B&B club

Mr Minami runs the IBS (International Brilliant Students) school in Kagoshima. Originally from the Yakushima Island, he studied in Utah and Hawaii before starting his ‘school of motivation’. Inadvertently we gave him quite a shock when we walked into his office as he was expecting to welcome two grannies. His headquarters is one big international cabinet of curiosities and during our relatively brief visit, we handled a samurai sword, shark jaws and finnish beer. Mr Minami’s star employee Rie Matsuyama received the platinum award from us for the best producer, aid, mental support, driver and most contagious laughter – ever.

Our models for the day, Becki and Bera (the B&B club), met at IBS four years ago. Becki is a Kagoshima native and used to work as an elementary school teacher. She kindly invited us to stay at her home together with her 6 wild and beautiful cats. Bera moved to Kagoshima from the Amami Islands when she was 14 and loves to dance, especially the traditional Nihon Bujō. We picked her up from a little white house right by the shore where she lives with her sailor husband and drove to Ebino Kogen.

© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
Mr Minami and his ancient samurai sword. © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
Rie Matsuyama and the masterplan. © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
Becky’s house © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
Preparing for tomorrow’s two shoots © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
The Ebino Kogen plateau was in the clouds © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
For Becki, we collected fallen branches of Miyama Kirishima, a kind of Azalea © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
Mist is always fantastic! © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
Ever stylish Rie Matsuyama © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
Soaked to the core, there was not one dry panty in the plateau © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
Hot green tea to rescue © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
After the rain stopped we headed for the second location with Bera © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth &; Riitta Ikonen
Susuki reeds from the island of Sakurajima © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
We worked to the intense soundtrack of deer calls echoing in the woods © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
We worked to the intense soundtrack of deer calls echoing in the woods © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
© Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen
Becky’s and Bera’s homemade hot pot made us whole again © Karoline Hjorth & Riitta Ikonen

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