MIKIHIKO KYOBASHI

Born near the ocean at Chigasaki Kanagawa Prefecture in 1969. Blessed with a childhood spent skin diving and playing in the waters of un in hibited islands around Yamaguchi Prefecture. ancestor was the chief priest of Noritoyama Hachiman Shrine in Hiroshima.

Camping and homestay experience in Palau and Sao Phan in 1983
A graduate of the first class of the YMCA Marine Science College, he earned a bronze medal in lifesaving in Australia and moved to Australia in 1992, putting down camera and heading there aimlessly. He was captivated by Bali, which he visited during a transit, and he continued to travel to islands such as Tahiti and Grand Cayman, staying there for extended periods of time.

In 1998, he studied under photographer Kashiwara Makoto (A camera is just a tool, after all!  Don’t get photographed! Don’t look into the window!).

In 1999, upon learning of the death of Akiwo Raimond at homestay in Palau, he regretted not visiting his father’s grave.He remembered his photography mentor, Kashiwara Makoto’s mentor, Eugene Smith, and became convinced that there was no authenticity to photography unless one risked one’s life to take it.

He wondered whether he should go to the battlefield, but instead returned to his roots.
He decided to swim alone, naked in body and soul, into the waves, where there was a high chance of death, to learn about the real ocean.

Before long, developed a strong feeling that people should get into the waters of the oceanin as simply a way as possible, without oxygen tanks, a condition similar to being bare and free. Since ‘01, have been swimming in the water with just a flipper and mask. With intuitive sense, a photograph of a wave current is taken underwater.

Ever since he began his work with Swiss Watchmakers, Longines. His work has gained high reputation both in and outside the country. In japan Fireking cafe, Aoyama spiral, New york, Munich, Latvia, Amsterdam, Roma, Milano, Stockholm etc, will be over seas.

Umibushi was named by Mikihiko Kyobashi himself. It is the meaning called the mountaineering ascetic of the sea as well as the Mountain monk who respects space and all things in nature in a Japanese mountain fromancient times, and prays. Also photo book Blue Forest was dedicated to Ise Jingu at 2016. Now condact exhibition and with support of Patagonia Co, am staying true to my original one person travel style and swimming in the boundaries of the ocean.

UMIBUSHI means a mountain ascetic of the sea, just like the Yamabushi who have worshipped and prayed to the universe and all things in the mountains of Japan since ancient times.

He calls people vessels, and photographs festival elders, Shinto priests, Buddhist monks, and over 500 ballerinas exclusively for ballet maker Chacott Photo Shooting.

Wave photos are unfiltered and unprocessed. Beyond the reach of swimming power lies the art of sage and ninjutsu, and their roots lie in the same respect for the universe and nature as these people.

1969年、神奈川県茅ヶ崎で生まれ柳島厳島神社や
真鶴や山口県の無人島で素潜りで遊ぶ
先祖は広島風早の祝詞山八幡神社の宮司

1984年サイパン、パラオでホームステーとキャンプを体験

YMCA海洋科学専門学校１期生
オーストラリアでサーフライフセービング ブロンズメダルを所得後
1992年カメラとあてもなくオーストラリアに移住し、バリ島や南の島々の旅へ。

1998年 ユージンスミスのアシスタントだった写真家 柏原誠に師事し
ファインダーなんか見るな！カメラに撮られなさんよ！と感覚的なことを教わる

2000年パラオのホームステー先のレイモンドさんが逝去したことを感じ、初めて電話をすると、わかったのねと言われ
パラオの墓前で命をかけ戦場にいかねばと思うも
人の作った都合や他力ではなく、生き死にの場は波の中だと感じ独り裸で本物の海へ教えを乞いに

2001年より36枚フィルムをつめた防水カメラケースを握り、無酸素で足ひれと水中メガネだけで波の中へ向かった

その後冬のハワイで気道が閉まるほど溺れ、フィジーの離島の沖で雨の中、波にのまれ肺の酸素が押し出され
空に飛ばされ、また巻き込まれた

怠惰な過剰に便利な暮らしで忘れた、いい体験をしながらフィジー、サモア、クック諸島へ独り武者修行へ行く

この10年は御神酒と、祝詞を唱え日本の聖地の波へ行くようになる

海伏(商標登録)とは、古来より日本の山で宇宙や森羅万象を尊び祈る山伏と同じく、一人海で祈る行者という
ある日、山伏がいて海伏はいないのが変だなと思いついた言葉

波と同時に「人は器」と称し、祭りのオヤジ、神主、僧侶
バレエメーカーチャコットPhoto Shooting専属で500人以上のバレリーナを写す

波の写真はノーフアインダー、色加工なし。

泳力の届かぬ先は、仙術や忍術であり
その根源は彼らと同じ、宇宙と自然を尊ぶことにつきる。

強いものにも屈せず、揺るがぬ己の正心で
名誉でも地位でもない真理を貫いた
もののふである忍達へ供物を携え伊賀や甲賀へ行く。

追記
伊賀上野城は伽藍の建ち並ぶ平楽寺を中心とした聖地だったが
信長が焼き討ちにし、あとから建てた城であり、忍とは全く関係がない

伊賀上野城で客寄せの忍者ショーをする事は伊賀の民や忍、神官、僧侶への冒涜である。