Hideki Omori became the driving force behind the spread of the "Toy Camera" in Japan. Currently, "super-Heads", which operates the shopping site of toy cameras, such as the still photo book publishing label of "power shovel Books" management with a focus on, we have a wide range of activities toy camera to the shaft. The college frequenting the music cafe of Dogenzaka, when you set up the office Omori, who said, "other than Shibuya was not in the eye" is, the reason to stick to Shibuya to there?

- Please tell me the Shibuya of the encounter.

University and at the same time, was moved to Meguro to Tokyo from Tokushima Prefecture. So I began to go to Shibuya music cafe. I Is it long ago 25 years. In When I was just out reggae fashion, Stones and punk and reggae had flowed together. In particular, the black holes and BYG of Dogenzaka, went well. In the 300 yen coffee, all day long, I because nothing was said to be Neba'. But towards the Shinjuku music cafe was often, it sill was easy to go lower or to young people of much more of the Shibuya store is 18 years old.

- That in addition to Do you have memories of the location of the school days.

At that time, photographer Daido Moriyama's is a room in the old building in the temple Miyamasuzaka, I've been on Home and personal gallery. It was named "Room 801". Because it was like to watch the photo, he was carrying the often foot. But for the time being opening time is determined, we have or have closed the key and Mr. Moriyama is going out. Moriyama's is has taken a lot of the city of Shibuya, shops and sign is reflected in the photos at that time, something in the manhole not a few things that still remain. If think so, Shibuya, seems to have changed, might not changed much. Because I also was young, I did not or views of the city carefully, Miya Miyamasuzaka and Sakuragaoka, per hundred hotels shop liked from that time. Especially in Sakuragaoka because there was the office of "locking on", it was a holy place for us of music lovers. When I first walked Sakuragaoka, it was impressed.

- After graduating from college, do you have followed any way.

From out of college, I was for a while hang out. Or rather to have moved out, I though I was fired (laughs). Because it was also like the movie, if you are the bytes in Shinjuku of a movie theater in college, I took a voice and do not help out because held the Tokyo International Film Festival at its edge. So it was a chore, and was involved in the second round of the Film Festival the first time. At that time the office of the Film Festival have entered the second floor of Shibuya of building in, ask to lend for free because the first floor was vacant, it had been also work or related other events. From that time until about 35 years old, it was a part-time worker like a Identification say now (laughs).

- I think I was a time that was returned for a while to Tokushima.

I about two years from around 33 years old. And there was a bit of circumstances, there is a feeling that was tired of Tokyo. But, because it is the countryside of really in just a mountain, I would immediately boring. Time just is gone surplus. Originally, because it was like to be or look at the pictures and listen to music, the concept of "visual and beat", I was thinking to try to do something like that "underground Amazon". So while you are or play with your computer, some time, I thought and I think we interesting if doing shopping site dealing with something CD Toka instrument Toka photo collection. Yet at the time, without a personal computer nor of course a full-fledged shopping site because it was a time when I was doing I "beep" in windows3.1, of course, the shopping cart of the program was not in Japan. So I decided to use the American program, customization is what you need to do on your own. But, the knowledge of the program because it was zero, over a period of about a year, literally, went to fix one line at a time. Since the time is there was a lot (laughs).

- The site at Will "toy camera" was also on sale.

That's right. First, but I found a photo book that comes with the "Lomo" in Shibuya used bookstore, when I returned with I did not know somehow, number of FAX have camera photos of resting on was written . So coming back is something I tried to for now FAX, that is, replied in the translation was the sale of the camera as a "Well, I buy". So I camera has arrived, initially placed next to the computer, I've been to quite a long time neglected. But, It is also dealing with photos in the shopping site, I think also Do not interesting to sell this kind of camera. At that time, a small population of users of the personal computer, but shopping site also did not obtain citizenship, human us amused "Lomo" was often. Actually, I guess I can not even once that camera is liked. I think also I can because I do not like. However, "Lomo" was interesting as a new method. (A Lomo) It was interesting is that the Vienna of the people who had been trying to do. Toka or appointed a little friend in the "ambassador" of the country, that I think is good themselves were doing certainly also should ── there are people who feel the same way in the world, to the confident and making full use of the Internet the point is, it looked fresh as a way for me at the time. Looking back now, was extruded an analog camera, it is interesting place was the people of the Internet. But the word "toy camera" is I've been using since about 96 years, I felt Naa was fixing, it is when you have in the consumer electronics retailer in the eye that the department had made a "toy camera" ( Lol).

Typical model of a toy camera that power shovel to sell "HOLGA"

- Will went into the world of toy cameras it in the wake.

Yeah, I would like involved in Lomo as a full-fledged business, I was moved to Tokyo again when the 35-year-old. Once it was poised based in Roppongi, we were moved immediately to Shibuya. At that time, but the candidate of the property is I had one two, I'm there has been undue profits building in the vicinity of the national road 246 No. along Shenzhen. Badly is the exhaust gas walk from Shibuya Station, I remember the feeling was worse. In addition, if you are running a high-speed road in front of the eye and open the window, is in the room becomes black. However, a very opposed to such an environment is Tokushima of the countryside, and thought, "something Tokyo-ish Do", I decided to there (laughs). Because it was Shibuya large success Nante set up an office in for me (laughs). Anyway I was happy.

- Fun toy camera is, will there around what.

I guess most of the charm can handle anyone. It's just the right weight, to cut the shutter immediately by eye, beautiful pictures because analog blurred. Analog record, it is similar as there is a taste because there is a noise. What I brought from the United States the word toy camera was around 1996. As at the time represented by HIROMIX, to have sensitivity of people to take a picture is changed, or single-lens reflex camera of high-performance, after was only compact camera. Toy Camera Among such is, I do not aim to separate professional, I think captures the young woman's heart that I want to take a photo, such as yourself love.

- In the shop "camera Cabaret" of Koen-dori, but it claims to "camera mania refuse".

Photo is an important, because the camera itself say anything is I know my stance. Daido Moriyama's also saying the same thing as the "camera is good Anything I". So, mania jumped likely camera, dare have a higher price than other stores (laughs). Then, recently, toy camera about how this comes out is I think a little regret that has become a major. "Stylish young music like" There is a kind of stereotype that is, in the same way "fashionable young people have a toy camera," and, I do not want it to. I think the kana just say the extent that they have a little quirky child. So, although shop is the pedestrian traffic is often because there to Koen-dori, deliberately and inconspicuous sign, we try to not come in the passing of people (laughs).

- Are you going to be activities around the Shibuya in the future.

I Shibuya of hustle and bustle, I think that it is alien to the hustle and bustle of the other town. What I mean, it is often to feel the tranquility among the hustle and bustle. "Standing in front of Shibuya Station of the intersection, noise and noise are hit feel that that is a silence," writer of Shinya Fujiwara's in the photographer but has written a thing, such as, at the same it is the same kind of feeling. Like a lonely, quiet Shibuya River of atmosphere you feel you are floating around in the whole city. So, there is a sense of security, which is to remain went into his shell, is a lot of fun to walk and hang out. Then, even in the midst of the office, only Shibuya to have a sense you are always connected to the outside of the city. It is very pleasant. I think attempts to transfer this many times before even the office, I saw a listing other town, after all, was not Shibuya as cozy town for me. Such air is, because I do not think will be lost so easily, is likely to be activity based in Shibuya in the future.

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Hideki Omori
1961年徳島県生まれ。大学を辞めてから様々な職業を点々とした後、1995年から「visual & beat」をコンセプトにしたウェブサイト「basscult」を構想。1998年〜2000年、ロシア製カメラLomoLC-Aの仕掛け人として「TokyoLomoHeads」を率いて活動、Holgaなど、いわゆる「トイカメラ」というジャンルを世に知らしめる。2000年、株式会社パワーショベルを設立。以後、様々なトイカメラを企画・制作するかたわら、2002年から写真、音楽、動画、編集、デザインなどを手がける「SuperHeadz INaBabylon」を結成。2005年、音楽レーベル「PowerShovelAudio」、出版レーベル「Power Shovel Books」をスタートさせた。

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