Protests and poetry: The death of Kyoto’s original counterculture hub

Sophie Eastaugh, CNN
4 minute read
Updated 7:07 AM EDT, Fri August 26, 2016
Japanese street photographer Kai Fusayoshi co-founded Café Honyarado, a hub for Kyoto's counterculture, artistic and activist scene. Here, Kazuko Shiraishi, a controversial Japanese poet who read her work alongside live jazz performances by the likes of John Coltrane, performs.
Japanese street photographer Kai Fusayoshi co-founded Café Honyarado, a hub for Kyoto's counterculture, artistic and activist scene. Here, Kazuko Shiraishi, a controversial Japanese poet who read her work alongside live jazz performances by the likes of John Coltrane, performs.
Kai Fusayoshi
Fusayoshi has been documenting Kyoto life since the 1970s. Pictured, three kids in a forest enjoying throwing umbrellas under typhoon winds.
Fusayoshi has been documenting Kyoto life since the 1970s. Pictured, three kids in a forest enjoying throwing umbrellas under typhoon winds.
Kai Fusayoshi
Fusayoshi received the Kyoto Fine Arts Cultural Award in 2009 and the Jean Larivière prize at France's Salon des Beaux Arts in 2014.
Fusayoshi received the Kyoto Fine Arts Cultural Award in 2009 and the Jean Larivière prize at France's Salon des Beaux Arts in 2014.
Kai Fusayoshi
"Among the various parties we had, the son of one of the founders often got left behind with the cats at the cafe," said Fusayoshi.
"Among the various parties we had, the son of one of the founders often got left behind with the cats at the cafe," said Fusayoshi.
Kai Fusayoshi
"Nicola Geiger (right) had a strong personality and was loved by everyone," said Fusayoshi. "Her father was the inventor of the Geiger counter, which detects radiation levels, and she retired and came to work with us at the cafe. In this photo she was encouraging a Polish nuclear scientist to return to the country despite the risk of imprisonment."
"Nicola Geiger (right) had a strong personality and was loved by everyone," said Fusayoshi. "Her father was the inventor of the Geiger counter, which detects radiation levels, and she retired and came to work with us at the cafe. In this photo she was encouraging a Polish nuclear scientist to return to the country despite the risk of imprisonment."
Kai Fusayoshi
"This is the best-selling Japanese novelist Makoto Oda, who was one of the leaders of the peace movement in Japan. Nicola Geiger and Oda had rekindled an old friendship with each other."
"This is the best-selling Japanese novelist Makoto Oda, who was one of the leaders of the peace movement in Japan. Nicola Geiger and Oda had rekindled an old friendship with each other."
Kai Fusayoshi
"This girl followed me. She was anxious to be shot by me like other kids playing in the street. Whenever we met, she used to say in a little voice, 'Why didn't you shoot', but there was never an opportunity that was long enough. This time I heard her crying in a loud voice from behind me, 'Hey! Take a photo of me.'"
A bank clerk and a girl (Laughing and Crying) —
"This girl followed me. She was anxious to be shot by me like other kids playing in the street. Whenever we met, she used to say in a little voice, 'Why didn't you shoot', but there was never an opportunity that was long enough. This time I heard her crying in a loud voice from behind me, 'Hey! Take a photo of me.'"
Kai Fusayoshi
Children doodling in Café Honyarado.
Children doodling in Café Honyarado.
Kai Fusayoshi
"David Boggett (left) is a famous activist and brilliant historian from Cambridge University. He came to Asia in early 1970 to investigate the kidnapping of his Korean professor, Park No Su, by the South Korean CIA." No Su, also known as Francis Park, was lured to Korea on<a href="http://www.jpri.org/publications/workingpapers/wp91.html" target="_blank" target="_blank"> false pretenses and executed</a>.
"David Boggett (left) is a famous activist and brilliant historian from Cambridge University. He came to Asia in early 1970 to investigate the kidnapping of his Korean professor, Park No Su, by the South Korean CIA." No Su, also known as Francis Park, was lured to Korea on false pretenses and executed.
Kai Fusayoshi
"A wealthy pawn shop owner waiting for a streetcar."
"A wealthy pawn shop owner waiting for a streetcar."
Kai Fusayoshi
"This old landowner was once a candidate for governor of Kyoto City. He gave his daughter's hand in marriage to Japanese war veteran <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/17/world/asia/japan-philippines-ww2-soldier-dies/">Hiroo Onada, who had hidden for 29 years</a> at Lubang Island Jungle in the Philippines after World War II, not knowing the war was over. After that, the married couple went to live in Brazil."
"This old landowner was once a candidate for governor of Kyoto City. He gave his daughter's hand in marriage to Japanese war veteran Hiroo Onada, who had hidden for 29 years at Lubang Island Jungle in the Philippines after World War II, not knowing the war was over. After that, the married couple went to live in Brazil."
Kai Fusayoshi
"A poster for Shige's bread. We sent Shige out into Regensburg in southeast Germany to learn to make bread for the cafe. Later he became a popular independent bread-maker."
"A poster for Shige's bread. We sent Shige out into Regensburg in southeast Germany to learn to make bread for the cafe. Later he became a popular independent bread-maker."
Kai Fusayoshi
"I had big open-air exhibition with a sign that said, 'Are you in these photos? If you find yourself, please take it for free on the last day.' It developed into a kind of neighborhood festival along the Kamo River. Many people came: teachers, policemen, old women and children."
"I had big open-air exhibition with a sign that said, 'Are you in these photos? If you find yourself, please take it for free on the last day.' It developed into a kind of neighborhood festival along the Kamo River. Many people came: teachers, policemen, old women and children."
Kai Fusayoshi
Losing Kyoto's counterculture hub

Story highlights

Café Honyarado was a hub for Kyoto's artistic and anti-war movements

Japanese photographer Kai Fusayoshi reflects on its influence and legacy

Fusayoshi's black-and-white photos capture decades of Kyoto life

CNN  — 

In the spring of 1972, three Kyoto dropouts – a folk singer, a photographer and a poet – decided to build a space where their creative and political ideas could meet.

For the last 17 years, the US and its allies had been fighting communist Vietnam in a brutal and unpopular war.