🚀 From Exhibition to Zine: What I Showed, What I Made

Sorry for the three-week silence—I’ve been off the grid, fully immersed in preparing for my latest exhibition and creating a brand new zine.

On May 1st and 2nd, I held a two-day-only photo show. Despite it being on weekdays, I was honestly moved by how many people showed up. In this edition, I’ll be recapping the exhibition and introducing the new zine I unveiled there!

Table of Contents

• 🍌 A Photo Show Where You Dig With Your Hands—Not …

• 🧠 Look Again, See Deeper

• 📟 The best issue of the 404 series yet.

• 🍑 Some Snapshots from the Show

• 🔄 Catch Up on What You Missed

🍌 A Photo Show Where You Dig With Your Hands—Not an Algorithm

This time, I teamed up with YOUNG HAMA, GASO, and Haruki to host a group exhibition.

The theme? DIGGING.
We didn’t frame the prints—we taped them directly onto the walls, hung some from the ceiling, and others from hangers, and placed boxes full of prints on tables, inviting people to dig through them freely and find the one photograph that spoke to them.

Just like crate digging for vinyl, the idea was to let people dig through the photos themselves, discovering that one photograph that hits different.

GASO’s got serious drawing skills—during the show, he was live-doodling right on top of the photos, and it was incredible to watch. I really admire people who can just draw like that, improvising on the spot.

🧠 Look Again, See Deeper

Along with a box full of darkroom prints on the table, what I chose to display on the wall were my contact sheets. What I wanted to convey through this show was simple: as photographers—especially street photographers—we’re the ones who pay attention to what most people overlook. We spot the unnoticed, the fleeting, the ordinary moments and turn them into photographs.

So in this exhibition, I wanted to flip the perspective a bit. I wanted to say: I want you to dig through these photos—not just to look, but to really see. Find something in the mess, just like we do on the street.

That said, before the exhibition, I honestly thought most people would just walk past my contact sheets without paying much attention. But in reality, a lot of people took the time to really look at each frame—and that made me genuinely happy.

📟 The best issue of the 404 series yet.

And of course, these contact sheets include a lot of photos I’ve never shared anywhere—no social media, no exhibitions. They’re the real “404 not found” kind of shots.

Some of you might’ve already noticed.

Yep, I made a brand new 404 zine for this exhibition. And it’s built entirely from contact sheets, including the ones I showed at the venue!

The title is simple and straight to the point: 404 CONTACT SHEETS - NUTS.TOKYO.

I’ve spent the past three weeks pouring all my time into making this zine, just in time for the exhibition. It ended up being 116 pages—honestly, it feels more like a book than a zine at this point. But I can confidently say, this is the best zine I’ve ever made.

I’m really happy that so many people picked up a copy at the exhibition.

Of course, this zine is also available online. And for those of you reading this newsletter right now—there’s a special bonus just for you.

As a little gift for newsletter subscribers only: if you order the 404 CONTACT SHEETS zine by May 14, I’ll include a special 8x10 contact sheet of the rocket launch photos—printed by me in the darkroom.

So don’t wait—grab your copy now!

And this zine isn’t just a one-time release. Including this exhibition, I’m planning to host more events centered around this zine in the future. The 404 journey has only just begun—so stay tuned for what’s next🚀

💣️ 404 CONTACT SHEETS - NUTS.TOKYO

🍑 Some Snapshots from the Show

And to everyone who came to the exhibition—thank you so much. It truly made me happy to see you all in person. Hope to catch you again at the next event!

Also, a big thank you to everyone reading this newsletter all the way to the end. I really appreciate you taking the time, and I’m sending good vibes your way from Tokyo.

See you next week—see ya✌️

🔄 Catch Up on What You Missed

I’ve put out some content recently that I’m really proud of—check it out:

• These Photos Mean a Lot to Me.

• A Zine That Feels More Zine Than Most “Zines”

• Turn Your Contact Sheets into Art: The Darkroom Trick You’ll Love

• 5 Zine Cover Inspirations You Won't See at Bookstores

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