Hajime Suga: 92-year-old photographer of Ueno Forest

Hajime Suga was born in 1929. He was the eldest son of the proprietor of an old Japanese restaurant, Dohana, in the Ueno Hirokoji neighborhood near Ueno Park.
 
The Kaneiji temple in spring. Photo by Hajime Suga. He published a photo collection entitled Ueno Kaneiji in 1990.

Mr. Suga snapped his first shots with the camera his father gave him as a boy. He started taking photos as a hobby while helping out at the family restaurant.
 
A surreal shot of the area around the boathouse on Shinobazu Pond. From Hajime Suga’s photo collection Ueno Park, published in 1993.

In 1971, he held his first solo exhibition, entitled The People of Ameyoko. He eventually turned professional. His many photo exhibitions and published collections have focused primarily on the Ueno neighborhood.
 
Maple leaves in autumn. From Hajime Suga’s photo collection Ueno Park, published in 1993.

Now 92, he is still going strong as a photographer. He lives with his two cats, and a vast collection of photographic positives, in a condominium overlooking Ueno Park’s Shinobazu Pond. He still retains his knack for taking authentic shots of Ueno and the people there.

One of Hajime Suga’s best-known works, a beautiful shot of Shinobazu Pond frozen. From his photo collection Ueno Park, published in 1993.

Ueno is famous above all for its cherry blossoms. Fifty types of cherry trees are said to grow in Ueno Park, and their blossoms are a recurring theme of Mr. Suga’s work. A fair proportion of the books and pamphlets showcasing Ueno’s cherry blossoms contain photos taken by Mr. Suga.
 
Photo by Hajime Suga

Mr. Suga has loved animals ever since he was little. He has visited the neighborhood Ueno Zoo, camera in hand, more times than he can count. And while in the park, he generally drops by places with lots of birds to get some shots. The area around Shinobazu Pond is paradise for wild birds.

Photo by Hajime Suga

Mr. Suga has photographed Shinobazu Pond, which his condominium overlooks, more than any other area of Ueno Park. It is a great place for taking shots. It offers so many subjects: the cherry blossoms, lotus flowers, and other plants that grace the waterside throughout the year, the cycle boats that always attract lineups, the Benten Hall, the buildings towering in the background.

Photo by Hajime Suga

The 92-year-old photographer still takes daily walks in his “backyard,” Ueno Forest, camera at the ready.

Photo by Natsuko Kato

Photo by Natsuko Kato