On the 10th March 2011 – Dan Reyes, Jesse Perez and myself went to Japan for the trip of a lifetime. The day after we landed, a 9.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Sendai, triggering a tsunami that would go on to leave over 20,000 people dead.
Bewildered by the horrible scenes unfolding in front of us, and as piles of concerned messages from family and friends back home came in, we assessed our options in Osaka and Kyoto.
But while the TV broadcasts were locked on 24 hours a day detailing the disaster, walking the streets would reveal a different side of Japan that wasn’t shown on news services around the world.
The three of us saw a resilient nation, obviously shaken by the disaster, but determined to not let it affect their way of life.
There were true moments of reverence, reflection and gratitude, but there were also times of sheer, unwavering resilience, and a sense of embracing life, not fearing it. Sake was poured, the dead were honoured, and the Japanese subscription to beauty, liveliness, quirkiness and friendliness was adhered to.
It was this beauty in strength that caused us to fall in love with Japan during that strange and harrowing time.
This is our love letter to Nihon.
CREDITS
Director: Jesse Perez
Produced by: Jesse Perez
Filmed by: Jesse Perez & Dan Reyes
Photography by: Alex Wain & Dan Reyes
Music by: Penguin Cafe Orchestra
VIEW ENTIRE PHOTO GALLERY HERE
