The first exploration of a city and its inhabitants, which the Portrait(s) of Metro Manila aims to do, started in Tokyo, Japan. In Japan, the project primarily consisted of portrait photographs of interesting people, and a few video clips of the city and its people.
Pictured here is Masayuki Kadoya, a waiter at the Schwarze katze bar (カフェ シュワルツ カッツ) in Suginami, Tokyo. What’s special about this bar/restaurant is that the walls and ceiling are covered with mostly found objects. There is beauty in the assemblage of everyday objects. Owner of Schwarze katze (カフェ シュワルツ カッツ), Kawakami Satoshi is pictured here looking like a Alice in Wonderland’s Madhatter. Sasaki Takamaka practices hip-hop dance in Yoyogi Park in Harajuku, Tokyo.Habu Hiroshi also practices his musical instrument in Yoyogi Park. Here he takes a few minutes to pose for the camera. Fumio Ueno is the owner of the Cumanos bar, in Asagaya, Tokyo which has the particularity of being decorated with lots of teddy bears.Late-night concert at the Moon Stomp bar in Koenji, Tokyo. Masahiro Soutsu, doctor and musician, often plays at the Moon Stomp bar in Koenji, Tokyo.Demonstration of tuna cutting by a sushi master in Kagurazaka, Tokyo.Kon Chorujun, owner of Tekken8 boxing gym in Kichijoji, Tokyo, took part in the design of the fights for the manga “Hajime No Ippo”. A regular at the Tekken8 boxing gym. Kichijoji, Tokyo.Tanzawa Kansuke and his wife run their HANKO (signature stamp) store in Ogikubo, Tokyo.The owner of the traditional sento atamiyu in Kagurazaka, Tokyo.A monk of Kōkoku-ji temple (Shinjuku, Tokyo) prays in the room of the illuminated urns, where the bones of the deceased are kept. The urns change colors and adapt to the seasons. We find here the harmonious synthesis between tradition and the modern world. Two old friends playing the flute in Takayamakoku Park in Ayagawa, Kagawa.Iwanaga Kakutaro works at the Suginamikuritsu hounan shougakkou school, which is unique in that it has a retirement home on the premises. 押谷敏明 Tennis teacher in Nasu, Japan.Designer at the Tokyo Design Festa.Sachiko-san, the owner of the Gathof in Nasu is pictured in her kitchen.Chiho Fukasawa poses for the camera before continuing her walk amidst the snow in Nasu, Japan.Designer at the Tokyo Design Festa.An employee caresses a cat in the old, unkempt junk shop, “Shiro”.Busy in the kitchen of the French restaurant, Le Mont St. Michel in Meijiro, Tokyo.Pictured here is Miyako Godo, a hat designer in Asagaya, Tokyo.Tetsuya Okazaki works at the KANEL BREAD bakery in Nasu, Japan.Kiku-san and her shy chat in Tokyo.A different kind of bird lady, Atsuko Ishiyanagi, donning a flamingo brooch, stands in front of her work in Nishi-Ogikubo, Tokyo. She paints birds on drawers. Matsuyama-san in his oil store, Il Regalo Olio in Suginami, tokyo.Arima Takayoshi has been the priest of this church for 7 years. It is located inside a school of Nishi-Ogukubo of which he is also the director. He lives in the same school. To become a priest, he studied for 6 years at the University of Tokyo, Shigaku at the age of 30.Antique Ajisai doll store owner at Nakano Broadway in Tokyo.I met Kyoko-san during my walk. She was in the middle of moving out of her 60-year old house in Nishi-Ogikubo, Tokyo, because it will be destroyed in a few weeks. Hirasawa Seiichi in his bakery / café ”Madame Surprise” in Shin Koenji, Tokyo.Designed the dress himself, Sasaki Takamasa is an interesting character straight out of a manga. Harajuku, Tokyo.KADO, a café in Tokyo, has been in business for almost 70 years. Morning routine: Yoshiichi-san sits quietly in the street in front of his home in Tokyo.Cigarette break.A man in a church in Waseda, TokyoTwelve rounds.Mid-sparring.
