Herbie Yamaguchi - Tokyo Eyes

Herbie Yamaguchi
Tokyo Eyes

Published by Super Labo, 2022
Size: 22 x 23 cm
48 Pages - 40 images
Softcover
Languages: English, Japanese
ISBN 978-4-908512-56-8

Until a few years ago, before the Covid-19 pandemic, I would have instantly distanced myself from people walking towards me wearing black masks because I thought they looked suspicious. Since wearing masks has become a regular routine, those wearing black masks appear to me as stylish individuals who fashionably coordinate their masks with their clothes. It's incredible how much our mask-wearing habit has changed perceptions. To me now, people wearing masks look more beautiful than ever because their eyes seem to shine all the brighter and with a strong will. While it's also true that some people only wear makeup around their eyes, they strive to express their feelings with their eyes alone. As the saying goes, "the apple of one's eye," such eyes are captivating. There are also people who feel more comfortable wearing masks. Among them, many want to wear masks even after the pandemic is over. In Western countries, a prevailing opinion is that people want to take off their masks as soon as possible because it's difficult to read other people's feelings. This certainly makes sense, as many people in Japan are also concerned about the relationship between young children and their caregivers, who are masked. Nevertheless, a face mask is an important element in saving humans from the Covid catastrophe.

While many of the photographs included in this book were taken in Tokyo, some were photographed in other places such as Fukuoka and Fukushima, and so I should have titled the book "Japanese Eyes." However, I dared to title it, Tokyo Eyes. Apples of eyes, love, and clues from Japan to the world. What must we learn from now on, and what will save human beings?