Description

Marine Planning Co. / Marin Kikaku [Published Date: 2000]. Softcover, [100] pp (unpaginated). Text in Japanese. Very Good in very good wraps. White paper covers in glossy white paper wraps. Light bumping to edges and corners of wraps and light overall scuffing. Binding tight. Pages clean and unmarked. Illustrated throughout with color and black-and-white photographs. Text in Japanese. A memorial tribute book for Kaoru Ono, surfer and cultural figure, with photographs by Mitsuyuki Shibata. Includes personal essays, biographical reflections, and documentary-style images of Ono's life and surfing culture. Reflects on the life and spirit of Kaoru Ono, a pioneering Japanese longboard surfer, journalist, and surf shop owner active in the Tokyo and Shonan scenes during the 1970s - 1990s. Born around 1951, he helped define Japanese surf and skate subculture by blending riding style with lifestyle, media, and music. He owned the iconic shop "Betty's" in Kugenuma and became known for his columns in Surfing Life magazine. In 1990, he turned professional with the Japan Professional Surfing Association (JPSA) and earned Rookie of the Year honors. A creative yet polarizing figure, he left a lasting impact on Japan's beach culture and youth expression before his untimely death in 1999 at the age of 48. This book contains tributes from friends and collaborators, intimate candid photography, and personal stories that celebrate his unique spirit.