展覧会によせて
―中村征夫さんにゆかりのある方々からメッセージを寄せて頂きました―
中村征夫さんを幼魚（少年）の頃から、ものすっギョく憧れているさかなクンです。征夫さんの一つ一つには自然界の美しさ、厳しさ、果てしないパワーがあふれています。そして、お魚や生き物たちの輝き、一生懸命に生きる姿！ギョギョっとビックリなのは、わたしたちと同じように豊かな表情があることを教えてくれます。それは、一瞬のチャンスに征夫さんが全ての魂をそそぎ撮られたショットだからでギョざいます！
さかなクン（東京海洋大学客員准教授）
征夫さんは、とっても「恥ずかしがりやさん」でらっしゃいます。ご来店時は、大きなマスクとキャップ（最近のお気に入りは「家政婦の三田さん」帽子。。笑）で、小さなお顔は全く見えません。でもお酒が大好きです。炭酸飲料は不得意でビールは一口がやっとですが、お酒はとても強い！潰れた姿を見たことがありません。必ず、欠かさないのは氷の入ってない「お水」。お酒とお水を交互に呑まれてます。少しご機嫌になっていらした時のお話は絶品です。人物模写もお上手で我々はいつも大笑い！心からお酒を愛して楽しんでいらっしゃるお姿からは「恥ずかしがりやさん」が見えなくなり、優しい笑い声に包まれたダンディな紳士が登場となります。面白ネタをたくさん、これからも期待しております♪
伊藤 久海子（新橋・居酒屋BOX女将）
私は贅沢な事に初めてのダイビングが征夫さんとで、しかも小笠原諸島でした。恐怖心もあったのですが、征夫さんが私の手を握って下さり安心して海の世界へ連れて行ってもらいました。自然の世界に身を委ねる気持ち良さを征夫さんに教えていただきました。また潜りたいです！！
小山 慶一郎（ジャニーズ事務所 NEWS）
いつも行きつけのお店で出会わせてもらうだけの人間ですが、征夫さんの撮っている写真にはいつもパワーを貰っています。今後も僕たちを知らない世界へいっぱい連れていってください。そんで、美味しいお酒を飲みましょう。
小栗 旬（俳優）
中村さんにとって、海は人生そのもの。海の生き物は全て、家族だったり恋人だったり親友。だから海の話をしている時の中村さんは、とても幸せそうだし、逆に海が汚されたりするととても辛そう。その純粋無垢な心は、ドラマの水中撮影で出会った25年前と、ちっとも変わっていない。心が疲れると中村さんに会いたくなる。「お魚の話を聞かせて！」ってね！
夏樹 陽子（女優）
中村征夫さんが召し上がる鮨種で真っ先に思い浮かぶのは穴子！ 必ず最後の締めで穴子の握りです。江戸前の穴子は昔から東京湾羽田沖のものが最上とされています。征夫さんのパワーの源、穴子鮨。しっかり江戸前鮨の仕事を引き継がなければ・・・。
大松寿し 村石 光生（むらいしみつお）
村石 憲幸（むらいしのりゆき）
東京湾についての思い出
生まれが中央区日本橋ですから、幼い頃から父に連れられて柳橋から網舟で隅田川を下り、今のお台場あたりで投網して、船頭さんにとれたばかりの東京湾の魚を天ぷらにあげてもらい、本当の江戸前魚を食べて育ちました。
林家 木久扇（落語家）
”江戸っ子は五月の鯉の吹き流し 口先ばかりはらわたはなし”
これ江戸っ子の気性を言ったんだそうです。ポンポンポンポン言うだけで、あとはサッパリしていると言う。東京湾の魚達はどんな気性なんでしょう？やっぱり江戸っ子なんだろうな〜。
林家 木久蔵（落語家）
中村さんとはドキュメンタリー番組「Earth Walker」でご一緒させていただきました。長い間、海と接しているベテランにもかかわらず、中村さんは一切驕ることなく、むしろ常に慎重に海と向き合おうとしている、そんな姿、話を聞いて、驚かされました。まだ自然と向き合う意味では未熟な私ですが、中村さんのこの教えを軸に、自身の活動も邁進していきたいと強く思っています。また一緒に、東京湾、潜らせてください。
滝川クリステル（フリーアナウンサー
征夫さんとお話していると、いくつもの「心」を感じる。好奇心や冒険心、愛情、心遣い、慈しみ･･･。こうした心こそ、征夫さんの作品を温かく、感動的で、洞察力に富んだものにしているのだろう。征夫さんの心に感謝！
ナショナル ジオグラフィック日本版編集長 大塚 茂夫（おおつかしげお）
写真展開催おめでとうございます。早いもので、もう三十年来のお付き合いになりましたね。毎回、新しい驚きと心ときめく感動を届けて下さいました。征夫さんならではの「東京の海」の今、目一杯期待しております。
紺野 美沙子（女優）
地球を形成し生き続ける海と陸。このふたつの関係が正常に機能して初めて青い星は輝く。いみじくも、征夫さんは海のいきものを追いかけ私は陸の植物にとりつかれた。そして私はいつも征夫さんの行動や作品から刺激を受け、陸における生きとし生けるものの理想的な世界を前向きに考えることが出来る。これからも切っても切り離せぬ師匠、相棒でいてください。感謝
川崎 景太（フラワーアーティスト）
1994年、中村征夫さんの水中映像作品「東京湾・江戸前生物の海中劇場」の撮影で、水中カメラエンジニアとして参加したのが、東京湾の生き物達との出会いの始まりです。初めて潜る東京湾の海底では、予想に反して様々な江戸前の魚達が姿を見せてくれました。その後、数多くのテレビ番組撮影で東京湾に潜り、生き物たちの姿を撮影する機会を得ました。ムラサキイガイから始まった外来生物との出会いは、イッカククモガニ、チチュウカイミドリガニ、ホンビノスガイと数を増しています。一方で、在来種のアサリやハマグリが自然繁殖し、潮干狩りを楽しむことが出来ます。また近年、シラスアユの生育場所も見つかっています。東京湾はこれからどんな姿を私たちに見せてくれるのでしょうか？
竹内 茂（水中映像カメラマン）
征夫さんの笑顔にあうと、悩みでさえ爽やかな風となって流れていく。だからだろうか、時々、征夫さんに会わないと命が蘇えらない。それは海中の仲間たちもきっと同じだろう。海の生き物たちは征夫さんに喜び、窮状を訴える。征夫さんはすべてを優しく受け止め、写真にしていく。征夫さんの写真には、輝くほどの喜びがあり、時には大きな怒りがあり、百の言葉よりも深いメッセージを放っている。征夫さんの写真に魅せられる至福の時がやってきた。
岡本 行夫（外交評論家）
私が物心ついた頃は東京湾が遊び場でした。やがて干潟は埋め立てられ、たちまち東京湾は汚染の海に変貌しました。その頃、東京港内に仲間達と潜り、汚れた海のアピールをしているとき、同じように東京湾の現状に心を痛める中村征夫さんに初めてお会いし、以来お付き合いが続いています。江戸前と言いますが、現実は東京湾は1番近くて遠い海になっています。それを撮り続ける中村征夫さんのお手伝いをこれからもできれば、と思っています。
青木 春男（船長・プロダイバー）
展覧会によせて
―中村征夫さんにゆかりのある方々からメッセージを寄せて頂きました―
Ikuo Nakamura has been my idol since I was just a fry (young boy). Each and every one of Mr. Nakamura’s works is filled with the beauty, severity and boundless power of nature — as well as the brilliance of the fish and other life forms and their drive to live life to the fullest. What’s most surprising about fish is that they have the same richness of facial expressions that we do. I know this because Mr. Nakamura has taken advantage of a momentary opportunity and captured their entire essence in a single photograph.
“Sakana-kun” (Visiting Associate Professor, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology)
Ikuo is a very shy person. When he visits my shop, he wears a large surgical mask and a cap — recently the one he seems to favor is just like the one worn by the title character in “Kaseifu no Mita-san,” a segment of the SMAP-SMAP variety TV show (laugh). So you can’t see his face at all. But he loves to go for a drink. He’s not accustomed to carbonated beverages, so he rarely takes even a sip of beer. But he can really hold his liquor; I’ve never seen him drunk.He always has a glass of water with no ice, and he alternates between his drink and the glass of water. His conversation when he’s started to get a bit relaxed from the alcohol is exquisite. He’s great at imitating people and he keeps us in stitches.From the way he is when he is really enjoying having a drink with people, his shyness disappears and he becomes a meticulously-dressed gentleman with a gentle laugh. His conversation is really interesting. I hope to hear it often in the future as well.
Kumiko Ito (Izakaya Box Okami, Shimbashi)
I was fortunate enough to have my first diving experience be with Ikuo, and to have it be in the Ogasawara Islands. I was a little nervous, but Ikuo gripped my hand tightly and calmed my fears, and I was able to explore the world of the sea with him. Ikuo taught me how great the feeling of surrendering oneself to the world of nature could be. I want to go diving again!
Keiichiro Koyama (Member of NEWS musical group, Johnny ＆ Associates, Inc.)
I’ve only met Ikuo Nakamura at an establishment that we both frequent, but I always feel that I gain power from looking at the photographs he takes. I hope he continues to transport us to many unknown worlds. And let’s go out for a drink sometime!
Shun Oguri (Actor)
To Mr. Nakamura, the sea is life itself. To him, the creatures that live in the ocean are all his family, his lovers, his close friends. That’s why he always seems so happy when he’s talking about the sea, and why he seems so troubled when the ocean is polluted. That innocence and purity of heart is exactly the same now as it was 25 years ago when I first met him, during the filming of an underwater scene for a TV drama. When I get mentally tired out, it’s Mr. Nakamura whom I want to see. I want to ask him, ‘Tell me some stories about the creatures that live in the sea!”
Yoko Natsuki (Actress)
When I recall what kinds of sushi Ikuo Nakamura eats, the one that comes to mind immediately is anago (conger eel). He always ends his meal by ordering anago. Since the old days, the best anago for Tokyo-style “Edomae-sushi” is said to be from off Haneda in Tokyo Bay. Anago sushi is Ikuo’s source of power. So we have to make sure that we pass on the tradition of making Edo-style sushi faithfully...
Daimatsu Sushi Mitsuo Muraishi
Noriyuki Muraishi
My memories of Tokyo Bay
I was born in Nihonbashi in Tokyo’s Chuo Ward. So ever since I was a little boy, my father would take me down the Sumida River from Yanagibashi in a fishing boat to go net fishing around what is now the Odaiba area. We’d have the boatman cook the fish that we’d just caught in Tokyo Bay tenpura-style. So I grew up eating fish cooked in the true Edo manner.
Kikuo Hayashiya (Rakugoka)
“An edokko (person born and raised in Tokyo) is a colorful carp streamer in May: all mouth and no innards.”
This expression supposedly describes the temperament of an edokko. He’ll go on and on about something, but he doesn’t mean anything by it. I wonder what temperament the fish in Tokyo Bay have? I guess they’re probably typical “edokko” too...
Kikuzo Hayashiya (Rakugoka)
I worked with Mr. Nakamura on the TV documentary “Earth Walker.” Even though he was a veteran with many years of experience with the ocean, he was never overconfident. On the contrary, he always treated the ocean with respect. I was surprised at that attitude and his words on the subject. I’m still a neophyte when it comes to contact with nature, but I feel strongly that I’d like to use what I’ve learned from Mr. Nakamura as a means of making real progress in my own activities with regard to nature. I also hope to be able to go diving in Tokyo Bay with him again.
Crystal Takigawa (freelance announcer)
Whenever I talk with Ikuo, I sense several different qualities: curiosity, the spirit of adventure, love, thoughtfulness, affection... It is these qualities that give his works the warmth, depth of emotion, and insight that they possess. I am grateful to Ikuo for these qualities.
Shigeo Otsuka (Editor, National Geographic Japanese Edition)
Congratulations on your exhibition of photographs. Although it doesn’t seem like that long, I’ve known Mr. Nakamura for 30 years. Every time, he brings me new surprises and heart-pounding thrills. I’m really looking forward to seeing the current state of “The Ocean of Tokyo” as only he can convey it.
Misako Konno (Actress)
The oceans and land formed the Earth and continue to exist.It is only when these two relationships are functioning normally that the blue sky sparkles. It is appropriate that Ikuo pursued the creatures that live in the sea, while I became obsessed with those that live on land. I’m always stimulated by Ikuo’s activities and works, and am able to think positively about an ideal world in which the creatures striving to live on land are able to do so. I’m grateful to you. Please continue to be the indispensable artist, and a friend.
Keita Kawasaki (Flower artist)
In 1994, I participated in the filming of the undersea video work by Ikuo Nakamura entitled “Tokyo Bay - The Undersea Theater of Edomae” as an undersea camera engineer. That was the start of my encounters with the creatures that live in Tokyo Bay. On my first dive, against all of my expectations, I saw a variety of “Edo-style” sea creatures on the floor of Tokyo Bay. Subsequently, on numerous trips to film TV shows, I had the opportunity to go diving in Tokyo Bay and photograph the creatures that live there. My first encounter with life forms alien to Tokyo Bay was with the common blue mussel, and later I encountered others such as the American spider crab, Mediterranean green club and the littleneck clam. On the other hand, indigenous species of asari (Manila clams) and hamaguri (common orient clams) propagate naturally, and you can enjoy digging for them at the beach. Recently habitats for shirasuayu (a variety of trout) have also been discovered.What will Tokyo Bay look like in the future? I wonder.
Shigeru Takeuchi (Undersea video cameraman)
Whenever I see Ikuo’s smiling face, I feel that even my troubles are swept away by a fresh, invigorating breeze. I guess that’s the reason for feeling that if I couldn’t see him occasionally I would not be able to revitalize myself. I’m sure that our undersea friends feel the same way. The creatures of the sea are happy to see Ikuo and tell him their troubles. Ikuo listens to them compassionately and depicts them in photographs. His photographs sparkle with joy, and are sometimes filled with tremendous anger. Each of his photos conveys a message that is more profound than a hundred words. My moment of supreme bliss is here - the moment when I can fall under the spell of Ikuo’s photographs.
Yukio Okamoto (Diplomatic analyst)
For as long as I can remember, Tokyo Bay has been my playground. Eventually the tidal flats were filled in, and it seemed that Tokyo Bay was transformed instantly into a polluted sea. Around that time, I went diving in Tokyo Bay with some friends, and while singing the praises of the bay that had become so polluted, I met Ikuo Nakamura, who was also deeply troubled by the current state of Tokyo Bay, and since then we’ve continued to get together. The term edomae is used to described things done in the Tokyo style, but the reality is that Tokyo Bay is the ocean that is both nearest and farthest away to the people of Tokyo. I’ve assisted Ikuo Nakamura in photographing this bay, and I hope to continue to do so in the future.
Haruo Aoki (Ship captain, professional diver)