Day 5 Thursday, took a different route to the office from the train stop, and found a surf shop, the area is miles from the ocean. Another morning of powerpoints, I want to find the sick masochist's fucker who invented the progam and knee him in the balls. After a morning of meeting the foreign visitors and I were taken to a studio to shoot images. A long cab ride and many shared stories of the night before advantages limited as they were was exchanged, the Dutch folks end up in a section of Tokyo called Ripponge a dodge night life section known for the red light services and bars and clubs. Jim one of the young guys from Canada tagged along with the Dutch contingency, had one to many drinks and was trying to hook up with a women who was not a women but a transvestite. After being told repeatedly look at the feet it finally sunk in that indeed the chick was a dude.Of course with the information at hand after the cab ride the American group tortured Jim with songs of hands, feet and toes.

The studio was located in the Beverly Hills of Tokyo, very apparent with the Alfa Romeo dealership on the corner of the block. Upon entering the studio as the custom we had to take our shoes off and put on plastic slippers two sizes to small for any of us. The set was pre-lit a very flat bright set, the crew knew their stuff.I had experience the set up upon my last visit. The light in Japan due to its location on the planet is very flat and a cooler colored light then what we have back in New York or in California. In New York the light is warmer and due to the sky scrapers there is more shadows and contrast, and Cali the light is very warm and even perfect for shoots. The Japanese light for pictures, how they perceive light which in this country is bright and flat. I was given free range to relite which I did, the communication was a bit difficult, but after I moved a light and changed diffusions and gels the crew followed me. I had a very beautiful model to work with who was very professional I think one of the most professional models I have ever worked with. I did three light set ups and three wardrobe changes with her and got some great shots. The crew was taken notes on my work which I found very flattering to say the least. Today was the first day since I arrived here that I was out of the windowless meeting room in the day time. My synapses were not firing properly today do to the heat and long work days I shot what I thought was a roll of film in five minutes only to discover that there was no film in the camera. The crew and all those in the studio got a good laugh at the mistake, I polished off three rolls of film and about 150 digital shots by the end of the day. After all the formal thanks and good byes the group of us walked to the local trains station which was a good 15 min walk through some of the nicest homes of Tokyo. The sweat pouring down me and the down right exhaustion that I felt, sushi once again came to mind. I asked Hugh if he would join me for dinner which he excepted, got back to the room showered laid down for 1o min and out the door. Hugh and I went to the same restaurant as Mike Mount and I had gone the previous night, I left myself in Hugh's arm when it came to ordering, I told him I'll eat anything you order. I am getting so spoiled on sushi here. Hugh ordered stuff I have never heard of or seen before, after proclaiming how good it was Hugh look at me queerly and said the sushi was average at best. I have eaten sushi at Nobu, Tomo, and many places in la, and the sushi at this little restaurant near the hotel is damn good in my opinion. But as Hugh has told me wait and see in a couple of days from now he will take me to one of the best sushi places for dinner.