Najomo Photo Club Official Homepage.

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What is Najomo Photo Club?

”Najyomo” means "please, however you like" in Niigata dialect.
This time, at the call of railroad photographer Naoto Kotake, a photographer who loves the climate of Uonuma and the Tadami Line, mainly photographers living in Uonuma, formed this photography club in December 2023.
The president is Mr. Masaaki Hoshino, a native of Uonuma, who has a mild-mannered personality and lives near Yabushin Station, so he is actively engaged in creative activities with the theme of railroad photography that can be taken on foot. On the other hand, we also have members from Tokyo and Gunma Prefecture.
We are always looking for new members, regardless of where you live, so if you are interested in joining our club, please contact Mr. Kotake, President Hoshino, or use the contact form below,

Produced by photographer "Naoto Kotake

Born in Niigata, Japan in 1969, he graduated from the Japan College of Photography and Art in 1991. Studied under photojournalist Kenji Higuchi, and has covered steam locomotives throughout China since 1990, photographing the remains of the Manchurian Railway from the Sino-North Korean border to the Sino-Russian border from 2012 to 2017. In recent years, he has been busy photographing railroads in his hometown of Niigata Prefecture and neighboring prefectures. His series "Genso Tetsuro" (Original Railroad) appeared 200 times in the Niigata Nippo morning newspaper, and he has continued to visit railroads in various regions since then. His recent books include "Border Railroads: Visiting the Seven Bridges of the Manchurian Railway Legacy" (Enishi Shobo). He is also the leader of the "Fire Rolling Stock Photographers Group," a group for railroad photography enthusiasts, and is involved in planning and organizing group exhibitions.

Introduction of Chairman "Masaaki Hoshino

Welcome to Uonuma, I am Hoshino, the chairman of our association. I was born in Uonuma City, Niigata Prefecture, and my parents live near Yabukami Station. I have fond memories of commuting to school in a five-car coach pulled by a steam locomotive when I was a student.
Time has changed, and the Tadami Line was cut off by the unforgettable torrential rainstorm in Niigata in July 2011, making it impossible to reach Aizu Wakamatsu in Fukushima Prefecture. We could not bear to see this unexplored line, with its spectacular scenery, closed down, and we have been lobbying the government, mainly through the "Tadami-Line Something Association" organized by Ms. Eri Sato of the "Dan-Domo-Tadami-Line Genki Kaigi Meeting" and Tadami-Line utilization promotion on the Uonuma side.
Our efforts have been rewarded and the line will be fully reopened in October 2022. I have turned my pen into a camera and am working to make everyone more aware of the charm of the Tadami Line.

ceremony celebrating the formation of an organization (organisation)

We held a uniting ceremony at a soba restaurant in Uonuma in December 2023.

Dr. Kotake (front left) and Chairman Hoshino (back right)

Why hold a photo exhibition?

Q) I have a question for you. Nowadays, with the development of social networking services, it is easy to showcase one's own photos on the Internet.
On top of that, please tell us why you dare to hold a photo exhibition.

Good question!
Since the film era, photography has been a medium that is completed by printing. Nowadays, with the development of digital cameras, it is convenient for anyone to take ultra-high-precision photographs, and I believe that more prints should be made and exhibited.

Photo Club Activities

Chairman Hoshino will give a lecture at the Uonuma Koidego Cultural Hall. He will give a lecture on Uonuma's shooting points and know-how on photography.
You won't want to miss the "eye-opening" tips from the local perspective!

The 2nd Najomo Club Photo Exhibition at Niigata Nippo Mediaship

It ended safely!

Dates: March 2 (Sat) - 10 (Sun), 2024
Venue: The Niigata Nippo Medership 20F Observation Floor
Address: 3-1-1 Bandai, Chuo-ku, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture
Hours: 8:00 - 23:00 (until 16:00 on the last day)
Closed: Open throughout the exhibition
Admission Free

This photo exhibition has been introduced in various media.

https://www.niigata-nippo.co.jp/articles/-/368422

The 1st Najomo Photo Club Photo Exhibition

The Najomo Photo Club's photo exhibition, "Yonmaru who ran through Uonuma" was held at CO-CO PHOTO SALON in Ginza, Tokyo, until December 7, 2023 (Thursday).

Hisashi Sato, photographer, and Dr. Kotake

A photo from the first photo exhibition at Pictorico in Ginza, Tokyo.

FAQ

1) I have a very scary image of Mr. Kotake, photographing the North Korean border. Is he going to rag on you for the photos in your exhibition?

It is my job to find the good in the submitted photos, not to point out the flaws. It is my opinion that the photos submitted by our members to the best of my ability should be respected to the fullest extent.

(2) I do not have a good image of "photographers". I am worried that I will be labeled as such by belonging to your association.

Indeed, the image of the "shooter" has been ground down by the media.
However, there are no conflicts when photographing the Tadami Line in Uonuma, except for "event trains", which are never crowded. I think this is partly because many of our members are residents of Uonuma.

(3) Are membership fees required and is participation in regular meetings mandatory?

There are no membership fees or regular meetings. We welcome all members to join us when they can. In fact, we welcome those who do.

4) I am a middle-aged salaried worker. Since I am a company employee, I can only go to Tadami Line once or twice a year to take pictures. Still, I would like to participate in the photo exhibition, but is it possible?

Many of our current members have day jobs and participate in photo exhibitions to the extent possible within the constraints of their day jobs. We welcome and appreciate your participation.

5) I am a beginner. I saw a movie by a famous photographer and was very impressed and went to the first bridge. I tried to make iron friends there and talked to a person who looked like a veteran, but the moment I said "train", the people around me ridiculed me. I don't understand. Isn't your group for photographing trains?

I understand what you are saying. To be precise, the Tadami Line is not electrified, so it is not a "train" that runs on electricity, but a diesel train that runs on diesel fuel, so "train" or "train" is more accurate.
However, since photographing railroads is no different, the Group does not consider it a problem even if the expressions are not accurate.

(6) I have been a fan of local train lines since the days of Japan National Railways. To begin with, the Tadami Line connects Niigata and Fukushima prefectures. Please tell us why you dare to make the Tadami Line, which is only in Niigata prefecture, the purpose of the line.

As you asked, there is no distinction between the Niigata and Fukushima sides of the Tadami Line.
Since I am from Niigata Prefecture, I came up with the idea of a drawing activity on the theme of the Tadami Line running within Niigata Prefecture. In the course of this conception, I had the opportunity to get in touch with a photographer who works privately in Uonuma, and I thought of presenting the photos of the individual photographer in Uonuma in addition to my own.
Although we are currently groping in the dark, we hope to express the good qualities of Uonuma through the Tadami Line.

(7) I am a "drinking iron" who likes to drink on the train rather than take pictures. However, I am interested in the activities of your association.

Drinkers are also welcome. Some of our members are more into drinking than shooting, and some used to ride the Blue Train with a one-cup or bourbon in hand. We will also teach you about Niigata's delicious local sake.

8) If I belong to your association in Niigata Prefecture, am I prohibited from taking pictures of the Tadami Line on the Fukushima Prefecture side?

This is not a Showa-era gymnastics club, so it is not a problem whatsoever. Rather, we would like you to take pictures of the Tadami Line on the Fukushima side of the line as well, and use the experience for your Uonuma photos.

(9) I have checked the Internet and found a lot of information about shooting locations on the Aizu side, but I have no idea about shooting locations (ostands) on the Uonuma side. Can you tell me a good place to take pictures?

Indeed, we are acutely aware of the paucity of standing room only. I would like to introduce a homepage that summarizes the photo sites that our members have learned about from local people.
We hope you will come to Uonuma and explore the area from your own perspective, as it is still undeveloped.
HP: "Tadami-Line photography points in Uonuma taught by Myu」