REMIO
Graffiti writer based in Paris. A HUF ambassador who receives support not only from the art scene but from the street fashion world as well. He has made his mark far and wide, working in the underground scene and around the world. 
Instagram：@rrremio

The art exhibition held at THE PLUG on July 28th was a unique event that only HUF SET NFT holders could attend. As a HUF ambassador, REMIO was invited as the main guest. There, he exhibited his work, sold HUF collaboration items, and even painted live. We asked world-renowned graffiti artist REMIO about his fascination with graffiti and the artwork he creates. 

People who see the art can think about it
That’s the fun of graffiti art

– You collaborated with HUF for this exhibition. Can you remind us what your relationship is with the brand?

REMIO: To me, HUF = Keith (Keith Hufnagel, HUF’s founder). I’ve worked with him for close to twenty years, including when I did my first Japanese project. When I hear HUF, I’m reminded of him. I was also thinking of him when working on the exhibited pieces for this event.

– Can you share an anecdote about you and Keith?

REMIO: I remember when he called me up out of the blue one day saying, “Hey, do you need a studio? I have some space left here if you want to use it”, and prepared a huge space in the HUF office for me. I’ve been doing the same thing, graffiti art, since I was eighteen, but Keith was the one who got me to where I am now. I don’t think I could be standing here, where people can evaluate my art like this, if I had never met him. He’s always looked after me and provided me with big opportunities. 

– HUF SET is HUF’s first NFT event. How do you feel about NFTs?

REMIO: I think they’re genuinely interesting. I’ve done NFT projects and events with friends before. The possibilities that can be derived from NFTs are infinite.

– You also made NFT art for this event. Is there a difference between that art and the graffiti you usually create?

REMIO: No, what I make on the street and digitally are the same. Graffiti is the same wherever you choose to express it, whether it’s on a sticker, a canvas, on some sort of label, or an NFT. It doesn’t matter. Everything’s exactly the same. 

– Then what is the appeal of graffiti art to you?

REMIO: When you see a “REMIO” tag on the street, you might think, “What is this?” I find it interesting that the people who see it then think about what “REMIO” is. One time, I overheard an older woman on the train who saw my tag talking on the phone saying, “I wonder what REMIO is?” (laughs). I like when things like that happen. When I’m tagging in town, I have to do it quickly in about three minutes before someone catches me. That tension is captured well in graffiti, which is another thing that’s appealing about the artform. 

– I feel like your displayed works convey that well.

REMIO: I was able to work on the pieces you see in the exhibition for two days, which is much longer than usual! The “R” in my graffiti is unique, character-like, and usually immediately recognizable. But for this collaboration, I used HUF SET as a concept and created a character out of the letter “H” instead, drawing some variations of that. I drew the HUF SET graffiti on the canvas displayed in the entrance, but the “E” you see here is drawn with just two curves. This is partly due to the influence of single-stroke calligraphy, but these are also naturally occurring lines that have been ingrained in me from trying to draw quickly. I think this is also a reflection of graffiti culture.

– As you mentioned earlier, the cartoon-like character you drew in “H” is fun and impactful. It’s very characteristic of your style. How did this character come about?

REMIO: Other writers had already drawn characters in their work before. The reason I started incorporating it in my work was because I had drawn the “R” of my writer name, REMIO, like an icon. The bent bottom of the “R” had started to look like feet and a mouth, which is why I added eyes and sunglasses and began to draw it like a character. But what’s important is the bottom of the “R”, because you see it and immediately recognize it as my work. So when I collaborate with someone, I make it special by changing the top of the face.

– Where did you get the inspiration for this character’s facial expressions?

REMIO: I’ve liked Disney animation since I was a kid, and I also draw inspiration from the characters on the packaging of snacks and drinks sold at Japanese convenience stores. I’ve come to Japan over ten times now, but it’s fascinating because I discover something new every time.

– What are your roots in terms of drawing characters?

REMIO: I’m from Norway, so I think my roots are in the books that I had as a kid and in the characters on the Eastern European children’s cartoons I was allowed to watch once a week. With that as my background, I’ve been drawing ever since I was a child, which has led me to where I am today.

Constantly drawing something as if meditating

REMIO: I’ve always been close with the TOKYO ZOMBIE crew. Also with MINT, who helped me with this exhibition. There are many other Japanese graffiti artists who are successful abroad, and there are a lot of youth participating, so it feels like the scene is firmly rooted in the culture. I think Japanese graffiti, not just an imitation of other graffiti, exists on its own, 

– Thank you. Lastly, please tell us about your future endeavors.

REMIO: I’m doing a pop-up event at Isetan in March of next year. I’m hoping to unveil the brand that I’m launching with my friends there. I might also work on a project with MINT, who I mentioned earlier. I’d like you to check that out. I’ve also been getting requests to exhibit my work outside of Tokyo recently, like in Yamaguchi prefecture, the Kyushu region, and all around Japan. It would be fun to do a pop-up tour kind of thing. I’m going to keep working in Japan, so I’ll see you around.

Photography Kohei Omachi（W）
Translation Mimiko Goldstein

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Joshua Nishimiya is a bold figure based in Tokyo, searching for a street skate scene while working toward establishing a career in the US. He recently made a skate video titled Meadows with Levi’s, and many people came to the screening.

What does the Gen Z skater think of skateboarding, and how will he pave the way for its future? We find out by talking to him. 

Joshua Nishimiya
Joshua Nishimiya is a Japanese/Ghanian street skater born in 2000. He has a flow sponsorship with Hockey and sponsorships with brands such as New Era, Classic Grip, Venture Trucks, Spitfire Wheels, and more. He also has domestic sponsorships with Supreme, Fucking Awesome, and Levi’s.
Instagram：@joshuanishimiya

The magic of the streets, the home of skateboarding

——How did you discover and get absorbed in skate culture?

Joshua Nishimiya: I started skating from nine years old until sixth grade. I played soccer in middle school. But I still wanted to skate and started doing it again as a freshman in high school. I entered competitions but felt like they didn’t match my personality. 

I began considering the option of making skate videos on the streets because entering competitions and getting good scores weren’t the only standards of skating. I released my first video around 2018, but it took me around three years to make it. That was when I realized that street skating was hard. 

——You had a street skating baptism of sorts. You found it hard and yet wanted to continue making videos? 

Joshua: Yes. I became obsessed with the fulfillment of coming up with skate videos and successfully doing a skate trick. It made me want to give it my all. When I was making my first skate video, a South Korean skateboard company sponsored me, and New Era approached me while I was making my second one. I was in a good place and was in the thick of it before I knew it.

——Were you confident that a company would sponsor you when working on your first skate video? 

Joshua: No, I wasn’t (laughs). I wanted to continue doing it even if no one sponsored me because skating is fun, and I’ve always loved it. But I felt conflicted when it came time to think about what job to do after graduating high school. I ended up going to college, but I was so busy that I didn’t have time to skate. I was going back and forth about what I should do, and I decided to skate for a year and quit school if I got sponsors during that period. It’s thanks to two companies sponsoring me that I can skate today. 

——You have a flow sponsorship with Hockey and are also backed up by Fucking Awesome Japan. Could you expand on that? 

Joshua: I used to tell my friends that I wanted to ride on a Fucking Awesome deck, and Yoppi-san (Yoshifumi Egawa) told me he’d support me if I seriously wanted to have a career abroad. I want to move my home base to America in the future. Fucking Awesome supports me by providing me with skateboard gear. The same goes for Hockey, and I’m at a stage where I’m considering signing a contract with them. 

——Have you been skating in the US? 

Joshua: When Fucking Awesome Japan started supporting me, they connected me with the American team. I went to Los Angeles before the pandemic to shoot. The cinematographer of Fucking Awesome let me stay at theirs, and I became friends with other skaters. I’m still stocking up on skate videos and want to go to Los Angeles to shoot soon once the timing is right. 

——You can say you’re in the preparation stage. You recently made Meadows with Levi’s, but is that a part of your preparation to establish yourself abroad?

Joshua: Yes. I want to shoot skate videos over a long period in Los Angeles once I build a solid foundation in Japan. I can’t become homies with skaters abroad unless I live there for a while. So, I’m solidifying my foundation here while talking to different brands. Meadows is basically my first official project. I’m so grateful Levi’s gave me creative freedom.

Meadows, a skate video made with Levi’s. The cast is four skaters representing the scene in Japan: Joshua Nishimiya, Kaito Sagawa, Kaito Nakata, and Issei Mori

The wish to carve out a new scene with Japanese skaters

——What do you want to do as a skateboarder? 

Joshua: I want to work abroad, but I also want to create a new scene as a Japanese person. That’s why I want to make videos with brands that aren’t associated with skating, which is what I’m currently doing. I want to do something that hasn’t been done before and share that with the world. I’d love to direct projects, much like what I did for my video with Levi’s. 

——You want to contribute to the Japanese skate scene and make it bigger. 

Joshua: Yes. Not only in Japan but also America, it’s hard for street skaters to make a living. I feel like we’ll see more street skaters if different brands could join the industry and give us more opportunities. I want to see more cool skaters, which is at the heart of skating. I want to try so many things, like becoming the plug and connecting people, brands, and industries. To do so, I need to pursue what I want more and more. 

Photography Masashi Ura
Translation Lena Grace Suda

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Taking an interest in drawing in London

Installation from solo exhibition Eye Bea

――Your solo exhibition Eye Beam held in May marked the 10th anniversary of your car

Hirotton: Yes, I will have been drawing for ten years in 2022. I see Eye Beam as the culmination of my career. I released my art book Paradox in conjunction for the same reason. HIDDEN CHAMPION handled its editing and publishing.

――You’ve released many books, booklets, and zines in the past. Is there a reason you wanted to release a hardcover art book like this one?

Hirotton: I believe in the importance of keeping a proper record of your work. It’s nice to be remembered by those who came to see my exhibition, but I’ve been wanting to preserve my art as a solid collection of work for a while. I personally own art books of many artists I respect, and thought it would be best to release mine at the  the ten-year mark.

Hirotton’s first ever art book, Paradox

――What made you start drawing ten years ago?

Hirotton: I made objects and 3D structures at the Osaka University of Arts. Since I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted to do after graduation, I decided to go to London. I didn’t go there for any clear purpose, though. Only because I liked punk culture.

At the time, the skate brand HEROIN SKATEBOARDS had their offices in London (they’ve moved to the U.S. since). The team there consisted of artists and skaters who liked punk. The zines they made got me into the idea of drawing. The art in those zines weren’t particularly skillful drawings, but they had energy and passion. That’s what initially got me interested in drawing. I don’t think I would be doing this if I didn’t go to London.

――I see! Can you tell us more about before you went to London? What were some of the roots you established in Osaka that lead you to where you are now?

Hirotton: If I were to go back to my roots, CHOPPER, the boss of the skate team OSAKA DAGGERS, was a huge influence of mine back in high school. In addition to being a part of the HEROIN SKATEBOARDS crew, CHOPPER’s skate style and punk fashion sense were very impactful. One of the reasons why I wanted to go to the Osaka University of Arts is because I wanted to skate with CHOPPER. I also met a lot of interesting people skating in Sankaku Park and was able to build a lot of experience through those interactions. I probably wouldn’t have gone to London if I hadn’t gone to Osaka, either.

The impact of CRASS’s DIY ethic

――Punk culture’s influence on you is evident in your work. Who are some artists you’re most influenced by?

Hirotton: Probably the band CRASS. Of course I love their message, their DIY style, their music, and their artwork, but I also share and respect their general stance. While I was living in London, I went to a solo exhibition of Gee (Vaucher), who was in charge of CRASS’s artwork, and met her in person. I told her I wanted to visit Dial House*.

*Dial House: A self-sustaining anarcho-pacifist open house popularized by Crass

――That’s how you ended up at Dial House?

Hirotton: Talking to Gee and getting in touch with her was a big part of it, but coincidentally, my housemate at the time was a regular at Dial House. He commuted there to learn how to be one with nature, not because he knew of CRASS. I went because I had that connection, too. Dial House is truly a fascinating place.

――Did your experience at Dial House affect any part of what you’re doing now?

Hirotton: Of course it did. I was impacted by Dial House and CRASS’s activism, but also by their fundamental DIY, self-sustainability ethic. The fact that I was actually able to experience those things made a huge impression on me. I also had the idea to make my own book after seeing Gee’s at Dial House.

From art book Paradox

Taking action to get inspired

――I see. If I recall, you exhibited a household object you made in your 2015 solo exhibition KNOCKING AT THE DOOR OF MY BRAIN. You incorporate many household motifs in your work.

Hirotton: That exhibition in particular also included many drawings of houses. The first picture I drew was the house I lived in during my time in London. I had always liked things that had to do with houses; that may be one of my roots, as well. That’s why I personally never want to stay in one place. I travel to seek change and stimulation.

――Please tell us more about your artistic style. Many of your works are quite detailed. What were some of the influences for these pieces?

Hirotton: I take inspiration from many things, so I can’t pinpoint a specific one. I like old book illustrations and also take influence from the artwork of hardcore rock bands and skateboard graphics. I’m a culmination of many things.

Works from the “5mindrawing” series

――While there are intricately drawn works, you also have some rough drawings in your “5mindrawing (5 minute drawings)” series. Were those exhibited at Eye Beam as well?

Hirotton: They were. Although now they’ve evolved to the point where they’re no longer drawings that can be done in 5 minutes (laughs). I started the “5mindrawing” series because I thought the rough idea-based drawings were actually quite realistic and interesting. That’s why I include written messages in each one. Since these drawings are small and don’t take as long to draw as my pieces on canvas, I’m able to price them reasonably so that the young people and skaters who come to my shows can casually purchase them. That’s why I still exhibit them.

――Have you been making a lot of these 3D structures lately?

Hirotton: This was my first approach at this type of art. I drew on an object my friend made out of wood clay.

――Please tell us about work you’ve been doing outside of drawing.

Hirotton: A friend and I run a silkscreen studio called HAILPRINTS. I also make silkscreen items under the name PARADOX. I learned how to do silkscreen while in London, and mastered those skills there. I basically make all of my own products myself as well as print my own tags, because I think that doing it myself conveys more passion. There’s something that can only be communicated when you do things yourself.

――Lastly, what are some things you’d like to try in the future after hitting this major 10-year milestone?

Hirotton: I want to exhibit my work abroad. I know it’s difficult now in this current climate, but I have more to show the rest of the world because of the release of my art book. I don’t mind continuing to work in Japan, but I want to broaden my horizons. I want to try to continue to share my work abroad since my career as an artist started after being impacted by my time in London. Whatever the future may hold, the first step is to act.

Hirotton
An artist and painter, Hirotton also produces T-shirts and other self-made items under the name PARADOX and runs the silkscreen studio HAILPRINTS along with a friend. His work to date includes designing the HEROIN SKATEBOARDS deck series as well as graphic artwork for a number of fashion brands and musicians.
Instagram：@hirotton

Photography Cho Ongo
Edit Shuichi Aizawa(TOKION)
Translation Mimiko Goldstein

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The desire to show Japanese music to the world

With origins in club culture, tokyovitamin is a label that’s been active on the streets and in society, building connections with people. They made an album with fellow artists to manifest the mood of Tokyo today through music and lyrics.
Looking back on tokyovitamin’s musical modus operandi, they’ve been releasing radio-style playlists on SoundCloud and putting out music in an inclusive way, where many other people they know could join in. Perhaps this is an extension of their careers as DJs. In 2020, they released their first compilation album, Vitamin Blue, and their presence as a label has become increasingly prominent since then. Why does tokyovitamin continue to release compilation albums in the first place?

“We make them with the hope that they’ll reach someone somewhere, as one example of music that’s coming out of Japan right now. It doesn’t matter if it’s in Japan or abroad. If I were living abroad, this kind of music (tokyovitamin’s compilation albums) would catch my eye. By working with artists in different fields to create one album, I hope we provide a space where the participating artists can show off a different side of themselves. At the same time, I’m sure it’ll give the listeners a chance to discover new artists” -Vick

“I think compilation albums have a lot of equal principles. Of course, we make music videos for some of the songs, but it’s not like they’re the lead songs of the album. It’s more like every song is a single. Maybe I like compilation albums so much because they have that nature about them” -Kenchan

As of now, tokyovitamin’s compilation albums mainly include artists in Japan. Vick and Kenchan have discerned Tokyo’s vibe and zeitgeist throughout the years, and they aim to incorporate that into their work and show it to the world.

“We couldn’t even go abroad in 2021, so the results of being in Tokyo the entire time are reflected in this album. It’s our interpretation of Tokyo, in a way” -Vick

“It’s not like we choose which artist to approach based on their nationality, so this may change in the future, but for Vitamin Yellow, we focused on the current shape of Japan and Tokyo. Down the line, we’re thinking of ways to get producers from overseas to work with artists from Tokyo, and vice versa, so we’re looking forward to what music we can make in the future” -Kenchan

The artists in Vitamin Yellow include label artist Duke of Harajuku, as well as Young Coco, Loota, etc. Gliiico, Stones Taro, Kaoruko, MIYACHI, and MANON are among the artists who’ve appeared in tokyovitamin’s albums for the first time. The songs that feature the likes of Minami Nakamura, Rave Racers, and JUBEE also stand out. One could say this lineup is tokyovitamin’s interpretation of Tokyo today. Vick, Kenchan, and Duke of Harajuku acted as directors for the songs and came up with artists they wanted to work with. They directly approached and DMed artists to expand the roster of artists. After Vitamin Blue was released, the collective met Bleecker Chrome, Only U, and L.A.-based Kazuo, and they contributed to Vitamin Yellow as well. Kenchan approached Stones Taro because he wanted to work with him for the album and decided to get Kaoruko to make “YOU WORRY.”

MIYACHI – “WHAT HAPPENED”

Loota, Young Coco, & Gliiico – “LOVE DON’T LOVE”

“I believe it’s important for us to understand each other to work together. Of course, we sometimes approach an artist because we think their music and what they’re doing is cool, but it’s like we naturally started working with artists we know or those we’ve had prior relationships with” -Vick

“We don’t have any criteria for the artists we approach. It’s mostly based on personal taste and what we find is cool” -Kenchan

As Vick and Kenchan said, they chose the artists for this album based on their sensibilities. Another crucial factor upon approaching artists was whether they had the mindset of making music with a strong will and can-do attitude.
Because a director was assigned to each song and many artists contributed to the compilation album, worldbuilding of a certain degree must’ve been necessary to make sure the songs had the same direction. Despite Vitamin Yellow being a compilation album, once listened to from start to finish, one will see that it’s very cohesive. The music made from the vessel of tokyovitamin is unique.

“The person who invited the artist was in charge of the direction of the song, but we didn’t coordinate or do anything special to create a sense of coherence. We all understand what we like, and we can easily communicate without saying anything. Occasionally, the artist would ask me what kind of song we were going for, and I’d give them my view on the overall direction. But I didn’t give them any specific instructions. I left that up to them. The result turned out to be more interesting, and it came together more naturally” -Vick

An album that showcases not only the pair’s mood but everyone else’s too

Compared to their previous album, Vitamin Blue, Vitamin Yellow is more melodic, and some parts have a rock-like sound. It has a more prominent mix of different sounds. Was this their intention?

“It probably has a strong eclectic element because of everyone’s mood, more so than ours. The producers who participated in this project also probably wanted to create something new, not something they’ve done before, so I think that’s why you can tell the difference” -Kenchan

“It’s true that [our album in] 2020 didn’t have the same mood as this album. I don’t consider it as rock, but I feel that there’s a strong emphasis on the melody. It’s a result of being influenced by the mood of the world, and the speed of the songs is more relaxed. We knew we wanted to create songs with high energy, but we wanted to have vocals on top of songs with time and space to think. That probably came about naturally” -Vick

Around the release date of the compilation album, they held a pop-up store at Tower Records Shibuya for just two days. Because this event happened in the center of Shibuya, I feel like the album symbolizes Tokyo.

“We were happy about the pop-up store as well. We had been talking about doing something together with Tower Records for a few years, and the timing of this pop-up store worked out well this time around. It was a coincidence that the color of [Tower Records] and the album was yellow; it was perfect” -Vick

“I’ve been going to Tower Records since I was in elementary school. I used to go to the sixth floor a lot. That floor has rows of metal and hardcore CDs, and I used to dig through imported ones a lot. They played the music video for “YOU WORRY (feat. Stones Taro Kaoruko)” on the screen on the first floor, and I was quite touched to see my video like that. I was also glad that people I wouldn’t usually meet at a club or izakaya saw our pop-up store” -Kenchan

Stones Taro & Kaoruko – “YOU WORRY”

Aside from the actual music, the cover art, created by neon artist WAKU, is also appealing. This piece came about thanks to Kenchan and WAKU’s meeting each other over six years ago. They also displayed the artwork at the pop-up. WAKU’s neon piece, including the reflected light on an acrylic surface, stands on its own as a complete work of art. One could enjoy different expressions depending on the angle. He conveyed a fragment of the art’s true magic in real life.

Mat Jr – “YELLOW (Behind the Scenes of Vitamin Yellow)”

tokyovitamin carves out the current shape of Tokyo in Vitamin Yellow, but what do the two think about the spirit of Tokyo’s subcultures today and the scene surrounding them?

“That’s a difficult question. I haven’t met enough people to summarize the different moods, so it’s hard to describe them. But I’m certain that interesting things are happening everywhere. Today, cool bands, producers, and labels are popping up here and there. I get excited just thinking about how different cultures can blend once we interact with more artists from abroad, the way we did pre-covid. Outside of Tokyo, [things are also happening in] Kansai. Producer E.O.U runs a label called PAL.Sounds (in Kyoto) with Keiju, ktskm, and Vis. There are a lot of interesting events. I’m just so excited about what everyone’s doing” -Kenchan

“I believe Tokyo could be a hub that connects the world. I can tell that artists all over Japan are doing their best to create things, even during the pandemic where real information from outside is stagnant. As Kenchan said, not only are there interesting people in Tokyo but all over the country. And it’s interesting how each of them is making something they can only make now, based on the current state of things. If each person continues being creative, and the next phase is for real information from the world to come in all at once, I feel like we can build such an interesting culture. As of right now, Tokyo operates on information flowing in and out. While it would be fun for that to happen, we could still have fun in a way that we never imagined even if it doesn’t” -Vick

The mood of Tokyo today can be seen in tokyovitamin’s compilation album Vitamin Yellow: the album is an international embodiment of the collective’s unique locality, from Tokyo to the world. If one gleans the vibe of the songs from the cover art and listens to the content of the lyrics, one could experience Tokyo’s youth culture of tomorrow. How will they capture and present the zeitgeist from their point of view in the future? I can’t wait.

Vick / Kenchan
Founded in 2016, tokyovitamin is an independent music label. Vick, the director, is also a DJ, while Kenchan is a videographer and VJ. Both are actively involved in the brand, as well as making music videos, hosting events, collaborating with different brands and companies, and more. They released their second label compilation album, Vitamin Yellow, at the end of 2021.
Instagram：@tokyovitamin / @vickokada / @kenchantokyo

Photography Takaki Iwata
Translation Lena Grace Suda

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Creating a photo book of landscape photography in the middle of a pandemic

――You’re based in New York, but I’d like to ask you about your photo exhibition, “NOSTALGIA,” in Shibuya.

Koki Sato (Hereinafter Sato): I only showed landscape photos at the exhibition. It was the first time I didn’t have a single portrait of a person. The reason I decided to hold this exhibition had a lot to do with the making of my photo book NOSTALGIA.

――How did the photo book come about?

Sato: I worked with Paradigm Publishing (a publishing house in New York) to create this book. I met Theophilos (Constantinou), the founder of the publishing house, four or five years ago through a photographer friend of mine, and we became friends. We kept talking about making a book someday. Then one day, he decided to move his home base away from New York and said he wanted to actualize my book while he was still in town. That’s how we started working on it. That was back in 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. I worked on it until 2021, and I continued taking photos until the last minute of the deadline.

――I get the impression that most of your photos are portraits. Why did you mainly take landscape photos for NOSTALGIA?

Sato: When Theophilos saw my photos, he told me, “Your portraits are great, but I’m drawn to your landscape photos more.” I think he found the colors, composition, and details of the landscapes that I, a Japanese person, took of New York intriguing. I was elated that he felt that way, so I started thinking about making the book using only landscape photos. Inevitably, I couldn’t meet up with people anymore because of the pandemic, but that wasn’t the only reason the subjects in my photos changed. It was instigated by Theophilos discovering the appeal of the landscape photos I took.

――What feeling grew inside you upon taking photos of landscapes?

Sato: In the first half of 2020, I had to keep working on the book at home without seeing people. Naturally, I tended to feel less motivated, but I had to remain optimistic while shooting for the book. It was a lonely battle, sure enough. Not only photographers but everyone who creates art probably felt the same way.

――Right. Everyone had to deal with changes in their environment provoked by the pandemic.

Sato: Through this loneliness and inner conflict, what fueled me more than anything was having hope for the future. Last year, I felt cornered mentally and in terms of my daily life, but that feeling of “I’m not going to let this take me out” was a major driving force behind taking photos.

――The title, NOSTALGIA, can be translated into Japanese as “The state of yearning for the past.” Is there nostalgia behind the book?

Sato: The title NOSTALGIA doesn’t refer to my current feelings of nostalgia, but rather the feeling my future self will have when reflecting on the past. I feel like this work is one example of how I’ll continue taking photos and building my career while staying positive. I’m sure that my current feelings will seem very nostalgic for my future self. If I don’t keep taking photos, I wouldn’t be able to look back on the past down the line, regardless of the times. You can say the title reflects my determination.

Showing a new approach by using light as a theme

――Could you explain some of the backstories of the photos at the exhibition?

Sato: This photo of Manhattan’s landscape plays a vital part. I was thinking about what to create in my surrounding environment when covid hit, and I suddenly thought of going to the rooftop of my house. I took this picture right as the sun went down, and it helped me a lot mentally. It’s an obvious thing, but it reminded me of something basic; the sun rises and sets every day as usual. When I took the picture, I thought it could be interesting to document it every day, so I made it a routine to take a picture from my rooftop every day as the sun was setting.

――So, you started taking photos of Manhattan from that point on?

Sato: Yes. But after about two weeks of taking photos, I wondered what the point of the concept was. I asked my wife if there was any point in doing it every day, and she said, “If you keep taking photos, you might get the opportunity to show them someday. Think of it as a symbol of hope for our family and keep at it.” It made me feel like I should continue doing it because someone dear to me said that. I have strong feelings about this shot because it saved me. After taking this photo, it made me believe I could take photos to express what I want, even if they’re not taken in extraordinary situations, and that I could challenge myself to do something bigger through photography.

――If you had to pick another photo that left an impression on you, which would you pick?

Sato: If I had to pick one, it’d be this photo of a window with raindrops after it rained. Like the Manhattan photo, I also took this photo using a “fixed point observation” method. It’s like there was a water series and a sunset series at the exhibition, and the theme of light is what they had in common. I started these two series to take photos with a concept during covid. So, they left a deep impression on me.

――I’d like to know how you started photography.

Sato: My origins lie in majoring in photography at Tokyo Polytechnic University. It’s embarrassing to say this now, but I decided to pursue photography after watching the film City of God back in high school.

――The protagonist of City of God is a photographer, isn’t he?

Sato: That’s right. I admired that. I wanted to have a creative job in the future and thought it would be fun to use the means of photography.

――When did you move your home base to New York?

Sato: When I was 20, I went to New York to visit my cousin who lived there. When I got out of the cab at 47th and Broadway after arriving in Manhattan from JFK Airport, I was shocked at the cityscape I saw. I still remember that feeling, and I knew I wanted to live there (New York) right away. I officially moved there in 2009.

――You still live and work in New York today; are you planning on staying there in the future?

Sato: In the beginning, I never would’ve thought I’d be living in New York for this long. I was born in Tokyo, so it felt like I was based in Tokyo and would visit New York. That reversed the more time I spent in New York and built the foundation of my life there. Now I feel like I’m visiting Tokyo from New York. I can’t complete my work just by myself; I can do what I do today thanks to people who understand my personality and support what I do. As long as I have friends I can trust, I want to do different things with them and continue working in New York as long as possible.

At the core is the undeniable appeal of the city

――I see. This is a bit off-topic from your exhibition, “NOSTALGIA,” but could you talk about your origins and style of photography? In 2015, you held an exhibition featuring photos of We Live This, a dance crew, in New York.

Sato: Yes. I started dancing when I was in high school, and then I started learning about music and the culture surrounding hip-hop and house music. It was like We Live This dancing on the subway was an extension of taking photos of what I admired and liked. Fundamentally, I think one of the reasons for being in the city is to treat it as a stage. Whether it’s Tokyo or New York, the city’s very appealing to me, and I constantly want to interact with the people and landscape I encounter.

――Is there anything you’d like to express or create post-exhibition?

Sato: Many people appreciated the landscape photos in the book, so it’s become one of the things I want to continue doing. I always get so much good energy from taking portraits, so I’ll continue doing it.
I’m documenting a skate crew in the Bronx right now. I’ve been doing this for around two years, and I’ve accumulated a lot of photos. I’m not sure if it’ll be a photo book or a zine, but I’d like to actualize it.
As for my future aspirations, I’d like to improve the quality of my work. More specifically, I want to improve my framing and printing skills. I believe photography is all about how much you actively take photos, but I also want to be more committed to the process of manifesting them.

――You don’t want to express yourself through other mediums?

Sato: Not for now. The beauty of photography lies in how you can express something in a single image. Moving images can only be complete when there’s a continuity and connection between the sequences. But with photography, the viewer can envision and feel the story before and after one shot. I want to delve deeper into photographic expression precisely because there’s something romantic about that.

Koki Sato
Koki Sato’s a photographer who’s been based in New York since 2009. In 2016, he released the photo book 99￠CITY, and in 2019, he released fragile. In November 2021, Sato launched and exhibited his photo book NOSTALGIA at Mast Books in New York. Later in Tokyo, he held a launch and exhibition for the same book at THE PLUG.
Instagram：@kokisa10
https://paradigmpublishing.co/products/nostalgia-koki-sato

Photography Yuta Kato
Translation Lena Grace Suda

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Documenting a skate trip in Mexico during the covid crisis

——Could you first talk about your first-ever photobook that you published?

Ryuta Hironaga (Hereinafter Hironaga): It’s a photobook documenting my month-long trip to Mexico with my skater friends in January 2021. The title is a reference to a street in Obregón, Mexico. I stayed at a lodge there. I used the name of the place where the story of the photobook began.

——Why did you travel to Mexico?

Hironaga: When I lived in Los Angeles for about six years, I befriended a skater called Matt Jackson, who appears in the photobook. I’m based in New York currently and was going to visit Los Angeles for the first time in a long time. I contacted him at the end of 2020 to see if I could shoot him. He replied, “I’m thinking of going to Mexico.” I felt a strong urge to go too, so I asked him if I could go with him. That’s how my trip to Mexico was confirmed.

——Was there a particular reason as to why you felt that strong urge?

Hironaga: Sort of (laughs). It’s just my opinion, but skateboard culture was born in America, and when you look back at past skate videos and photos, America and Europe stand out culturally. I felt like Mexico must have many hidden spots and streets that haven’t been photographed yet. Maybe I felt curious to discover a hole-in-a-wall.

——You traveled there right in the middle of the pandemic, but were you aware of that?

Hironaga: Of course, Matt and I talked about not going, but we settled on the fact that there were probably sights we could only see then. I could look at the photobook ten years later and reflect on this covid era. It’s key to preserve that with photography.

——Many skaters aside from Matt Jackson are featured in the photobook. Are they all local skaters?

Hironaga: No. When I got to Mexico, my skater friends from LA were there by chance, and we decided to travel together. When we met up with them, their skater friends from Europe were there, too. So, we decided to go around together. Matt and I would go to where they were staying almost every day to hang out and skate. That’s how we spent the month. This photobook was made possible because of this happy coincidence; it manifested because we went at that period.

——You document skate cultures in LA and New York City. Did you see any differences between these two places and Mexico?

Hironaga: The economic disparity is even more acute in Mexico than in America. For instance, there could be a slum in the backstreets of high-rise buildings in the city. There were also street kids hanging out, so it left a deep impression on me.

From a skate spot angle, I saw a lot of spots that people wouldn’t skate at in America. Many places had floors that weren’t fit for skating, but it was so fun skating there. I also had a lot of pictures that I could’ve only taken there. In retrospect, the vibe is similar to America in some respects. What surprised me the most is they didn’t have burritos (laughs). I thought burritos were Mexican food this whole time.

——That’s true, I do associate Mexico with burritos, but they don’t have them (laughs). What did you eat there then?

Hironaga: Tacos, of course (laughs). They had endless options too. I mean, if you put ingredients on top of a tortilla, then you have yourself a taco. The ingredients and taste differed from vendor to vendor, so I didn’t get bored at all.

——You included photos of taco fillings that you must’ve eaten in the photobook. You also included pictures of the patterns on the walls at your accommodation, instead of only having skate photos. You successfully documented your daily life with skaters. Why did you also feature many pictures unrelated to skating?

Hironaga: I take portraits, lifestyle photos, and documentary-styled photos. Meaning I take personal photos. I made this photobook as an extension of that, so I also put pictures of slivers of my life. Of course, I think shots of skate tricks are cool, but many photographers have already shot amazing trick photos. I wanted to take pictures with my perspective and style.

The appeal of the lifestyles of skaters

——How would you describe your perspective?

Hironaga: I feel like the moments before and after a skater does a trick is more meaningful. Like, what their expression is like and how they interact with their friends before and after. How they celebrate with their skater friends after accomplishing a trick. How they spend time at home. I’m interested in those things.

——I see, so that’s how the viewer can see a particular lifestyle in your work.

Hironaga: Yes. In Mexico, I constantly took photos of seemingly mundane things. I have pictures of sights that the residents would consider ordinary. For example, there’s a shot of a car with a rope on it. I wouldn’t have taken that sort of photo if I only wanted to take and publish skate photos. I don’t strictly see myself as a skate photographer, so I took pictures of fruits, landscapes, and other ordinary things and put them together into one piece of work.

——The cover design is also striking.

Hironaga: I asked Matsumi-san (art director Takeshi Matsumi), who I worked with on HOME BOOK, to do the overall design, including the photobook layout. Rather than just designing the book, Matsumi-san helped me in many ways, so it’s like he produced the book for me (laughs). I scanned a bunch of scraps in the darkroom, where I developed the photos to make the cover art. It was a suggestion from Matsumi-san.

The desire to stay true to one’s point of view and continue creating art

——I’d like to know how you came to be a photographer. Skating is at the root of it, yes?

Hironaga: Yes. I moved from my hometown of Kumamoto to Los Angeles, the mecca of skate culture, when I was 22 years old, in part because I skated. I couldn’t speak any English, but I instantly made friends when I went out on the streets with my skateboard. They were separate from the image I had of skaters. I realized they were the real skaters. When I went there, I was shocked to discover that the world I had only witnessed in videos was entirely different. That’s when I started taking photos as documentation and became a photographer. I initially didn’t go to America to take skate photos.

——Did you plan on becoming a photographer right after you started taking pictures?

Hironaga: No, I didn’t at all back then. I had only been doing shoots here and there with a simple camera. But my friends would compliment my pictures and ask if I could give them photos for their zines. I slowly developed an interest and liking in the media of photography. That was the cycle. It was like I gradually became a photographer.

——You moved to America at 22, lived in LA for about six years, and have lived in New York for the past three years. You’ve been living in America for nine years in total, but what sort of city is Tokyo in your eyes?

Hironaga: I moved from Kumamoto to America right away without going to major cities, so I’ve never lived in Tokyo. For me, Tokyo is a city of chaos. My friends who live in Tokyo are all skaters, and they’re wild, so every time I visit Tokyo, it’s chaotic every day, every time (laughs). But if I were to come back from New York, I would currently choose to live in Tokyo. That’s how uniquely exciting Tokyo is.

——You moved from LA to New York, but unlike when you moved from Kumamoto to LA, I assume you wish to continue working in New York as a photographer today. What kind of things do you want to do in New York in the future?

Hironaga: Of course, I’ll continue to photograph skaters’ lifestyles as I’ve done thus far. However, I want to take pictures of things we overlook in our everyday lives or things that exist around us from a more minimal perspective and point of view. I’d like to make such works and contemporary conceptual art, which I’m currently into.

——You mean you want to try your hand at art forms aside from photography?

Hironaga: Yes. Rather than becoming a photographer specializing in skating, I’d like to evolve with skating as my origins. I highly respect Ari Markopolos and Wolfgang Tillmans, especially Tillmans’ work. In the beginning, he took lifestyle photography, but now he’s actively creating art too. That’s why I want to be like him. I’m looking forward to thinking about how I’ll change once I get back to New York and continue photographing. I want to continue creating artworks from my perspective.

Ryuta Hironaga
Japanese photographer based in New York. Ryuta Hironaga takes pictures centering on skateboard culture. His debut photobook OBREGÓN CIUDAD DE MÉXICO was published in October 2021.
Instagram: @ryutahironaga

■Ryuta Hironaga, OBREGÓN CIUDAD DE MÉXICO
(Kandor Inc)
The debut photobook by photographer Ryuta Hironaga. The book documents his trip to Mexico, where he stayed for a month from January 2021. The photographs include his friend and Jason Dill’s personal assistant, Matt Jackson, a skate team of the Russian skate brand Paccbet, skaters from Europe, and the sights and food of Mexico.

Photography: Yuta Kato

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Fashion and culture magazine THE NEW ORDER first launched in 2009. Today, 25 issues of the magazine have been sold all over the world, and it can be found stacked on the bookshelves of fashion and culture lovers. Japan-based James Oliver is the magazine’s editor-in-chief. Born in New Zealand, he has a unique background as a former professional soccer player.

A multi-talented editor, James does his own interviews and photoshoots, and in 2015, he started the female version of THE NEW ORDER (though it does not designate itself as such), her., which has released 12 volumes to date. What the two magazines have in common is their creator’s meticulous work and passion for print media. James’ perspective is present on every page, and each project featured in the magazine incorporates the sensibilities of the editors, photographers, stylists, and writers.

Not a single project caters to an advertising client, nor does a single page alienate its readers. With words from James, I’d like to explore the workings of independent magazines THE NEW ORDER and her.

After working on an online platform, James came to Japan wanting to make a magazine

“I published the first issue in March of 2009. I decided to make the magazine in January, so we quickly put it together and published it. But looking back on it now, it wasn’t that difficult. My brother and I began creating content, though we had no idea how to do it. So in any case, we started out by interviewing and shooting fashion brands and artists, gathering the articles, and publishing that.” (James Oliver)

The magazine editing process was one of trial and error, and according to James, THE NEW ORDER started out “a bit sloppy at first (laughs).” But this wasn’t his first experience as an editor; before THE NEW ORDER, he worked on the online resource SLAMXHYPE. First, let’s look back at what led him to this point.

James initially became interested in fashion and culture media at an early age. As a kid, he enjoyed both magazines and soccer, and from around age 15, his interests expanded to include music and other subcultures. “I used to buy THE FACE and i-D a lot. My mom already threw out the back issues [that were at my parent’s house in New Zealand] though (laughs).” As a student, James also skateboarded and liked streetwear brands such as Supreme and BAPE®. Once he became a professional soccer player at age 18, he began to introduce high-fashion brands such as Maison Margiela, Raf Simons, and Helmut Lang to his wardrobe. After several years as an athlete, he suffered an injury and could no longer be out on the field. That’s when he started the online street culture resource SLAMXHYPE with his brother. He continued managing the platform, gradually growing his clientele.

“As I kept at it, I began to find media work more and more interesting. I’ve always loved fashion, so I started wanting to go to Japan, a place with a rich fashion culture. I had no idea if I’d actually be able to work in fashion, and I couldn’t speak Japanese, but I just wanted to try it anyway. That was around 2007. I started to seriously consider making a physical magazine rather than an online one.” (James)

Thus, he released the first issue in 2009, after his arrival in Japan. His older brother would later leave the magazine due to differences in their approach to editing, and James was left to run THE NEW ORDER on his own.

“I started asking brands and artists to co-create content rather than just asking them for interviews. In the process, I wanted to build a proper relationship rather than just interviewing them however I wanted and publishing that.” (James)

On building strong relationships that are reflected in the content creation

Every person listed as a magazine contributor is key to building these relationships. The photographers and stylists involved in the production of THE NEW ORDER and her. are all well-known creatives at the forefront of fashion and culture. So, how exactly did James go about building relationships with them?

“At first, I didn’t know a lot about Japanese creatives, but I found them by looking at brand lookbooks and checking the staff credits. That’s how I learned names, but the relationships just seemed to come before I knew it…My circle grew through friends. For example, Ian Astbury (frontman of The Cult) agreed to be on the cover of the first issue, and that came about because of a connection through Shawn Mortensen (a photographer/photojournalist who passed away in 2009). Shawn was an old friend of mine. So, when I was creating content, I had the photographer take the lead, and from there, my circle grew to include stylists and hair & makeup artists. These days, the stylists come first a lot of the time. I talk to them about what kind of thing I want to shoot, and then we talk about who we’ll work with.” (James)

These days, it seems that many photographers and stylists approach James for collaborations. While he says he can’t respond to every request, it shows how influential THE NEW ORDER and her. continue to be. The covers of both magazines are graced by big names who aren’t usually seen in the media. On top of that, both magazines are particularly good at being the first to feature people who are going to become stars.

“The connections with the artists and creatives who agree to be on the cover come about in so many different ways. A lot of the time, a photographer or stylist that I’m good friends with refers or connects me to someone. For example, Billie Eilish (Vol. 07 of her., 2018) came about because the photographer, Kenneth Cappello, wanted to shoot her. At the time, Billie wasn’t as famous as she is today, and Kenneth wanted to put her on the cover around then. With Aimyon (Vol. 09 of her., 2019), I talked to stylist Masataka Hattori. Regarding Sean Pablo (Issue 21 of THE NEW ORDER, 2019), I talked to the photographer/videographer William Strobeck. Of course, there are a lot of times when I reach out to someone who I’ve personally had my eye on, and there are also times when I decide based on the content of the magazine. Yokoyama (Yokoyama Daisuke, designer of SASQUATCHFABRIX., who was featured in Issue 16 of THE NEW ORDER, 2017) is a drinking buddy of mine, and Hiroshi Fujiwara I had known for some time (Issue 11 of THE NEW ORDER, 2014. The other cover of issue 11 featured John Mayer, I have known him since I was back in New Zealand, we have been friends for more than 15 years now. With Liam Gallagher (Issue 22 of THE NEW ORDER, 2020), I got an offer from his record label, and they asked, “How about during his US tour?”, so I went to LA to shoot him. We were able to make it happen because I had a longstanding relationship with the record label, and the timing happened to be just right. The timing and the situation influence who is picked to be on the cover. It’s not like there’s a fixed way of doing it.” (James)

There must still be a demand for print media—what’s important is whether the content is something people want on paper.

To this day, James continues his work as the editor-in-chief while living in Japan. According to him, the reason he’s continued making magazines here is that he can dig into the deeper parts of fashion culture that one can’t find unless they’re in Japan. He says that’s particularly true of music.

“Japanese artists sing in Japanese, so if you live overseas, you don’t have many opportunities to experience the music coming out of Japan on a deeper level. I think that unless you live here, you don’t get to know the culture.” (James)

Still, print media faces a challenging climate these days. With the rise of the web and social media, it’s not uncommon for people to question the raison d’etre of fashion and culture magazines in particular. In fact, in Japan, a number of influential magazines have disappeared over the past few years. What does James think about the current state of print media?

“Even though I am the only full-time staff I am forever grateful for the long list of contributors. That as well as I have other work that allows me to survive. I think there is and will be a demand for it. Even I’ve been surprised at how many of both magazines have sold online. I think what’s important is whether the content you’re publishing is something people want in print form. If it’s the kind of book that people want to keep on their bookshelves rather than thrown away, I think there will continue to be plenty of people who want printed magazine.” (James)

THE NEW ORDER and her. have websites, and they share content online too. James doesn’t run the web version by himself, but with his partner. They link parts of the web to the magazine, and when video content is necessary, they use the web as a platform. Both are made with the same branding and worldview, but they don’t exactly proclaim any one magazine concept. If anything, it’s like James Oliver’s lifestyle is equivalent to the concept behind THE NEW ORDER and her.

With a smile, James says of his decision to continue making magazines: “Making print media is incredibly fascinating. I get to meet people I’ve wanted to meet and work with creatives who I want to create content with. It’s fun to be able to meet people, talk to them, and do photoshoots that way. Online [media] is important too, but I like making magazines.”

Whether the content needs to be on paper or not. That is the question.

People want to keep THE NEW ORDER and her. around precisely because they print their content on paper. Because the magazines convey the appeal of print media to their readers, there are still people who will get the magazines, despite the crisis that the industry faces today. When I consider that fact while reading both magazines, I realize that James creates things that make people go, “Ah, I get it.” When you read THE NEW ORDER or her., if you’re a fashion or culture lover, you may want to consider what kind of thinking and content is needed in print media. By doing that, you’ll be able to get a more tangible idea of what’s important to people in the modern day.

James Oliver
James Oliver is the founder of THE NEW ORDER and her. He is a photographer and creative director who also edits, writes, and shoots. Born in New Zealand, he’s been living in Tokyo for about 14 years.
http://thenewordermag.com
http://www.her-magazine.com
Instagram：@jamesoliver_tno

Photography Rintaro Ishige
Translation Aya Apton

The post Why James Oliver makes his magazines, THE NEW ORDER and her., out of Japan appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

Coming up with the name, tokyovitamin, to kick start a project

Vick is one half of the people at the helm of tokyovitamin. It all started when he met Kenchan, the other half. Throughout the years, the pair have taken on creative endeavors involving music, alongside friends who have come and gone. As such, tokyovitamin hasn’t been formed as a proper crew per se. “A hang-out spot for creative minds” might be an apt description. Instead of working with the same people, they keep an open mind, respect their friends’ views, and waste no time to get things done. Their work ethic is a breath of fresh air. What’s the origin of tokyovitamin? Vick answers:

“I used to live in New York, but I came back to Tokyo when I was in high school because that’s where my roots were. I wanted to make a collective centered on music from that time, but I didn’t have friends with similar interests that were as serious about trying this at the time. So, I just started going to parties and events I thought I would like. I searched for like-minded people who wanted to do something creative in those spaces.”

This dates back to 2016 when Vick was 22 years old. By going to and hosting many events, he met Kenchan. They didn’t talk too much for several months after they first met. However, they bumped into each other once again at the now-gone Trump Room in Shibuya, and they began hanging out. He also met rapper and community of tokyovitamin, Duke of Harajuku, around the same time. Vick met Duke through Kenchan, who went to the same university as him. He recalls back on this era.

“As people with a sense of drive, we naturally became friends as we started hanging out. I started to meet more people who thought we could make something happen together. Once we got to talking, we came up with so many ideas and things we wanted to do. I was still young and had a lot of time, so I started a project under the name tokyovitamin to get things going. I was like, ‘It doesn’t matter what we do, let’s just do it.’ That was the beginning.”

They started Vitamin Drop, the crew’s SoundCloud mix series, after thinking about releasing something. The guest DJs aren’t limited to the collective, as it features a varied roster of friends from around the world. People who work outside of music, such as clothing designers and those in retail, contribute mixes too. In this way, Vitamin Drop showcases diversity:

“Putting out mixes and hosting parties were things we first did as tokyovitamin. Aside from our communities, people who rarely DJ make mixes too. That’s because they seriously listen to new, current music. As I began to make more friends, I began to become close to people who love music. I started Vitamin Drop because I wanted to show their individuality and charisma. Simultaneously, by having guests from varying fields, I think we could communicate what tokyovitamin is to the world. I was excited to see what songs everyone selected, and putting a mix together is such a worthwhile thing.
“In terms of our parties, we try to create a playground for ourselves. It might sound like I’m trying to make our own scene with only the same people, but I consider those that come to our parties as friends who think the same way as we do.”

Vitamin Blue, tokyovitamin’s next steps as a label

In October 2020, around five years after the collective started, they released their first album under tokyovitamin titled Vitamin Blue.

“It’s a compilation album featuring rappers and DJs we’ve become close to. In other words, it’s an album we made with friends we connected with on our playground. This goes to people like Duke and Disk Nagataki, but everyone’s individual careers were picking up, so I thought the timing was right to release an album properly. We started making it in 2019, and we went back and forth about the release date, with coronavirus and everything. But we wanted to release it while it was still fresh, and that’s how we settled on the date. We wanted to throw a release party, but we couldn’t because of coronavirus. But releasing the album wasn’t enough, so we put out four music videos we had made beforehand.”

Accommodating Vitamin Blue is a video of the same name, featuring the four music videos and Vick breaking down what tokyovitamin is. Anyone who comes across the album and video will understand what it is tokyovitamin is doing.

The things tokyovitamin has accomplished so far are packed into Vitamin Blue. Partially thanks to the compilation format, the album is diverse and true to tokyovitamin, as seen in how they have hip hop as the laying foundation alongside house and dance tracks. Vick explains:

“Some communities like house music, and some like hip hop. We all listen to music regardless of the genre, and I feel like our generation — in the house and rap scene — is making interesting stuff. So, I wanted to mix [different genres]. Jin Dogg’s remix, LITTLE DEMON (DISK NAGATAKI BOOTLEG), is one example. I’ve always wanted to do something like this with tokyovitamin.”

The track in question is a blend of hip hop and house music; it truly represents how Tokyo is today. Bobby Yamamoto of YouthQuake created the cover art of the album. Vick asked Bobby to use a blue background with pink-colored pills in the foreground because he felt like the imagery of pills matched tokyovitamin’s vibe. The crew is closest to YouthQuake, which is a testament to tokyovitamin’s reach.

A sense of community fostered by clothes

After going through tokyovitamin’s history, Vick touches on their first pop-up shop. “I wanted to have a pop-up shop at the same time as the release of Vitamin Blue, but to be honest, the overall mood of the world was uncertain, and shops weren’t open as usual even in December. Of course, we didn’t have a party. But we couldn’t just do nothing, so we tried to do something during the day. On top of the pandemic, this was our first pop-up ever, so I was worried about how it was going to turn out. But as a result, so many people came, and I was happy. It wasn’t just our friends who came. People we didn’t know visited us, and they came wearing our friends’ clothes, like VERDY, CreativeDrugStore, YouthQuake, and FAF (FAKE ASS FLOWERS). When I saw that, I felt a sense of community through clothes. Like, ‘There are so many people who like our culture and relate to us.’”

There’s a reason tokyovitamin makes clothing aside from music:

“I’ve liked independent labels since I lived in America. For example, New York’s Fool’s Gold, PEAS & CARROTS INTERNATIONAL, and so on. I would watch them throw events and make merchandise with rappers or their friends, and it was so cool. I know what I like, so I want to expand the world of tokyovitamin’s merchandise. Instead of simply being a fashion brand, I want to produce goods we personally use at events and parties we go to.”

Like many artists, as a crew that has mainly done things where physical locations are key (such as parties), tokyovitamin is facing a predicament because of the pandemic.

“At the beginning of the pandemic, I had anxiety over not knowing what the future was going to be like. But we have to accept that this is the new normal now. We have to look for things we could do in this condition. Each person will work on their own thing — Kenchan will continue working as a VJ, Duke will continue making songs as a rapper, and Disk will continue DJing and producing — and our challenge is to do what we can in this situation. We might focus more on making clothes later on. Even if we can’t host events, we still want to release things we’re satisfied with. As a label, we still have a long way to go. So, I want to study more by creating [music], establish who we are as a brand, and work on our next compilation album.”

Recently, tokyovitamin had a pop-up at Ima:zine, a clothing store in Osaka, at the end of February. They’re planning on collaborating with clothing shops and releasing more music in the future.
tokyovitamin’s creations are unique and have no boundaries. Perhaps there’s a similarity between them and the explosive emergence of Tokyo’s youth culture in the 90s. What awaits tokyovitamin and their generation in the future? I can’t wait to see it.

Vick
Vick is the director of tokyovitamin, a collective with a focus on music. He’s also a DJ and produces music for Shibuya or Harajuku-based crews and artists of the same generation. tokyovitamin’s first compilation album, Vitamin Blue, released in October 2020, became a sensation.
Instagram：@vickokada / @tokyovitamin

Photography Ryo Kuzuma
Translation Lena-Grace Suda

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The post A portrait of Tokyo’s street culture and youth by tokyovitamin appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

“Devoting myself to what I like”

――You’re very active as an illustrator and manga artist, as seen in your numerous collaborations with different streetwear brands. I was personally surprised to see you teaming up with Neighborhood. You’re currently 21 years old, and it has been a few years since you’ve been based here in Tokyo. What do you think about where you are today?

JUN INAGAWA (Hereinafter JUN): To be honest, I haven’t been capable of keeping up with everything. It doesn’t feel like I worked with Neighborhood. Like, “did I actually collaborate with them?” I would go to their store to purchase their incense chambers, and luckily enough, I got introduced to Takizawa-san (the CEO of Neighborhood). He said, “let’s do something together,” and one thing led to another. In the beginning, I was worried if I was the right fit for them because they had never released products with anime girls on them before. But when I handed my design to them, Takizawa-san liked it, partially because of his daughter’s love for anime. The timing was just right. The experience was so valuable for me, and I am so grateful. I’ve collaborated with other brands too, but again, it feels surreal. All I do is draw in my room and send the data from my computer to the other person, so it never feels like, “I did it!” Even if people compliment me, I can only reply with “huh, really?” (laughs).

――You’re truly one of the most prominent young artists in Tokyo right now.

JUN: Really? When I think of the current generation, I think of people like YouthQuake, tokyovitamin, and Creative Drug Store. I bet they’re going to become legendary in Tokyo, but it’s nice because they do what they do without considering that. They would make music or whatever they wanted with their friends, and then the older generation and other people in the scene started taking an interest in them. That’s how they became well known, yeah? In my case, you can say collaborating with Neighborhood and designing the artwork for BiSH helped me get my name out there. I think we’re going to see more and more people express themselves authentically. Also, I don’t draw because I want to be popular in the scene; I’m just devoting myself to what I like. I have my universe, and my art and thoughts exist in said universe. Even if someone asks me to create something, I never compromise my artistic universe and my standards. I only work with brands and artists I know about well and sincerely think are cool.

Drawing girls who are honest with themselves

――There are quite a few girls in your artwork and collaborations. The magical girls (an anime and manga category of young girls who use magic to overcome conflict) you frequently post on your Instagram represent you well as an artist. Do they have a backstory or background?

JUN: There’s no specific backstory or anything, but you know how most people depict magical girls as these powerful and perfect ideals? I started drawing them because I thought it was better to have magical girls who possess a more human quality and are true to themselves. Before long, these characters were smoking and doing drugs. Whenever I would watch anime featuring magical girls with a strong sense of doing what’s right for others, I would assume weird things about them: “it doesn’t matter if they’re cute because they do bad things in the dark.” So, I decided to draw magical girls with their bad side out in the open. It’s not like I have a message I want to convey through these characters. Nothing deep. I’ve always enjoyed watching anime with girl protagonists and drawing girls, so it’s just an extension of that.

――What anime and manga have you grown up consuming?

JUN: In terms of magical girls, Puella Magi Madoka Magica was popular during my time. Additionally, there’s an anime called Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-Chan, which is a bit grotesque. This anime is similar to my worldbuilding. I wanted to draw these cute but violent girls who listen to and act on their instincts. Which explains why the magical girls I draw are true to themselves. I have never thought about this so intensely before (laughs).

――When did you start liking anime and manga?

JUN: I started liking them from elementary school, but I got into anime and manga in middle school. I especially loved the manga series, Kissxsis. When I first read it, something knocked me awake like, “this is it!” I got infatuated from that point onwards. I discovered what sort of fictional world I liked after reading Hayate the Combat Butler, and my obsession grew more. I read through the famous ones like The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, CLANNAD, and Angel Beats!

――You read countless manga that were adapted to anime.

JUN: Yeah. The first manga series I started buying periodically was Attack on Titan. I started buying it when I was around 13, but it wasn’t everyone’s go-to manga to read back then. It’s comforting to know I can still buy and read the series even now that I’m over 20 years old. I began getting into the dark fantasy genre afterward, like Tokyo Ghoul. I’ve consumed countless anime and manga, so once I start talking about my favorites, it’s endless. Love Hina is good too! An older person recommended it to me. I also love Kengo Hanazawa’s Ressentiment and Boys on the Run. Boys on the Run was made into a movie, and I love Kazunobu Mineta (actor and frontman of Ging Nang Boyz), who was in it.

Big inspirations: Ging Nang Boyz and The Mad Capsule Markets

――You just mentioned Kazunobu Mineta, and you have Ging Nang Boyz and The Mad Capsule Markets merchandise and records everywhere in your room. I’m surprised by the amount of merch you have since The Mad Capsule Markets disbanded and are from another era (laughs).

JUN: I found out about The Mad Capsule Markets two, three years ago. I used to listen to hip hop and anime songs, but I discovered Japanese rock music through The Mad Capsule Markets. I got into Blue Hearts, then Ging Nang Boyz. Right now, I’m listening to Green Day and Oasis, and other bands that inspired Ging Nang Boyz. I love The Mad Capsule Markets and listen to them a lot.

――The Mad Capsule Markets were active when festivals like Air Jam were big. What do you like about the band?

JUN: You know how doing something you’re not supposed to do makes you feel good? I felt excited whenever I listened to music that was considered inappropriate. Also, their early music and later music sound quite different; their diverse range amazes me. My favorite album of theirs is 4 Plugs (1996), and I listen to “KAMI-UTA” and “S・H・O・D・O・K・U” a lot. No one can watch The Mad Capsule Markets play live anymore, but I saw AA= live, which is Takeshi Ueda’s project. It was so impactful.

――The Mad Capsule Markets, AA=, and Ging Nang Boyz all sound vastly different from each other.

JUN: True. There might not be many people that like both Ging Nang Boyz and The Mad Capsule Markets. When I came across Kimi to Boku no Dai 3ji Taisen-teki Renai Kakumei (2005), I felt impacted in a way I had never experienced before. Songs like “Ano Musume Ni 1 Miri Demo Chokkai Kaketara Korosu” and “Ano Ko Wa Ayanami Rei Ga Suki” off of DOOR (2005) are so unique to them. I got hooked on the band, and then Kazunobu Mineta shortly after; I watched the movies and TV series he was in and read all his interviews. I even went further and visited his family business, Mineta Denki, in Yamagata prefecture.

――That’s a testament to how much you like him (laughs).

JUN: In the store, there’s a section dedicated to Kazunobu Mineta, and I wrote in this notebook they had, where people could write their message to him (laughs). I have the receipt from when I shopped there alongside GOING STEADY’s Seishunjidai poster in a picture frame.

――Another vital part of your background is the streetwear and skate culture in Los Angeles. When you were there, you collaborated with VLONE and were friends with A$AP Rocky and skaters connected to Supreme.

JUN: Yeah, that’s a part of my roots too. I liked Fucking Awesome and would draw pictures of Supreme’s skate crew and post them on Instagram. One day Na-Kel Smith contacted me saying, “this is cool, can I have it?” Then, Sean Pablo’s brand, PARADISE.NYC, reached out to me and we started making clothes together. I think it was at that point when I began to connect with a lot of other people.

If you love and care about something, that makes you an otaku

――Akiba Post, which is also written here on this shirt, is a phrase I see on your social media a lot recently. Is it your brand?

JUN: Nope, Akiba Post is the name of a newspaper I’m trying to create. It’s an Akihabara version of the New York Post, hence the name. I’m thinking of making a newspaper about Akihabara in the year 2030. This newspaper is actually in my manga too. The newspaper my characters read is the Akiba Post. I want these two worlds to collide, so I’m planning on drawing Akihabara-related events set in the future. Once it’s complete, I want to release it in a zine-like format. What you see on my page is a foreshadow.

――It’s rare to see someone making connections in the skate scene while making waves in the fashion scene by pushing Akihabara’s otaku culture into the foreground. What does otaku mean to you?

JUN: For me, otaku isn’t a label, but a lifestyle. If you have something you can obsess over, then I think that makes you an otaku. For a while, I used to post illustrations that were a mix of anime, hip hop, and streetwear aesthetics. In other words, it was a fusion of moe (often used in otaku circles, this term expresses affection towards something cute) and streetwear aesthetics, but people often misunderstand where I’m coming from. What I’m doing is drawing the things I genuinely like; the mix of different subcultures is unintentional. It just so happens that it ends up looking like I purposefully combined anime, hip hop, and streetwear aesthetics. People traditionally ascribe the Moe Moe or Akihabara category to Japanese otakus, but I feel like my perception of anime and manga differ from them.

The dream is to get involved with Kazunobu Mineta

――It seems to me, the city of Akihabara plays an integral role in your worldbuilding. Do you like Akihabara?

JUN: I do. Akihabara is different from other cities. I can’t believe it exists in Japan. The people, lifestyle, and the way the city operates are so different. I’ve always liked going there because it’s like going to another country. Recently, because some parts have turned touristy, Akihabara has become more mainstream. But it still has its own magic. Even regarding fashion, I feel like the movement was born precisely due to its location. For instance, New Balance sneakers have become a staple because of the long hours they spend walking around. Meaning, there is a logical reason behind the clothes they choose to wear. They put on practical clothes that make sense with their lifestyle without caring about trends or other people. Otaku culture nurtured in Akihabara is extremely interesting, and I like the overall vibe there.

――Do you have any illustrations or art you want to draw?

JUN: Akiba Post, which I mentioned before, is one. I would also like to make collages too, not just drawings. I love Weirdo Dave’s zine, “Fuck This Life.” It’s cool. If I could use old anime materials and create a collage using only anime girls, that would be so fun. In terms of drawing, I’m working on something inspired by The Timers’ artwork.

――Lastly, could you talk about your goals and aspirations?

JUN: I want to get involved with Ging Nang Boyz, no matter how that looks like. Well, I am too intimidated to create their album artwork. I can even clean for them or send their artwork date to a printing service (laughs). That’s how much I look up to Mineta-san. It would be a dream if I could do something with him.

――That’s love. What would you do if you got asked to have a chat with him?

JUN: Naturally, I would love to do it, but I would get way too nervous and freeze up. It doesn’t have to be that scale! For real, I want to help them send whatever material they need to print out. It’s all I want to do (laughs). If I can do something like that, I will cry from happiness.

JUN INAGAWA
JUN INAGAWA was born in 1999, in Tokyo. He moved to San Diego in 2012 and returned to Tokyo in 2018. As an artist, he collaborates with brands, produces artwork for musicians, and is molding a new kind of otaku.
Instagram：@jun.inagawa
https://www.instagram.com/jun.inagawa/

Photography Hidetoshi Narita
Translation Lena-Grace Suda

The post Defining “otaku” with 21-year-old artist JUN INAGAWA appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

In 2019, a singer/songwriter from New York, Gus Dapperton has released his debut album, Where Polly People Go to Read. Even before his glorious debut, he has been reputed undersurface to be the new locomotive of Indie Pop and lauded especially by the youth all around the world.
His quirky style comprised of the colorful hair that has been changing from blue, red, to green, his pastel color outfits, and genderless fashion—He emancipates his creativity and it exudes from his unique look, appearing exceptionally new and fresh to us.
In his second album that has released this year in September, Orca, is chock full of personal narrative, and we can capture his significant transformation as an expressive artist. So, what is music as a form of art to Dapperton? What does he feel like being praised as a Pop icon? What kind of artist is he? —You are about to find out the answers from his words.

The admiring rock stars and artists made the person I am today

――Your second album released this September, Orca, carries out the worldview of the first album, yet we felt that there were more songs depicting your personal stories and dark emotions.
In the past, you have mentioned that making your second album Orca was therapeutic. After completing Orca, do you think the way you express yourself has changed?

Gus Dapperton (Hereinafter Gus): I believe so. My approach to music is slightly different from before. I have various motives for writing songs: One is because it’s merely enjoyable and I have passion towards it. Yet, making this album (Orca) was more of a therapeutic process…
I want to keep making music with more than one reason—

I don’t want to only write songs about love and relationships; I also want to convey what’s happening in the world, the important things around me, and dark themes at times.
Hopefully one day, I can be involved with different projects such as producing other artists or featuring as a guitarist in other artists’ songs.
I’m less eager now in creating more albums—I’m more focused on assessing what each and every music means to me.

――One of the changes for your new album is that you brought Spike Stent for the mixing—You’ve been doing the production all by yourself in the past, so was it different having an outsider onboard for the first time?

Gus: In the past, mixing and mastering had been all done by myself, in a way, I felt obligated to do these tasks by myself; I didn’t quite know how to rely on someone for these processes. Luckily, I honed the skills and became pretty good at producing and mixing.
For the new album, I was introduced to Spike Stent—who I have been a great fan of—through someone we know in common; and we got to work together. After hearing the mix infused with his interpretation, I was instantly satisfied, enthralled and excited. I had only sent him a concise note of the sound I wanted to achieve, but he sent me back the perfect “that’s-the-one!” sound—Like everything I yearned for in the album was already there.

――We could hear Ambient, New Wave, HIPHOP conflated in the music you make. How do you dig tunes?

Gus: There are so many ways (to dig music)—I listen to music recommended by my friends, that my parents used to play often, that I find on YouTube, recommended by somebody… In the old days, I used to go to record stores to buy CDs and records. I would also Shazam the songs or Google parts of the lyrics to search the songs.
I’m very much influenced by New Wave and synth sounds from the 80’s—I’m trying to create something of my own by garnering the pieces of music from different eras and genres.

――What are the roots that compose your style? What kind of music and artists inspired you to become interested in music?

Gus: Since little, I was raised listening to big artists who represent in each generation, like The Beatles, The Smiths, David Bowie, and Michael Jackson. I have not grown up only listening to the 80’s New Wave, but I also listened to 60’s Rock’n’roll and old school Hip Hop—J.Dilla, Madlib, MF Doom to name a few.

――Speaking of 60’s Rock’n’roll, in the past, you have performed “Twist and Shout” during your live set. Would you say your style is also largely influenced by these classics?

Gus: Regarding The Beatles, I’m greatly influenced by them as a songwriter, and both their lyrics and tracks were cutting-edge at that time—They were precursors. My music is overall laidback, but my live set is more towards Rock’n’roll. I perform “Twist And Shout” whenever I can.

――And has it inspired you in any other way, not only in music?

Gus: Of course! Not only Rock’n’roll artists, but musicians in general present themselves as much as they can on stage. I’ve seen many musicians rocking out 100% and that inspires me. Whatever the outcome is I strive to stay true to myself. I would say the admiring “rock stars” and musicians have influenced me and the way I portray myself today.

――Do you get inspirations from movies and TV dramas to express yourself in music?

Gus: Yes, I get inspirations from movies. I think there is a direct correlation between films and music—The structure of the sound and music are very similar. I subconsciously pick up the components from fashion, music, and movies and gradually infuse them into one experience. I wouldn’t say I get directly influenced by the movies, though. I like to concoct and develop the ideas in my head like I’m making my own movie. For instance, when I’m writing a song, I conceive a music video that would fit the song, and visually imagine or come up with a story at the same time. To name a few of my favorite titles, when I was little, I was all about the Harry Potter series. I also loved watching The Sandlot, Donnie Darko, and Ocean’s Eleven. Recently, The Devil All The Time on Netflix was a really good one. In movies that came out a while ago, I enjoyed Waves and Call Me By Your Name.

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I choose fashion with my taste. Gender does not matter.

――People admire your fashion. What are your favorite fashion style and brands? And, what are the reasons why you like those style/brands.

Gus: There isn’t a specific style that I go by, but I do have couple favorite brands: Eckhaus Latta, BODE, and COS. These brands have items with the perfect fit for me. Their designs are basic but, for example, they make pants that are slightly high-waist and wide fit and shirts with a beautiful silhouette.
There isn’t one favorite style that I could pick out, but I would say I prefer an oversized fit.
Regarding colors, my preference changes depending on the season, but nowadays, I’m in the mood for green, brown, blue, ashy natural colors. By the way, my current hair color is blue.

――With your blue hair, tattoo, and fashion, a lot of people say your style is genderless. Is that intended? Do you try to achieve the genderless look?

Gus: I don’t particularly try to dress and look genderless. I think fashion is an art form that clearly defines gender. On the other hand, in music, women do not only listen to female singers or men do not only listen to male singers; and it’s the same with movies. However, for some reason, in fashion, women are guided to wear women’s clothes, and men to wear men’s clothes.
I’m not always pleased with how men’s clothes fit me though, and often times, I prefer the fit of women’s pants on me. My friends never care whether I wear a women’s or men’s clothes—They would only complement the way they look on me; they would say, “nice pants!” or “cool shirt!” This is how I’ve always dressed.

Staying bona fide and trying to innovate and enhance the world

――You are now a Pop icon admired by young adults in America. How would you define Pop icon? Also, how do you feel about being called a Pop icon?

Gus: I think Pop icon refers to somebody in the latest mainstream music industry, and I wouldn’t say that’s me, because Pop icon should be someone who is extremely famous, mainstream, and accessible to anyone.
There are times I honestly cannot understand the kids in TikTok, which makes me feel old. However, I do get thrilled when my song is played in someone’s TikTok and people talk about it.
I just think music and art cannot be fabricated on-a-reg in mass. I’m hoping to create something innovative as I stay deeply attached to these art forms.

――It’s an abstract question, but what is music to you?

Gus: For me, music is a common language, but that may not apply to every single person as unfortunately there are hearing-impaired people—They can still feel the vibrations from the music, though. I think music is an universal language that can be communicated across the world.
For example, there are foreign songs that I extremely love but I cannot read their lyrics. I could resonate to these songs as much as those who speak the languages. In that sense, I think music is one of the mediums to connect with people all around the world. Listening to the melody, the singing voice, and being mesmerized by the professional performances—We can easily perceive music without thinking hard at all, and I think that’s what’s incredible about it.

――Now, how would you explain yourself, the artist Gus Dapperton?

Gus: I guess, he is a person who strives to enhance the world of music, and stay true in simply making music and art. I’m not trying to be appealing to anyone—I’m just making music for myself and sharing that to the world; as I’ve been saved by others through music, I wish to make a difference in someone else’s life, too.
I want to continuously stay true in any aspect and play part in improving or innovating the world.

――Now, because of Covid, it’s hard for artists to do live shows. How has the whole Covid situation impacted you, especially after March of 2020? What kind of music would you like to create in the future?

Gus: This January, I had decided to take a time off from touring for a while. Soon after, the pandemic started and consequently the break became longer. It’s been ten months since the last time I performed in front of people. Now, I really miss playing live shows. I’m using this time to look back and study my past performances, though—It’s a good opportunity to find new ways to showcase my performance and connect with people. Actually, I’ve already done three livestreaming shows, and they were so much fun. Livestreaming feels the same as performing live shows. The only difference is that you cannot see the audience’s reactions directly. I also streamed my recorded live show, and watched it with my bandmembers and others, which I really enjoyed and was a new experience to me—I had always wondered “how would it be if I were to enjoy my own show as an audience?”
In the future, I would like to challenge on making film scores, and make instrumental or ambient music that would go well with the visuals.

Gus Dapperton
A singer/songwriter from New York. A 23-year-old, as of year 2020. As soon as he debuted, he immediately won the hearts of the youth all around the world and has been extolled as the Gen Z Pop icon. Released his 2nd album, Orca in September, 2020.
http://gusdapperton.com/
Instagram：@gusdapperton

Translation Ai Kaneda

The post Unraveling The New York’s New Pop Icon, Gus Dapperton’s True Identity and The Epicenter of His Creativity appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.