I worked on “A Day in the Life of Japan” book with many photographers.
None of us knew what our assignment would be; whatever the project creators– Rick Smolen and David Cohen– came up with we would do.
The challenge was to go to whatever place we were sent and come away with wonderful images.
I was at that time obsessed with romantic concepts of feudal Japan. Maybe I’d be lucky enough to be sent to some raw, primitive place that would allow me to interact with simple people working as their ancestors did years ago.
No such luck!
I was sent to Kamakura, a bustling town, and to my horror, the closest analogy in America was Scarsdale, New York– a middle-class modern community with nothing exotic .
Kamakura did have a giant Buddha statue, called the Dai Bitsu.
There was none of the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. Much easier to work.
There were wonderful middle-class families hoping to better their children’s social and cultural life.
You haven’t really lived until you find yourself in a room with 20 children all playing their violins for the first time.
And Kendo classes for tiny children with tough teachers, and commuters at railroad stations and friendly people everywhere and being asked to take pictures of parents bathing their kids.
It was one of the best days of my life.
