Your Spark Can Inspire Someone Else

It’s been about 5 months since I started selling 404 CONTACT SHEETS back in May.
Nearly 150 people have picked up a copy so far—and to everyone who’s purchased and supported it, thank you so much.

I recently sent out a short survey to those who bought it, and reading the responses honestly gave me a lot of courage. I felt so encouraged and motivated by the thoughtful comments people shared.

One keyword that stood out from the survey was “inspiration.”

The idea for 404 CONTACT SHEETS came from books like MAGNUM CONTACT SHEETS and Daido Moriyama’s LABYRINTH. Both have been huge sources of inspiration for me personally.

Looking at contact sheets shows how photographers approach the same subject in different ways.
Unlike a photo book, contact sheets let you see the images that weren’t selected, which gives you a glimpse into the photographer’s decision-making process—why one frame was chosen over another.

When I look at contact sheets like these, I start to think, “Next time, maybe I’ll try shooting a subject this way,” or “Maybe I should go to this kind of place to take photos.” It sparks endless ideas for me.

But both MAGNUM CONTACT SHEETS and Moriyama’s LABYRINTH mostly feature old photographs. In the case of LABYRINTH, the contact sheets span decades, starting from the 1960s.
Even though it’s the same Japan, the streets and people’s lives back then were completely different from what they are now.

That’s why I wanted to make a contact sheet book that reflects the present—one that could inspire photographers living in today’s world.
That became the main reason I created 404 CONTACT SHEETS.

This zine includes everything from contact sheets of pole dancers in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho, to night scenes in the city, the Sanja Festival (also known as the “Yakuza Festival”), portraits of youth in Tokyo’s club scene, ruins of coal mines, Ainu ceremonies in Hokkaido, and even the launch of Japan’s H3 rocket—all moments I’ve experienced and photographed over the past 2 years, packed into 116 pages.

There was another reason I chose to compile all these photos as contact sheets:

“In just 2 years, I’ve taken this many photos. What about you?”

That’s the message I wanted to send.
It’s also one of my biggest motivations to keep photographing.

I used to have a cousin my age. But when he was 20, he chose to end his life.

Every time I make a zine, I think of him and feel something rise up inside me:

“Since you left, I’ve experienced so many things. Life is full of interesting moments—you were a fool to end it so early.”

After I picked up a camera, life became so much more enjoyable.
I think many people who do photography probably feel the same way. A camera connects us to new people, new journeys, and new places—it expands our world.

I want to keep photographing and turning my work into print, as a way of showing my late cousin the joy of still being here—and leaving something behind for those who come after us.

That’s why I keep creating zines—not just for my late cousin, but also because I’d be truly happy if they could inspire someone out there.

As the survey showed, we buy zines because we find inspiration in other people’s work.
And to inspire others, we as creators need to cherish our own moments of inspiration—those small sparks of “What if I tried this?”

Our sparks connect to someone else’s.
So I hope you keep discovering new zines, finding inspiration, and turning your own ideas into something tangible through the medium of print.

Each person’s spark of inspiration can encourage someone else—and sometimes, it might even save a life.

By the way, you can now get 404 CONTACT SHEETS as a special-price bundle with the updated 404 NOT FOUND Vol.2.1. If you’re interested, go check it out!

Check out the 404 Bundle Set →

New YouTube Video Out Now!

We just released a new zine from FAR EAST DARKROOM—alibi vol.01 by Chinese photographer Zeehaan, featuring scenes from Shanghai.

To celebrate, I made a short video walking through Tokyo’s Kabukicho with Zeehaan, talking about the stories behind his zine.
The ending audio of the video is my favorite part, so I hope you’ll watch it all the way through!

Watch the video on YouTube →

FED: Photo of the Week

On the FAR EAST DARKROOM website, I’ve started a new section called “Photo of the Week” on the homepage, where I feature one photo each week.

Last week’s pick was this beautiful shot by MI LU.

So, what’s the next photo I picked?

Check out this week’s Photo of the Week on the site →

🦖 Come hang out with me on Instagram → @_nuts.tokyo_

🪐 New videos on zines & photography up on YouTube

🧃 Curious about Japanese and Asian zines? Visit FAR EAST DARKROOM.