Travel Weekly / Beyond India and Tibet — Ordinary Happiness After Japan’s Earthquake

Travel Center / Taipei Report

How long has it been since you last took a trip that immersed you in the lives of people? This joyful December, we especially recommend two photography exhibitions centered around “people.” On this warming weekend getaway, why not take a break and journey through images to India and Tibet, and revisit the bygone days of Japan — a heartfelt travel experience that moves the soul.


Take a trip that interacts with “people”! (Photo / fromSono E. - Travel · Photography · AccessoriesFacebook)

【Sono E. | ‘India｜Tibet’. Travel Photography Story Exhibition】
Ever since I started traveling, Tibet was always scheduled for some indefinite year and month. The Tibet travel permit finally came through just two days before departure. Was I really going to Tibet? It felt unreal. In India, I ended up taking more photos of people than landscapes — completely different from my usual travel habits — because everywhere there were innocent, genuine smiles. You could tell they came from the heart.

Having personally traveled through northern India, I found it wasn’t as difficult or dangerous as imagined. I thought I wouldn’t be able to go before the 2012 doomsday rumors, and I thought I needed to get physically stronger first. But I’m already back. The majestic grandeur of the northern route of the Ali region can never fit into a small camera, but it’s etched into my heart.

Exhibition Period: December 12, 2012 ~ January 6, 2013
Exhibition Venue: Somebody CAFE, Lane 26 (2nd & 3rd Floor, No. 131, Xining South Road, Wanhua District, Taipei City)


【Yumi Sakuma Solo Exhibition “Tetsu and Otyu: Reminiscence”】


Even everyday photos can help others find happiness. (Photo / from CityPass)

In March 2011, Japan experienced a series of disasters. Despite the many losses, Japanese people tried to find what they could do to keep living their lives.
When I saw them, I was reminded of my grandparents — their joy, beauty, and love.

Back during World War II, my grandparents lost their families and friends.
Although life was hard and food was scarce, they never gave up.

The photos taught me how to live — with cheerfulness and self-love.
Though my grandparents are no longer in this world, they live on forever in my heart.

These everyday photos continue to inspire me to live happily, especially during tough times.
I hope that through the stories in these photos, I can also help others — those who see them — find happiness and joy.

Exhibition Period: December 1, 2012 ~ December 30, 2012
Exhibition Venue: 1839 Little Gallery (No. 120, Yanji Street, Da’an District, Taipei City)