Admin

1 in 13 million – The only native Japanese Imam in Tokyo (UPDATED)


*Updated with NEW film documentary for VICE Japan – see end of post*

Population of Japan – 127,000,000
Population of Tokyo – 13,000,000
No. of Muslims in Japan (estimate) – 100,000
No. of Japanese Muslims (estimate) – 10,000
No. who converted to Islam NOT for marriage(estimate) – 2 or 300
No. of Japanese Imam’s in Japan – 5
No. of Japanese Imam’s in Tokyo – 1

Abdullah Taqy is the only Japanese Imam in Tokyo.

A chance meeting with a foreign Muslim 12 years ago in Tokyo’s Shibuya district and a life spent studying various religions led him to convert to Islam 3½ years ago.
He completed the Hajj, the worlds largest annual religious pilgrimage, to Mecca in Saudi Arabia 2½ years ago at the invitation of the Saudi Arabian government.
Shortly after, a meeting with the man who started him down his path to Islam 12 years previously led him to becoming the Imam at a small mosque in the Kabukicho area of Tokyo.

His day job for the past 20 years has been as a tattooist and body piercer.

He is soft-spoken and exudes a calmness and friendliness that one cannot help being affected by.

He is truly, 1 in 13 million.

Photography, Audio & Editing – Uchujin/Adrian Storey

I am very pleased to announce that some of the photographs from this photofilm and the photofilm itself are available for licencing through Redux Pictures – HERE

_________________________________________________________

This project is the culmination of several months of work and religious freedom is a topic I personally feel very strongly about.
The news last year of the Tokyo Police’s leaking of data on to the internet about Muslim residents (Japantimes link) and Abdullah’s own questioning by the Police because of his religion highlight that Muslims all over the world face persecution and prejudice.
Part of my intention in making this photofilm/documentary was to highlight the absurdity of these prejudices.

_________________________________________________________

*UPDATE December 2012*

I am pleased to add my new short film documentary about Abdullah, shot in Novemeber 2012 for VICE Japan almost 2 years after the original film was made.
I hope you enjoy it!!!

Reversible

Just a little bit of fun.

Was out with Sean ‘Motionid’ Wood and Jon ‘It’ll All End In Tears’ Ellis a few weeks ago and filmed this test shot for something else I’m working on. Could have used a shoulder rig and being less drunk, but……
Ended up kinda fun (despite the rain on the lens causing a strange reflection in the bottom of the frame) so I thought I’d put it up here.

Principal actor is Mr. Motionid (him of self service beer machine fame;-) and there’s even a cameo by Mr. It’ll All End In Tears (around the 47 second mark).
Music is Joy Orbison “The Shrew Would Have Cushioned The Blow”

Genetics – Well, chimpanzee that!

Sean Miles Lotman and Russell Banks offer a lesson in Genetics

An interesting tidbit on genetics from a really great Russell Banks book “The Darling” that I’ve just finished reading.
I confess I never realised we were that closely related to chimpanzees, though I do have some acquaintances in whom the connection is clearer than in others ;-)
The photo is also an excellent excuse to plug I Do Haiku You the new(ish) blog from Sean Miles Lotman (that’s him holding the book with the polite finger gesture, you may also recognise him from a portrait I shot of him).
It’s a beautiful pairing of Mr Lotman’s diana photos and haiku’s written to accompany them.
The rss feed should really be in your feed reader.
(By plugging his blog I’m also hoping that he won’t be too pissed at me for using him to illustrate our connection with chimpanzees ;-)