[A note miracle] The story of receiving a comment from the person who was in charge of design and supervision 30 years ago on my visit report of a famous building

A very honorable event occurred in the comment section of the “Yokohama Central Library visit snapshot article” that I wrote about previously. Surprisingly, I received a direct comment from Izumi Sakata who was in charge of the design and supervision of this building at the Maekawa Associates, architects & engineers at that time.
This time, I would like to write about that excitement and surprise, and how it made me rethink my architectural photography.

Please forgive me if I become incoherent due to the sheer shock and excitement, but let's get started.

1. The beginning of it all

Since many of you might be wondering what this is all about, I will talk a little bit about the article that started it all.

In May 2024, I thought, “I want to go see a famous building somewhere,” and when I asked for recommendations for famous buildings in Yokohama on X, Mr. Shioya from Shioya Design First-Class Architect Office introduced me to the “Yokohama Central Library,” so I decided to visit it.
And since coincidentally, an exhibition commemorating the 30th anniversary of its opening was being held, I went to see that as well.

I wrote a report on that visit along with photos and posted it on May 6, 2024 ↓

Yokohama Central Library
Design: Maekawa Associates, architects & engineers + Mido Dojin / Tomoaki Nagata

Time passed, and it became January 2025...

2. A miraculous comment arrives

In January 2025, more than eight months after the post, I received a notification that a comment had been left on this article. As usual, I opened note, read through the content, and was struck by a shock.

It was a comment from Izumi Sakata, who had actually been in charge of the design and supervision of the Yokohama Central Library as a member of Maekawa Associates, architects & engineers 30 years ago.

As you can see, not only did I receive a comment, but the content was also far too honorable.
After this, we exchanged messages a few more times, and I was able to hear a little about the situation at the time and how the people involved are doing now.

In January 2011, Mr. Sakata established the general incorporated association OSA Japan with the motto “Giving shape to Japanese seeds in Kenya” and became its chairman. Under the name “Rainbow Project,” he aims to do work that builds a “rainbow” between Kenya and Japan. According to his 2024 profile, in addition to those activities, he also serves as an international committee member of the Japan Institute of Architects, a part-time lecturer at the Hosei University Graduate School of Design and Engineering, and a special researcher at the Africa Society of Japan.

※ Excerpted from the link above.

You might think it's an exaggeration to call it a miracle in the title, but for me, it is such a moving event, and above all, please let me call it a miracle because this is an “event that happened due to many coincidences overlapping.”

It is an event that only comes to fruition when all these coincidences are connected.

I was filled with so many emotions—I was so glad I took those photos, so glad I photographed that architecture, so glad I engaged in sharing activities, and so glad I used social media. Mr. Sakata, Mr. Shioya, thank you so very much.

3. You introduced it on Facebook

And even more honorably, Mr. Sakata introduced my article on his Facebook page so that it would reach the people involved at the time.

Please check the full text on Mr. Sakata's Facebook (click above).
I was also very happy that it reached the people involved at the time, and the highlight was these words...

These words are far too honorable.
As someone who photographs architecture, there is no greater joy than this.
Thank you so much.

4. Re-examining architectural photography and sharing activities

From here on, I will share what I felt after calming down a bit, and what I thought I needed to re-examine as a result of this event.

I had various emotional shifts like those mentioned above, but the biggest one was definitely regardingthe significance and responsibility of taking architectural photographsitself.

When you take photos of architecture so routinely for work and in your private life, it's easy for the opportunities to think about the weight of responsibility and the meaning behind that act to fade away before you know it.

However,as I wrote in a previous article,“'Taking a photo' is equivalent to 'original sin.'”as I wrote,the act of“taking a photo”is truly an extraordinary thing.
Sharing activities that directly change people's impressions through words are also acts that carry even more responsibility.

That is precisely why I felt once again that I must live with the constant awareness that I should never cause trouble for others, even unknowingly, and that I should create things that I wouldn't be embarrassed for anyone to see, anytime, anywhere. That said, one must also be prepared to accept the fact that doing so perfectly is realistically impossible.

And depending on how those photos and texts are handled, they can become something that brings joy to many people and those involved. Conversely, it can just as easily become the opposite.
We must realize—even if it sounds arrogant—that we are capable of creating something that is 'terrifying, carries responsibility, and has influence.' Thinking 'my photos are nothing' or 'my writing is nothing' might just be a selfish way of running away from that responsibility.

“Awe”

I realized that what I felt while re-examining things this time was exactly this word.
I intend to continue facing my photos and writing with even greater focus and heart.

In closing

This time, it was a bit different from usual, taking the form of an anecdotal talk. How was it? I hope you were able to take something away from this article as well.

Once again, Mr. Izumi Sakata, thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to comment, for introducing it on Facebook, and for kindly granting permission to quote it.
This has undoubtedly become a major turning point in my life of architectural photography and sharing activities. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude once again.

Thank you once again for reading until the end!
To all my members, your support is always a great encouragement! Thank you.

I will continue to share a wide range of content, from short columns and articles for beginners to professional insights as an architectural photographer, so please be sure to follow and like!

See you in the next article!