Shiogama, Japan

Shiogama and Samurai—

I began taking photographs in 1953 using a fixed focus camera that looks a lot like the new Fujifilm X100S camera that I just recently purchased. Neither Kodak or Fuj had come out with color film so we were all using black and white film in 35mm and 120mm size.

In Japan this is the character in power, Lord Date Masamune. His castle or parts of it remained on Castle Hill. All of the soldiers went up there to have a look and were disappointed that the only thing really connected to him and his past was the graveyard where one of his sons is buried. 

He was not a big man but was shorter than most Japanese of modern times. He was a hard man to deal with except when he was around his boss, the emperor at Tokyo. He was a samurai and his sword was one of the best ever made; you can see it in this photograph.