Profile of Bungo Saito

Born on September 2, 1957.

Born as the second son of Saito Photo Studio in Sagamihara-city, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Father of Bungo had resigned from working as a photographer for Kodan-sha, and started his own business in Sagamihara-city, independently. This is when his wife became blessed with a child in 10 years. Because of the mother's dream of having a girl, the name of a child was decided before its delivery as Kaoru.

Since the child suffered from asthma and skin inflammation, he was renamed to "Bungo" in his early child hood. With his mother, he had traveled all around Japan in the search of a doctor, but he had to take one year off to be hospitalized during 5th grade.

Been influenced by his friend in the 3rd grade of Junior high school, he suddenly started to become active in Kendo Club for three years in his high school. (Because he was not able to spend nights for camps, his ten years older brother drove Bungo to camping sights. This is when he started to become tough both physically and mentally).

1975 Entered Photography Department in Arts Major, Nippon University

Bungo had spent his active university days in Walk and Travel Club. This was unbelievable since his life up till then had been very passive. Even though he neither studied nor took photographs then, he was learning how to travel with his feet and also the base of "healing photograph".

Despite his intention of going back to Sagamihara for his interest in photo shop, he started to get interested in advertising photography since the beginning of his senior year from working as a part time in photo studio.

1979 Entered Sasaki Studio

Being introduced to the works of famous photographers leading advertising photography of Japan, Bungo started to get interested in such field of photogragphy and begun to call himself as "photograph lover". However, there were times of bitter days in photography world. This is when his older brother found Bungo in the train, and later told him that "Bungo's face was too depressed to even say 'hi' to".

1987 Established Saito Photo Office

Bungo's father does not have any other hobbies other than his work, and he is devoted to mopping the shop in the mornings and organizing vouchers in the nights for 365 days a year.

After establishing his own studio, Bungo sometimes recalls about his father, and people often give compliments to his staff members commenting, "this office is always filled with nice people". He truly feels interested in photography through walking 11 years.

（25.DEC.1998 s.bungo）

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