Sometimes it Takes a Tragedy to Make Us Appreciate Things - Yukari Chikura Documents Japanese Tradition

Image Source: http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/10/08/preserving-tradition-in-japan/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0#/1/

 

Yukari Chikura is a female Japanese photographer. Trained as a musician, after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, she turned her focus to documenting the traditions passed down through generations in Japan.

 

(Click Here) to read about Yukari on the NY Times blog, Lens.

 

Now for all of my photographer friends out there, something sobering. Yukari has only been photographing for two years.

 

How do we maintain the clarity and urgency that a disaster can give us in life? Surely we don't have to keep experiencing them for that to happen?

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Japanese Photographer Kikujiro Fukushima - 70 Years of Exposing Nuclear Tragedy in Japan

 

Image Source: http://japandailypress.com/japan-lies-documentary-about-photojournalist-kikujiro-fukushima-reaps-awards-1323241/

 

Kikujiro Fukushima (odd coincidence of name with the Fukushima nuclear disaster currently ongoing in Japan) was in the Japanese military during World War II, honorably serving his country and emperor, Hirohito. In fact, he was stationed at Hiroshima until one week before the bomb was dropped, when he was transferred to train for a suicide mission. As the war ended, Fukushima was apalled not only by the damage, sickness, and orphaning of families that resulted from the bomb, but also by how poorly his own government responded to the situation. He even wrote a book that was critical of emperor Hirohito.

 

There is a great post about Fukushima on the NY Times blog, Lens.

 

(Click Here) to read the post.

 

Fukushima photographed many people suffering after the bomb in Hiroshima, including a personal friend. He later moved on to covert photography of Japan's self defense forces, while simultaneously supplying them with photographs for use in publicity. In the end, he exposed weapons manufacturing that was not supposed to be happening. Fukushima's been the victim of physical violence multiple times in retribution for his work.

 

Fukushima recently traveled to the site of the recent nuclear disaster, caused by earthquake and tsunami, to photograph the aftermath. He's 92 years old.

 

When the interviewer asked what's next for him, Fukushima answered that he's 92, his body is failing, how can there be anything? Then, and I like this very much, he asked the interviewer if he knew of any really good, tiny, point and shoot cameras. I hope I have that spirit at 92.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com