- Are you from Shibuya?

Born and raised is also Shibuya. Shenzhen to this place in front of the station there is a bath house that originally "Kobo hot water", I was born there. In the bath of Yukari Kobo Daishi, a long time ago the village had to operate a public bath boil the miraculous water that had gushed from the well of Himekei that were in Kobo hot water in the joint. Occur story of whether not get underwriting the operations of someone Kobo hot water there is a demand from the region, it is so my great-grandfather was supposed to undertake purchase the goodwill. Just is a Japanese National Railways 1885 that (JR) has opened a Shibuya Station.

- Will the old days, it was Shibuya and Shenzhen what town?

During the Edo period is so that per now the Meiji street was hit as a Zhu drawn wire to separate the middle and suburbs Edo City, Shibuya also Shinsen also suburbs, was the countryside. But in the waterfall hill Oyama highway went from alternating to one right above Dogenzaka, pilgrimage Oyama, have very prospered as a path of pilgrimage Fuji. The way to and from passing to Mishuku through the old days also valley Shinsen (Station), to take a break, called the people who drop by in the bath there were many. And Dogenzaka also Miya Miyamasuzaka also probably hill. Not go up heavy and many put the luggage on the two-wheeled cart and horse-drawn carriage. So the per current of Shibuya Station, but the horse of the drinking fountains and laborers is up the hill, help will find the car you are struggling, and people to Dari earned pennies, from Setagaya district placed on the horse-drawn carriage vegetables on the way home that took the community of the market, and or there is a shop selling things to people who buy souvenirs, daily necessities, as is per Shibuya Station from a long time ago, in a sense was crowded as a relay base Is not it.

- Sato, did you spend any childhood? Please also together tell me how at the time of Kobo hot water.

Baths "Kobo hot water" is from before the war there on the side of the current Shenzhen Railway Station, there was a Japanese restaurant "Shinsen Museum" that Kobo to adjacent land hot water to run. Is in Shenzhen Museum of the garden there was a big pond. In addition, "Kobo hot water" was the big bathhouse best in the region. After the war, my in Kobo hot water even in childhood have your help and his friends are a lot of young women, I also have "nursie" was equipped with two people. It was a feeling on "is called this child" (laughs). On the other hand, Maruyama-cho neighborhood is to have also geisha because it was Entertainment, Around, and or have an adult of people like a little fishy, ​​it is interesting every day. Grew up in a "stimulating" such an environment referred to in the now. Elementary school, because the junior high school was also local, but it's never been particularly conscious of your bathhouse until, when the friends came to stay in high school, I was quite surprised. When friends come to play, but the general audience I do go to the bath from another of the back door, there is a peek at the degree of congestion's clerk is in the bathroom, the window for adjusting the temperature of the hot water It's free. And got Ifurashi friends you've seen it at school, if there are such things as come to stay until the classmate not much good friends, I'm coming in turnover year-round friends (laughs). At length the "Please sloppy!" From the clerk's, the viewing window and or got blocked in the paper. Contact bathhouse for me was like I everyday world from around the world was like a dream, it was quite popular person in school (laughs).

- Bathhouse there were many also around Shibuya?

Always one for each certain distance past that there be no public bath, you bathhouse's also around the Shibuya was not less. Once upon a time in the retirement allowance instead to employees who have worked a certain period of time, it is there was a thing that'll make the assistance to build a bathhouse. Well, what felt like a goodwill. Since the ancestors of the family home was Echigo, often recruit from local the clerk's and the maid's work from such a relationship. In addition it seems that also was not uncommon for clerk's like a house marriage and the maid to marry. Your bathhouse's Tokyo seems to be quite large Echigo-born husband and wife. At the time, anyway growing more and more housing, will the person was your bathhouse is required age get together.

- Why you can close the "Kobo hot water" in 1979?

In much you started your bathhouse Even though the bath apartment management, is it is large public bath of demand has been lost with the times. Fuel costs, because something you bathhouse such as manpower consuming and maintenance costs, not only quit if there is no demand. Site seems was not only quite think to dry. Around is like unexpectedly nostalgic, everyday, saying "too good" to not use so much Kobo hot water (laughs). Kana profession of photographer, I also I did not feel Toka so sad. When I feel the nostalgia only, photos do not think I take, but what about. I wonder if the reverse? To leave the image in the case of me taking pictures, do you not Waka much regret?

- Not the first place you bathhouse, became a photographer?

Originally father is a favorite photo, or probably because the camera and photos from childhood was familiar there to close. Really, but I wanted to be a writer, literary talent guess But I tried to efforts in my own did not unfortunately. I student is just, Nixon shock, oil shock, difficulty finding employment and overlap, something even a little in hand there is also the recommendation of the teacher that it is better to give the job to in that you like. After school, through an assistant to work for production production of advertising photography, until free at 34 years old, it had been the work of shooting around the commercial photography such as product brochures and magazines. If you now, it was just busy every day.

- Make a collection of photographs recording the Shibuya of Past and Present "memory of Shibuya," How did you considered?

Began to examine the Shibuya of the old town name in the work of Shibuya-ku is the opportunity. For example, I think you have to say that "Harajuku" in train station name. But on the street rather than Harajuku, now you know all town name of that around Jingumae. But now, will there I young people gather, "Takeshita street" in Harajuku. There is, in the old town name in a place that has been called the "under the bamboo," I'm still the old street in the name of the street. When you variously introduce the old street that remains in such Shibuya, I think that confusing the only town name information, we have to be described with a combination of new photos and old photos. Then, "Mr. Sato, old photos do not have?" From those who saw it so I come talk that. Before and photos that my father was taken from, because there was personal to the old Shibuya of photos that had been collected also, the voice of desire to say from the increasingly large number of people in that corresponds to it as "I want I want to see old photos" but now I hear a lot. It is why began to think that if there are many voice "Do not do not give to make a photo book -" that so much want. Initially there were also voices that questioned the "really sell?", Not much to catch up in the reprint reprint is now! But is a little over (laughs). It was really good to me willing to many people. This photo collection is, that last made to the base of the Shibuya history. As I said earlier, Do you get me interested in the history of local Shibuya in various forms from this book, and I think. For example, even with respect to such as urban development, Shibuya does not mean there is so much old history, rather than examine the past in a nostalgic sense, when the future of Shibuya something and take a look at the city in a dry perspective comes into view think. As a variety of cuts from this book, the old days of advertising and fashion When the springs is curiosity, culture, so I think that story, such as the building is a lot, it'll be also interesting research. I of yellowtail snapper that curiosity, are making the seed book of the original story, we are also working with a little such a feeling (laughs).

- Photo How collected, do you save?

Issuing three books until the photo book "storage of Shibuya" is now. Recently also he who kind to send me a picture. But many of the photos I am is quite often that family photo is not in the scenery around in the main. For some people give me the e-mail or phone in, there is also a case that is better to live in surprisingly region has also left a precious photo. Send, including such as photos and photos that were sleeping in public office had my way, I think the total number is 2 to 3 million copies by now. To Digital Archives, and data reduction and is multiplied by the scan those of film. Those that have been paper grilled be violent also equipped but scan in the same way those of a little pain, can fix things is to save to repair and restoration. Because the huge amount, the but I had also felt the question that the data of all, I think that now there is a need to do everything. Because there each demand by purpose, we do not have Kiri but you're doing as long as time permits.

- In the photo book will have to compare the photo of "Past and Present" at the same place, how do you identify the location and age?

Or looking for the ages from such as is reflected landscape and advertising, in many cases looking for a hint from the photo. Ebisu of real estate shop the other day also Diminishes in the clue, we identified the shooting location. Photographed is and telephone number of the sign are, or against the old days of old discovered information used with a map. Surprisingly clue also is in the photo is there are a lot. But is far made the work of the gas, I and is not indexed or about age may not be identified until what month that was taken. There are also a lot of things that are pending, but .... There is also sticking with respect to shooting of the modern part, if it ran Toyota car in the old days of the photo, Toka or Neba' to Toyota's car can take even now photos. I also have done the shooting and editing with a sense of fun, and you'll keep an eye compared well the old days and now, you or lurking is quite enjoy the hidden story in the photo book (laughs).