A couple of pics of a Ryukyu flying fox that was taking a nap in one of our garden’s trees. We often see them flying around in the evening, but they don’t usually sleep in the trees right next to our house.
The Ryukyu flying fox is a species of megabat, their wingspan is about 1.4 meters and they can weigh up to 500 grams. There’s no chance they are going to try and grab our cats, as they mainly eat fruits and flowers.
Denny Tamaki has been the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture since August 2018.
2018年8月から沖縄県知事に就任した玉城デニー氏。
After becoming governor, Tamaki began studying Uechi-ryu karate under Yoshimitsu Matsusaki, of the Uechi-Ryu Karate Karate-Do Kenyu-Kai. Tamaki explained he started studying karate both for its health benefits and because of its cultural significance to the Okinawa Islands, the birthplace of karate.
知事就任後、玉城氏は上地流空手道を上地流拳優会の松崎賀充先生に師事する。玉城氏は、空手の健康効果と、空手発祥の地である沖縄諸島の文化的意義の両方から空手を習い始めたと説明した。
The Uechi-Ryu Karate Karate-Do Kenyu-Kai is now led by Kiyohide Shinjo Sensei, and I have photographed many of its masters. Although Denny Tamaki is a relatively new student of karate, as the Governor of Okinawa, he is the chairman of the Okinawa Dento Karatedo Shinkokai, and is chair of the committee to inscribe Okinawan karate on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
上地流拳優会は現在、新城清秀先生が主宰し、私は多くの師範を撮影してきた。 玉城氏は空手の門下生としては比較的新しいが、沖縄県知事として沖縄電燈空手道振興会の会長を務め、沖縄空手のユネスコ無形文化遺産登録委員会の委員長も務めている。
In December 2023, I had the opportunity to attend the end of year training for the Matsusaki dojo, and photograph Denny Tamaki for the Karate Masters Portrait Project.
2023年12月、私は松崎道場の年末稽古に参加し、空手マスターズ・ポートレート・プロジェクトのために玉城デニー氏を撮影する機会を得た。
Although it was a cold blustery day in December, Denny Tamaki and Matsusaki Sensei were happy to head down to the beach for some final training, and a few more pics.
12月の寒い日だったが、玉城氏と松崎先生は最後のトレーニングのためにビーチに行き、写真を撮った。
A huge thank you to Denny Tamaki and Yoshimitsu Matsusaki Sensei. Thank you to Yoichiro Kuniyoshi Sensei for helping set up the shoot, and to all the students of the Matsusaki dojo for allowing me to join their end of year training.
玉城氏デニー氏、松崎賀充先生、ありがとうございました。撮影の準備を手伝ってくれた國吉陽一郎先生、年末の稽古に参加させてくれた松崎道場の道場生の皆さん、ありがとうございました。
The portraits were shot with Sony A7RIV cameras using the 24 mm f1.4 lens and the 24-105 mm f4 lens. The strobe I used was a Profoto D2 with softlight white reflector indoors, and switched to the Profoto B1 outdoors.
ポートレートは、ソニーA7RIVカメラで24mm F1.4レンズと24-105mm F4レンズを使って撮影した。使用したストロボは、屋内ではプロフォトD2とソフトライト白色リフレクターで、屋外ではプロフォトB1に切り替えた。
More information about the Karate Masters Portrait Project can be found here.
空手マスターズ・ポートレート・プロジェクトについての詳細はこちらをご覧ください。
More information about the Sensei: Masters of Okinawan Karate documentary series can be found here.
Sensei: Masters of Okinawan Karate』ドキュメンタリーシリーズについての詳細はこちらをご覧ください。
Another highlight from 2024 was a couple of days in the Lake District. As a kid, I spent many weeks on family trips and school camps in Grasmere and Borrowdale. Back then I’d be scrambling along Helvellyn’s Striding Edge or climbing a pitch on Shepherds Crag, but this time it was gentle strolls with the extended family.
I saw a red squirrel for the first time in decades, and had a lovely birthday lunch at the fabulous Zeffirellis in Ambleside,
Even mid-August, it was cool and a little drizzly, but that is almost to be expected in this green and pleasant land.
RIP Ryoichi Onaga 1948 – 2024
A student of Eichi Miyazato, Ryoichi Onaga taught Okinawa Goju-ryu karate for half a century in Murcia, Spain.
A 10th-dan Hanshi, Onaga Sensei was also Vice Chairman of the Okinawa Goju-ryu Karatedo Kyokai. Through an introduction from Norihiko Masuda Sensei I was able to photograph Onaga Sensei on August 20th 2021. Condolences to his family, friends and students around the world.
One of the highlights of 2024 was visiting the UK with the family. We were based in Manchester, but spent several days exploring the beautiful nearby countryside including the Peak District, Lake District, and Cheshire plains.
Buxton is a market town in the High Peak an hour from Manchester. It is famous for its mineral water spa baths which, similar to Bath in the south of England, attracted visitors from across the country. Although we didn’t stay there, it was impressive to see the completely restored Buxton Crescent Hotel a stunning Georgian building.
From the centre of town it was a short walk up to Solomon’s Temple, a Victorian folly on the summit of Grin Low hill.
Lovely area to spend a couple of days relaxing with the family.
One of the highlights of the year was writing and photographing an article for Tokyo Metropolitan Government with BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions. It was great to interview fascinating people, and to work with the team at BBC StoryWorks. The photography was varied, shooting both day and night images of Tokyo, and portraits using studio strobes and natural light. The little LOVOT robots were some of my cutest subjects! Looking forward to more assignments.
For those outside of the UK, you can see the full article here.
Images were shot with Sony A7RIV cameras using the 16-35mm and 24-105 lenses. When lighting the meeting at Tokyo Innovation Base I use the Profoto D2 strobe with an umbrella deep white L with diffuser.
In 2015, I had the amazing opportunity to work with the team producing the Okinawa episode of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. I worked as a fixer & location scout before filming, and Yuki worked as crew interpreter during filming. It was a fascinating experience and I’m glad that Bourdain was able to see some of what makes Okinawa so interesting.
The full episode is now available on YouTube, and it’s nice to rewatch and see friends such as James Pankiewicz, Tetsuhiro Hokama, and Kenny Ehman featured in the show. You’ll even spot Yuki buying the famed egg sandwiches in a Lawson convenience store.
Watching the episode is now bittersweet after the passing of Anthony Bourdain, but I’m glad that with the whole series now available on YouTube, more people will discover the show, and Bourdain’s love of food and travel.
And just in case you don’t spot it.
It is sad to hear the news that the British writer, TV presenter, and broadcaster Dr. Michael Mosley passed away in Greece early this week. He is most famous for his books and shows explaining the science behind healthy living. In 2022, he came to Okinawa with the BBC Science Unit to film a section for the series “Secrets of the Superagers.”
My friend James Pankiewicz helped coordinate the shoot in Okinawa, and arranged for Michael to meet with his karate teacher Arakaki Toshimitsu. During a break in filming I got to have a chat with Michael about the causes of Okinawan longevity and our mutual interest in making documentaries. It was lovely to have met him.
A few months after the main filming was completed I was asked to go out and shoot some extra B-roll of happy healthy Okinawans so I spent a couple of days filming short clips that would eventually be used in the final documentary.
I have the “Just One Thing – with Michael Mosley” podcast on my phone so I’ll be able to continue listening to his simple tips to improve health and wellbeing as I talk a morning walk, potter in the garden, or I have a relaxing cup of tea. I’m sure he would have approved.
Sanguwacha Festival is held each year on Henza Island, Okinawa, Japan. The traditional rituals combine the practice of cleansing in the ocean with prayers for a bountiful harvest and safe fishing.
Two large paper fish are carried by teams of local school children through town and then out into the ocean. The elderly residents at the village’s day service came out to wave as the procession went past.
At low tide, everyone was able to wade across through thigh deep water to the nearby island. There the local priestess gave a blessing over offerings of awamori, fruit, and containers of diced octopus.
Back on the main island the women danced and sang as the giant paper fish made their way back to the village.
A fantastic experience to get in amongst the action, using a wide angle lens to capture the scene. (Sony A7RIV with a 16-35mm lens)
Since 2010, I’ve been one of the updaters for Japan guidebooks by Fodor’s Travel. I started with just the Okinawa chapter, but now I also update chapters covering Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Western Honshu.
It might seems strange to have a writer who usually lives in sunny Okinawa update the Hokkaido chapter but…
I don’t have money, but what I do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career.
Before I moved to Okinawa I lived for a couple of years in Hokkaido. And before I lived in Hokkaido I’d had the chance to do a fair bit of snowboarding mainly in Lake Louise (Alberta) and Red Mountain (British Columbia). International tourism is booming in Japan, and Hokkaido has become an extremely popular winter destination with great resorts and huge amounts of snow.
So last week I flew up to Sapporo to check on the accommodation, restaurant and activity options for overseas visitors. I then visited the ski areas of Kiroro, Niseko, and Rusutsu before traveling to Hakodate.
Hokkaido has a good variety in the types of resorts available from quiet local ski hills to the huge Niseko multi-mountain area that has an abundance of international visitors.
You’ll have to wait for the guidebook for all the facts, but Hokkaido’s ski / snowboard resorts continue to be some of the best in the world.
Hokkaido’s rail system is still lagging behind the rest of Japan. The train from Kutchan (near Niseko) to Hakodate took around 4 hours, but there is light at the end of the local train tunnel. By 2030, bullet trains should connect Hakodate with Kutchan in around 45 minutes before whizzing on to Otaru and Sapporo.
Back in Okinawa, the airport had a new porter service for bags 🙂
TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography 