``Asada Family'' photographer Masashi Asada tours recommended tourist spots in his hometown of TsuCity, including Tsu Yacht Harbor.

Asada-san Mie Travel Camera Club will do our best as a "guide" to convey the charms of Mie through photos!

Click here for Part 2: “Visiting places related to the local TsuCity, such as Takada Motoyama.”

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• Shitennoji Temple
• Tone confectionery shop
• Tsu Yacht Harbor

*Masks are removed only when taking photos.

Shitennoji is the oldest temple in TsuCity (although the exact year of its construction is uncertain, it is thought to be in the early Heian period). On the grounds, there are graves of people connected to TsuCity, such as Gozen Tsuchida, the birth mother of TakatoraTodo, and Kuhoin, the legal wife of Takatora Todo.

This time, Asada visited the tombstone of Horie Kuwajiro, a samurai of the Tsu domain who contributed to the research and development of photography, which was introduced at the end of the Edo period. Every year on June 1st, ``Photo Day,'' members of the Mie Prefecture Camera Dealers Association gather at the tombstone and hold a memorial service for Mr. Kuwajiro Horie. Mr. Asada slowly put his hands together in front of the gravestone and greeted Mr. Kuwajiro Horie as a photographer from TsuCity.

Mr. Asada: I happened to read a book about the end of the Edo period, when photography began to become popular in Japan, and the name of a Tsu feudal samurai named Kuwajiro Horie came up. I wasn't expecting that Tsu, my hometown, would be mentioned, so I was really surprised. From there, I became interested in Mr. Kuwajiro Horie, and after researching him, I learned that he was researching photography.

Although there are photos taken by Mr. Asada and Mr. Kuwajiro Horie, there doesn't seem to be a single photo of Mr. Kuwajiro Horie himself. That's why I took a photo of the tombstone, thinking it was what he looked like now.

Mr. Asada: At that time, it seemed like he had a really hard time even taking a single photo. In order to refine the necessary chemicals, they had to melt down silver coins, expose cow blood to the sun, and the smell during refining was so strong that people complained...Kujiro Horie and his colleagues endured unimaginable hardships. Facing the photo. I think it's thanks to the efforts of Mr. Kuwajiro Horie and others that we can enjoy photography now, and I've always wanted to come join them. If Mr. Kuwajiro Horie were to ask me now, ``I was born in Tsu, I fell in love with photography, and I take all kinds of photos every day.'' He would say, ``I see. I see. Good luck.'' I feel like that.

■Shitennoji information

A long-established confectionery shop that has been in business for 112 years. The fourth-generation owner, Takeshi Tone, was a classmate of Mr. Asada's in middle school, and they are still close friends. Successive owners have trained in both Japanese and Western confectionery, and have won numerous awards at the National Confectionery Exhibition. Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress Emeritus and the Emperor and Empress also bought tea and sweets.

*Masks are removed only when taking photos.

The outside wall of the store is decorated with large photographs taken by Mr. Asada. The photos are taken using old photos of the Tone Confectionery Shop, so it is said to be a favorite among long-time regulars.

My impression of Mr. Tone has not changed since junior high school (lol). I think Masashi (Asada) was popular since his middle school days. Masashi's older brother loves fashion, and his younger brother Masashi also loves fashion, and everyone around him sees him as cool. The kids around him imitated Masashi's fashion, and Masashi himself would sell his clothes to him. So, the clothes that Masashi wore were passed around among everyone, and even passed around to his juniors (lol). We went to different high schools, but when we ran into each other in the neighborhood after school, we'd go straight to his house to hang out.

Mr. Asada When I started taking photos, I thought, ``I'm not very good at it, but I want to take photos.'' So, I often asked Tone to model for me. There aren't many people who can call me up because they want to shoot at night. The easiest thing to ask for without any hesitation was the sword.

When Mr. Asada's filming began, Mr. Tone joined in, acting like he was used to it. As expected, we have known each other for many years, and it was a great experience!

For the souvenirs for Asada-san's photoshoot, I brought sweets from Tone Kashikan, which I am familiar with. I often buy and eat dorayaki myself, and since it lasts for a long time and is voluminous, it's perfect as a souvenir. If you can say, ``This is delicious,'' and hand it to them, the conversation will get more lively.

I started selling Tone-san Dorayaki after I returned (from training in Tokyo). In Kyoto, the term ``Japanese confectionery shop'' often refers to a place that makes high-quality fresh sweets such as those served at tea parties. On the other hand, dorayaki and daifuku are called morning sweets (they are treated as everyday sweets) and are distinguished from fresh sweets. My grandfather only made fresh sweets, and at that time there were no dorayaki, daifuku, or dango. I myself have been studying these morning sweets, and I wanted to start making them myself, so I started making them.

Mr. Asada: It's great that you can buy a variety of Japanese and Western sweets. Among the Dorayaki from Tone Kashikan, I like plum and salted butter, but I like matcha best.

Masashi Tone has a really sweet tooth. I also like cake.

Mr. Asada comes here at least once a week (lol). People come not only to buy souvenirs, but also to buy for themselves and their families. If I wanted to have something for a 3 o'clock snack, I would come and buy just enough for that day.

Asada's movie "Asada family! '' was filmed in Tsu, I gave them Baumkuchen from Tone Confectionery with the name ``Asada Family'' branded on them.

I asked Asada-san, ``What kind of sweets would be good for branding?'' In fact, the staff and cast members commented on the food and said it was delicious. After that, I wonder if someone saw a photo of Baumkuchen posted on social media...? It seemed that some people knew about our products and wanted to try them, so we sold branded Baumkuchen at photo exhibitions in Tokyo and Osaka. It sold quite well...maybe even outsold the photo book (lol)

Mr. Toune, can you make this? ! That's how many orders I received (lol). I thought there was no connection between sweets and photography, but I was happy to be able to collaborate with them.

■Tone confectionery store information

The photo book "Asada Family" includes many photos taken at Tsu Yacht Harbor and Tsu akogi. Movie “Asada family! ” was also used as a filming location for several important scenes. This must be a memorable spot for those who have seen the movie.

*Masks are removed only when taking photos.

Mr. Asada: The response to the movie was really great. It's been about 12 to 3 years since I published my photo book, but it was an opportunity for a wide range of people to know about it. We received a lot of feedback, such as ``I'd like to take a family photo like the Asada family,'' and ``I haven't been printing photos lately, so I might as well try it myself.'' There were also reactions around my family. After the decision was made to make My Mom into a movie, the people at work welcomed her with applause, and she seemed to have a lot of fun.

Until the filming of the movie started, I couldn't believe it and thought, ``Is this really going to be made into a movie?'' At first, we started by photographing TsuCity. At that time, I was allowed to participate in the shooting, and I finally started to realize what it was like.

I watched Asada's movie many times. What I thought was that if I could see a panoramic view of TsuCity, Tsu Shinmachi, Takada Motoyama, and Tsu Yacht Harbor, it would really be within my living area...If I could show such places on a big screen, the way the city would look would change. It will change. It's a strange thing. After watching a movie, if you actually see Tsu or Tsushinmachi, or if you happen to come to akogi in your daily life, the scenery you have seen before will seem a little more dramatic. Even just people passing by on the street feel like they have a story behind them, and each person feels like the main character in a movie.

I thought it would be great if I could do something like that with photos. Things that are familiar to us, such as the scenery around us or the food restaurants we always eat at, are things that are very familiar to us, but when we look at them through the filter of photography, we realize that there is another way to look at them, and the scenery that we always see. Things may look a little different, or new discoveries may be made. I wish I could do something like that.

Asada's favorite spot is under the red lighthouse. She likes to bring sweets from Tone Kashikan (such as dorayaki) and spend time relaxing.

Asada-san, when he was in junior high and high school, he often came to Tsu Yacht Harbor to take photos. I've just started picking up a camera, so I'm having fun photographing everything. It was a pleasure to wind the film, focus, and click the shutter.

Mr. Asada: Just like when I was in middle school and high school, I still take pictures when I think the sea or sky is blue and beautiful, or when I think of the beautiful gradation of the sunrise or sunset.

Asada-san, I go to various locations in and outside the prefecture for photo shoots, but since it's my job, I have to think about a lot of things beforehand...There are a lot of large-scale photo shoots and tense shoots. Come. Under such circumstances, I believe that Tsu Yacht Harbor is still the same as it was in the past, and it is a place where you can just think, ``It's beautiful,'' and press the shutter button, without thinking about anything else.

At Tsu Yacht Harbor, people often say, ``I take photos because I want to.'' A place where you can relax and enjoy shooting. It's okay if you can't take pictures. Parents and children come together and spend their time digging for shellfish and catching crabs. It's a nice place to just take a walk.

■Tsu Yacht Harbor Information

​That's all for the first part, ``Photographer Masashi Asada visits recommended sightseeing spots in his hometown TsuCity including Tsu Yacht Harbor.''
Click here to read the second part, ``Photographer Masashi Asada visits places related to his hometown, TsuCity, such as Takada Motoyama.''​

Text/Photos (other than photos taken by Asada): MSLP