
Total shame. That would have been a level “11.”
Camel toe flip flops with socks….very Australian 🙂
Author
Still wearing them.
Love that photo, and the charcoal drawing-like quality of the print. Sometimes low tech frees up the pressure.
Author
Loving low tech more and more. And mixed media.
We had an earthquake while I was working in high school last year. A teacher and her class were in there, and she was looking in the direction of the large screen in front of the window onto the forest. She saw a whole flock of crows suddenly take off from the trees, and yelled “earthquake, get down” just as everyone’s phone alarms started to go. The students were great, got under the tables, exactly like all the drills we do. I think it was a 4.5, but the epicentre was offshore. It’s true, the animals know ahead of time.
Author
Oh, they know. Same thing happened to me in California. Fish went crazy.