As we grow up, we start following all kinds of rules just to fit into society.

But when it comes to zines, there are no set rules. It can take any shape, cover any topic. You can make it however you want.
Yet, because we've been conditioned to follow the rules, being told we can "do whatever we want" leaves us feeling confused.

When we were kids, we didn’t care about rules—we’d draw on white walls with pens and follow our curiosity wherever it led us.
Making a zine is all about tapping back into that creativity we had as kids.

This time, I'm sharing a unique zine that shows even something like this can be called a zine.

Table of Contents

• 🧃 I'll be speaking at the Ricoh GR event in Shibu …

  • 🚩 ZINE PARK SHIBUYA

  • 🚩 GR BAR

• 🚀 The zines were letters from strangers.

• 💐 It was an experience only possible through the …

• 🥑 Restocking the Contact Sheet Prints

• 🕺 See You Again Next Tuesday

🧃 I'll be speaking at the Ricoh GR event in Shibuya on Oct 12th

On October 12, 2024, I’ll be joining street photographers Tatsuo Suzuki(@tatsuo_suzuki_001) and Kyosuke Hamao(@kyosuke_6250_bw) for a talk at the GR BAR event in Shibuya, Tokyo.
The talk will be facilitated by photographer Takehiko Nakafuji. I’m not sure yet what the theme will be, but I’m really looking forward to it!

There’ll also be a one-day-only exhibition featuring work from members of VoidTokyo, FRAME TOKYO, and TOKYO SPC. If you’re in Tokyo, come check it out! I’ll post the event time on my Instagram soon.

On the same day, I’ll also be at the “ZINE PARK SHIBUYA” zine event at Miyashita Park in Shibuya, the same location as the GR event. I recommend checking that out before heading to the GR event. If you’ve got time, we could even go take some photos together afterward!

🚩 ZINE PARK SHIBUYA

• Date: Saturday, October 12th, 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM

• Location: 4th Floor of MIYASHITA PARK (MAP)

• Note: Grass area in front of Starbucks

🚩 GR BAR

• Date: Saturday, October 12th, 3:30 PM – 8:00 PM

• Location: or MIYASHITA PARK (MAP)

🚀 The zines were letters from strangers.

Zines don’t have to be in book form. Anything printed can be a zine, and this one reminded me of that.

A few years ago, I stumbled upon these letters at a bookstore that sells zines. The envelopes were sealed, so I couldn’t see what was inside. Intriguing phrases like “A letter from a Polaroid camera,” “Resignation letter,” “A letter from Tuesday,” and “A letter from the nose” were written on the outside.

Each one was 150 yen, about 1 USD, so picking up a few wasn’t a big deal.

I just had to know what was inside, so I bought all the ones that caught my attention.

💐 It was an experience only possible through the format of a letter.

When I got home, I carefully tore open the envelopes, making sure not to accidentally tear the letters inside.

In the “Letter from a Polaroid Camera,” it started with the sounds of the camera: “click, whirr, pop” as it took a photo and printed it out.
The letter continued from the perspective of the Polaroid camera, starting with, “It’s been a while, how have you been?”

Yes, these were short stories in the form of letters—and they were zines.

These letters offered an experience that was different from a typical novel or zine. The act of opening an envelope itself was thrilling. Once you tore it open, you couldn’t go back, and the mystery of not knowing who the letter was from added to the excitement.

In today’s digital age, where communication rarely takes the form of letters, the physical presence of these letters held its own unique value.

If it’s just about delivering information, digital formats work just fine. Even a novel can reach more readers online.

But how you choose to deliver something depends on what you value. In the case of these letter zines, it wasn’t just the words or data of a story that mattered—it was the tactile experience of receiving a physical letter.

This letter zine is titled “BOOKSOUNDS: A Letter from Someone.” It seems to only be available in Japan, but you can purchase it online for just 165 yen. If you’re interested, definitely check it out!

🥑 Restocking the Contact Sheet Prints

Lastly, here's an announcement: The contact sheet prints that were previously available for a limited time are now back on sale. There are two types of prints, so be sure to check them out on my website!

🕺 See You Again Next Tuesday

That’s it for this week’s edition.

Thank you so much for reading all the way through! If you found this helpful, feel free to share using the social buttons below the title. And of course, you can also capture any part that caught your interest and share it on Instagram.

You can also "like" or leave a comment using the buttons below the title, so I’d love to hear your feedback!

I’m also planning to feature zines made by my subscribers, so if you’re working on a zine or have already made one, hit me up on Instagram!

See you again next Tuesday!