JAPAN PICS A 28 min Documentary film. Shot in Japan and Sweden. About why Japanese people take picturesnn'There is a prejudice That Japanese people take a lot of photos. Some time ago people had an image that the Japanese always had a camera around there neck.' Kunisugu MasudannIt's a hot August day at City Hall in Stockholm. Tourists from all over the world have gathered and through the City Hall gateway, a group of Japanese tourists walk in. A few seconds later, everyone's cameras is up and taking Lot's of pictures. I interviewed a young couple, 'Do you think that Japanese people generally photograph more than people from other countries?' -'We do? Maybe we do! Yeah, I guess we do. I wonder why? ' Yurika Sakata.nnMy curiosity of Japanese stereotypes takes me and my camera to Japan where I travel to Tokyo, Osaka, Nara, Kobe, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Miyajima. I ask questions, sing karaoke with 80-year-old sisters, eat Japanese food with a doctor and get to see beautiful places around Japan. Keiko, Kunitsugu, Setsuko, Shusei and Yurika people I interviewed at City Hall invite me to their homes and they tell of their photographic habits and what they do with their photos.nn'When I take photos I don't just press the button. All views have this special moment that I'm especially fond of. I'm always nervous. But I enjoy the tension.' Shusei SakatannI'm in a park right at the end of the cherry blossom. There, I discover that they take pictures at least as much in their own country. As time goes by I behave as a Japanese tourist in their country. I shoot everything and everyone. What should one have all these pictures for really?nn 'When I like something, I stay and watch it. Going like a herd 'This way, everyone and back and forth.' Okay, I've been here!' 'Okay, I've seen this!' Akira Kumagai professional photographer.nnI also interviewed representatives from Canon, Nikon, Olympus and visited a camera-museum in Tokyo. They give me insight into Japan's history, how it is that they have so many camera brands and why cameras can have so much impact on Japan and the Japanese. Through the film we get a glimpse of Japan's photographic history and get closer to some Japanese peoples life's.nnI am especially interested in why one takes so many pictures. Because I am the same way.