Original Post: 27JUL2016
Some of my favorite people to photograph while I was in Okinawa were the shop owners of the area.
The capital city of Naha, Okinawa was liveliest place with plenty of people in the form of tourism. From local Okinawan to main land Japanese, Taiwanese, Chinese, even as far away as South Korean visitors came to the area. Kokusai-dōri was mostly for nicknacks and gimmicky gifts along with plenty of bars and restaurants. Of which an Irish bar that was hidden out in a back alley was a favorited bar and my preference for food would have to be restaurants that sell local Okinawan dishes.
Heiwadori Market area was just an alley that split off further into Naha and away from the major tourist street. There you can find niche markets of exotic fruit, exotic seafood, as well as plenty of clothing shops and musical instruments shops selling Sanshin, the Okinawan 3 string guitar like instrument.
This shop owner in particular I must have photographed 3 times in different occasions. The other two are just as good, but they convey a different message than this one does. He was deep in testing this instrument and all he could do when I took the picture was glance at me and continue tuning the instrument. I remembered it clearly because after I shot the photo I approached a little closer and gave my signature “head nod and smile” in appreciation and he continued to tune the instrument.
Other shop owners would not get much patronage. So they will do things that would keep them busy otherwise. Like reading, organizing the shop, stocking the shelfs, sleeping… and my favorite, staring off into no where in particular.
Here I saw this man waiting for a customer to approach him. In Heiwadori where there are at least 10 more fruit markets like his own, it’s not easy to stay competitive. I lingered there for a moment in the essence of what it was to be him. He was so into his thoughts that he didn’t even notice me taking the shot and he stayed that way for a little while longer until he was actually approached by a customer.
It was early spring, and maybe the tourists weren’t looking for what the sleepy and pensive shop owners had for sale at the time. Regardless, the strong willed shop owners would open day after day. If you stay long enough you get to see the shop owners, proud of what they own, wind down. Then you were granted a backstage pass of what it was to be them. Selling the last few items at a discounted price, packing up their displays, and brining in all the merchandise into their shed.
It was all amazingly beautiful to live in the life of these shop owners. Equally as beautiful was being able to save a piece of it.
-Franco Pisano
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