貼近感官聲響的歸零之旅:跟著攝影師 Kai 走進日本東北的安謐秋意

 
 
 

旅行對很多人來說,是出發去一個沒去過的地方,看沒看過的風景,吃沒吃過的東西,經歷不曾體驗過的事物,把日常暫時拋在身後。但有些時候,踏上旅途,要的不是新的刺激,而是更接近一種歸還,把那些不知不覺疊加上來的東西,一層一層放下,直到感官回到比較原初的敏銳狀態。

攝影師 Kai 用了一個很精準的詞:「歸零」。

他說,自然會讓他的內在歸零,回歸相對空白而鬆弛的狀態。他有時會跑去花蓮,沒有行程,只是去海邊走一走,或跟住在當地的朋友漫無目的閒晃,暫時跳脫台北急促的節奏。不過,如果你知道 Kai 的經歷,就會明白他說的歸零,更像是一種身體層面的回返。

 
 
  • For many, traveling is about venturing into the unknown—seeing unfamiliar landscapes, tasting new foods, experiencing things for the first time, and leaving the daily grind behind. But sometimes, hitting the road isn’t about seeking new thrills; it’s more like a return. It’s about shedding the invisible layers we accumulate over time, peeling them back until our senses are restored to their raw, primal sharpness.

    Photographer Kai captures this perfectly with one word: “reset” (歸零).

    Nature, he says, resets his inner self, returning him to a blank, relaxed slate. He occasionally escapes to Hualien with no itinerary, just walking along the beach or wandering aimlessly with local friends, temporarily breaking away from Taipei’s frantic pace. Yet, if you know Kai’s background, you understand that his version of “resetting” is actually a visceral, physical return.

 
 

攝影師.Kai Chang

 
 

成為空間攝影師之前,Kai 做了好幾年的環境生態調查工作。他時常走進保護區、踩進溪床、穿著涉水裝備在水裡行走。那些年以來,身體記住了很多事情——水流經過腳踝的觸感、石頭在溪底的排列方式、陽光穿過樹冠後在水面上碎成的光斑、山林裡空氣的重量跟氣味。即使後來轉換跑道,有些東西從未離開。

他捕捉光影落在牆面的方式,呈現材料與材料的靜謐對話,站在第三人稱觀察注視卻不打擾的拍攝模式,就像把對山林脈絡的解讀方式,轉譯到建築室內之中。所以當他需要歸零時,他知道自己要往哪裡去。

 
 
  • Before becoming a spatial photographer, Kai spent years doing environmental and ecological survey work. He frequently trekked into nature reserves, stepped into riverbeds, and waded through water in specialized gear. Over those years, his body memorized a multitude of sensations: the feel of the current brushing against his ankles, the arrangement of stones on the riverbed, the dappled sunlight shattering on the water's surface after filtering through the canopy, and the weight and scent of the forest air. Even after changing career paths, some things never left him.

    The way he captures light and shadow falling on a wall, presenting a silent dialogue between materials, and his shooting style of observing from a third-person perspective without intruding—it's as if he translated his method of reading mountain landscapes into interior architecture. Therefore, when he needs to reset, he knows exactly where to go.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

走進東北地區的秋天



11 月的日本東北地區,可能不是大部分台灣旅客的直覺選擇。而 Kai 想要的,恰好是一個分明的秋季景色、不擁擠的空間,一個可以用自己步調慢慢走的地方。於是,季節輪廓被清楚劃分的東北,剛好是這樣的理想境地。

仙台是東北地區的一線城市,但跟東京相比,這個「一線」安靜得多。它有城市該有的便利,但沒有那種讓人下意識加快腳步的壓迫感。Kai 以仙台為中心,向周邊城市延伸,到達包含山寺、銀山溫泉、日本三景之一的松島、鹽竈市和本州最北端的大城青森。

 
 
  • Stepping into Autumn in Tohoku

    The Tohoku region of Japan in November might not be the intuitive choice for most Taiwanese travelers. But what Kai sought was precisely this: distinctly autumn scenery, uncrowded spaces, and a place where he could walk at his own pace. Tohoku, with its clearly defined seasonal contours, was the ideal sanctuary.

    Sendai is a major, first-tier city in Tohoku, but compared to Tokyo, this “first-tier” is profoundly quieter. It has the convenience of a metropolis without the oppressive atmosphere that unconsciously forces you to walk faster. Using Sendai as his hub, Kai branched out to surrounding cities, visiting Yamadera, Ginzan Onsen, Matsushima (one of Japan's three most scenic views), Shiogama, and Aomori, the northernmost city on 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

換一種感官,閱讀城市的安謐



一個每天靠「看」在工作的人,抵達之後,除了視覺之外,被大大啟動的感官則是耳朵。這裡極為安靜,安靜到所有細微的動靜聲響,都擁有清晰的輪廓。

像是青森緩靜的城市步調,連過馬路號誌發出的提示音,每一個音符都清清楚楚的聽見。只要走路稍微拖著腳步,連細微的沙沙聲也聽得一清二楚。還有一些從外面看過去,安靜到讓人懷疑究竟有沒有在營業的咖啡店。窗裡的光線靜靜的,推門進去才發現裡頭確實有客人,只是整個空間的音量都被調到了最小刻度。

也許是因為 Kai 本身就是個觀察多過表達,接收多過輸出的人,這樣的他,到了一個同樣安靜的地方,兩個頻率順暢對接,他更能讓感官好好沈浸在當下,不被嘈雜打斷。

 
 
  • Reading the City's Serenity Through a Different Sense

    For someone whose daily work relies entirely on “seeing,” the sense that was most drastically awakened upon arrival—aside from vision—was hearing. It was incredibly quiet here, so quiet that every subtle movement and sound possessed a clear silhouette.

    Take the unhurried pace of Aomori, for instance. You can hear every single note of the pedestrian crossing melody with absolute clarity. If you drag your feet even slightly while walking, the faint rustling sound is unmistakable. Then there were cafes that looked so quiet from the outside you'd doubt they were even open. The light in the window sat still; only upon pushing the door open would you realize there were indeed customers inside, but the volume of the entire space had been turned down to the lowest possible setting.

    Perhaps because Kai himself is someone who observes more than he speaks, who receives more than he outputs, arriving in an equally quiet place allowed these two frequencies to perfectly align. He could let his senses fully immerse in the present moment, completely uninterrupted by noise.

 
 
 
 
 
 

內化為身體記憶的敏銳



每個人在工作中養成的習慣,不是說關就能關的,Kai 也是。這些年累積下來的工作經驗,深刻內化成身體習慣的反饋和敏銳。你不需要刻意啟動,這就是你的一部分。

譬如平常拍攝空間,進到案場第一件事就是看光。光從哪裡進來、現在是什麼角度、會在什麼時間轉移、哪些畫面要趁光線還在的時候先拍。這套思考方式已經長年建立在 Kai 的意識邏輯中。以至於原本計畫下午三點多搭車上銀山溫泉的他,後來突然意識到,這裡緯度比台灣高很多,如果三點多才上去,等抵達的時候,白天的景已經沒了,只剩夜景可以拍,便趕快臨時換成更早的車次。

 
 
  • The Acuity of Internalized Physical Memory

    The habits we develop in our work aren't things we can just switch off at will, and Kai is no exception. His years of accumulated professional experience have deeply internalized into physical reflexes and acuity. You don't need to intentionally activate it; it simply becomes a part of you.

    For example, when shooting a space, his first instinct upon entering a site is to observe the light. Where is it coming from? What is the angle right now? When will it shift? Which shots need to be taken while the light is still there? This cognitive framework has been built into Kai's consciousness for years.

    So much so that, although he originally planned to take a bus up to Ginzan Onsen around 3:00 PM, he suddenly realized the latitude here was much higher than in Taiwan. If he went up that late, the daylight would be gone by the time he arrived, leaving only night shots. He quickly pivoted to an earlier departure.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

另一個冒出來的習慣,是事前準備的本能。出發前,他會把每個目的地附近有什麼吃的、怎麼到達、周邊還有什麼可以順道去的,都先查好一輪。他自己也笑說,這跟拍攝比較陌生的案場時做的功課其實是一樣的。先把後勤的事情處理掉,到了現場才能專注在拍攝本身。

又比如走進內部空間極為獨特的菅野美術館時,儘管館內不允許拍攝,他仍會因為室內構造的特殊性,腦袋忍不住去運轉,如果是他,會怎麼拍攝那些特殊的切割面和空間關係。

 
 
  • Another habit that surfaced was his instinct for pre-production. Before heading out, he researched what to eat near each destination, how to get there, and what else was nearby to visit along the way. He laughed, noting that this is exactly the same homework he does when preparing to shoot an unfamiliar location. By handling the logistics beforehand, he can focus entirely on the photography once he's on site.

    Or, consider when he walked into the structurally unique interior of the Kanno Museum of Art. Even though photography wasn't allowed inside, his mind couldn't help but race, contemplating how he would shoot those unique faceted walls and spatial relationships if given the chance.

 
 
 
 

等不到空景,就等「可以用的人」



聊到旅途中的拍攝心境,Kai 倒是慢慢退讓成一種更自在的狀態:畫面來了就接住,沒有也沒關係。那時他們長途跋涉,滿懷期待到青森,希望可以一覽青森縣立美術館。不過到現場才發現美術館沒有開。既然美術館沒開,周圍自然就沒有什麼遊客聚集。他們旋即轉換想法,這意味著可以好好拍攝建築外觀,沒有人群的干擾。就這樣,把旅途的意外輕輕翻了面,變成了機會。

這份從容,同樣體現在景點的人群上。旅行拍照最常遇到的困擾就是畫面裡的人。有些攝影師會等到所有人都離開;對 Kai 來說,如果一直等不到沒有人的時候,那我們就等「可以用的人」,讓他變成風景的一部分。與其對抗一個控制不了的狀況,不如調整自己的視角,找到一種方式讓它為你所用。

 
 
  • If You Can't Get an Empty Shot, Wait for the "Right People"

    When discussing his mindset toward photography during the trip, Kai revealed that he had gradually settled into a much more relaxed state: catch the shot if it presents itself; if not, let it go.

    After traveling a long distance to Aomori, full of anticipation to see the Aomori Museum of Art, they arrived only to find it closed. Since it was closed, there were naturally no crowds gathered around. They immediately shifted their perspective—this meant they could properly photograph the exterior architecture without human interference. Just like that, they gently flipped a travel mishap into an opportunity.

    This easygoing nature was also reflected in how he dealt with crowds at tourist spots. The most common annoyance in travel photography is people in the frame. While some photographers will wait until everyone leaves, Kai takes a different approach: if he can't get an empty shot, he waits for the "right people" to walk into the frame, turning them into a part of the landscape. Rather than fighting an uncontrollable situation, it's better to adjust your perspective and find a way to make it work for you.

 
 
 
 
 
 

這個態度跟他在工作中面對突發狀況的方式亦是相通。在拍攝案場,意外是家常便飯。舉凡現場還在施工、光線跟預期不同、某個角落的佈置一直調整等,無論問題多麼繁雜,Kai 始終能默默把大家顧好、穩穩解決所有突發狀況,帶給團隊安定感。對他而言,最重要的事情就是怎麼讓它順利解決:「反正碰到了,想辦法解決,讓拍攝順利就好。」他淡然說著。

 
 
  • This attitude directly mirrors how he handles unexpected situations at work. On a shoot, surprises are par for the course. Whether the site is still under construction, the lighting is different than expected, or a corner's staging keeps changing, no matter how complex the problem, Kai always manages to quietly take care of everyone and steadily resolve every hiccup, bringing a sense of stability to his team. To him, the most important thing is simply getting it done: "You run into an issue, you figure out a way to solve it, and you make sure the shoot goes smoothly," he says mildly.

 
 
 
 
 
 

鏡頭底下,是與自我連結的生命軌跡



一個人的生命厚度,影響他看世界的方式。每個人都會去拍攝與自己有連結、特別有感覺的東西。 Kai 也不例外。

翻看他在旅程拍下的畫面,自然相關的內容佔據最大比例,如溪流、山林、動植物、海岸等等。他提到,自己對建築體融合生態地景的設計會特別有感。這個偏好同時連結了他人生中的兩段經歷 — 做生態調查的那些年,讓他對自然環境有深刻的理解,做空間攝影的積累,讓他對建築有敏銳的判斷。當這兩件事在一個地方同時出現的時候,感受自然比一般人多出一整個維度。

 
 
  • Through the Lens: Life Trajectories Connected to the Self

    The depth of a person's life experiences shapes how they view the world. Everyone naturally photographs the things they connect with, the things that evoke a feeling. Kai is no exception.

    Looking through the images he captured on the trip, nature-related subjects take up the largest proportion—streams, forests, flora and fauna, coastlines. He mentioned that he feels a particular affinity for architectural designs that integrate seamlessly with the ecological landscape. This preference bridges two distinct chapters of his life: his years doing ecological surveys, which gave him a profound understanding of the natural environment, and his accumulated experience in spatial photography, which honed his acute architectural judgment. When these two elements converge in one place, his experience of it is naturally a whole dimension deeper than the average person's.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

溪流、山寺的石階、銀山溫泉在不同時刻的變化、松島環島步道上偶然拍到的大白鷺、青森美術館的外觀 ...... 秋天的東北已經被收進 Kai 的記憶裡。下一次,也許是冬天的東北。還有那些這次沒能抵達的地方——沒去成的酒廠、沒打開門的美術館內部——都安靜地留在那裡,等著下一次。帶著同一雙隨時準備好的眼睛,安靜迎接每一個值得被記錄的時刻。

就在下一次,當內在又需要歸零的時候。

 
 
  • The streams, the stone steps of Yamadera, the shifting moods of Ginzan Onsen throughout the day, the great egret serendipitously captured on the Matsushima coastal trail, the exterior of the Aomori Museum of Art... Autumn in Tohoku has now been filed away in Kai’s memory. Next time, perhaps it will be Tohoku in winter. And as for the places he couldn't reach this time—the brewery he missed, the museum interiors that remained closed—they remain there quietly, waiting for the next visit.

    He will bring the same pair of ever-ready eyes, quietly welcoming every moment worth recording. Right there, in the next time his inner self needs to reset.

 
 
 
 

Kai 的東北散策清單

 
 

01 銀山溫泉


藏在山谷裡的溫泉街區,溪流兩側是大正時期保留至今的木造旅館建築群,四季各有不同風貌,入夜後點燈的街景尤其迷人。

 
 
  • Tucked away in a mountain valley, this hot spring district is defined by the Taisho-era wooden inns lining both sides of its central stream. While each season dresses the town in a distinct beauty, the streetscape becomes truly spellbinding when the warm, golden lights flicker on after dusk.

 
 
 
 

02 立石寺(山寺)


擁有超過千年歷史的山岳佛寺,沿著山勢拾級而上,石階兩旁被山林環繞。松尾芭蕉曾在此留下「閑寂」名句,是東北地區最具代表性的古寺之一。

 
 
  • A mountain temple steeped in over a millennium of history. As you ascend the stone steps carved into the mountainside, you are completely enveloped by a dense, tranquil forest. It was here that the legendary poet Matsuo Bashō penned his famous haiku about profound stillness, cementing its place as one of Tohoku's most iconic ancient sanctuaries.

 
 
 
 

📍 Yamadera (Risshakuji Temple)
4456-1 Yamadera, Yamagata, 999-3301

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03 松島


日本三景之一,海灣內散佈著約 260 座大小島嶼。可搭乘遊覽船巡遊,也可步行至福浦島等小島,沿海岸小徑感受島嶼和海的不同表情。

 
 
  • Celebrated as one of Japan’s three most scenic views, this bay is scattered with roughly 260 pine-clad islands of varying sizes. You can take a sightseeing cruise through the waters or stroll across to small islands like Fukuura, wandering the coastal paths to trace the shifting, quiet moods of the sea and the landscape.

 
 
 
 

📍 Matsushima
宮城縣宮城郡松島町高城字町10

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04 青森縣立美術館


由建築師青木淳設計,以大面積白色量體和獨特的凹凸結構聞名。館內常設展示奈良美智的大型作品《青森犬》,建築本身即是值得專程前往的風景。

 
 
  • Designed by architect Jun Aoki, this museum is renowned for its striking, expansive white volumes and unique geometric trenches. Home to the permanent exhibition of Yoshitomo Nara’s colossal Aomori Dog, the building itself stands as a breathtaking architectural landscape entirely worth the journey.

 
 
 
 

📍 Aomori Museum of Art
Chikano-185 Yasuta, Aomori, 038-0021日本

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05 地底之森博物館(仙台)


位於仙台市地下的考古遺址博物館,完整保存了約兩萬年前的舊石器時代遺跡,包括當時的沼澤地層與倒塌的森林遺構,以原址原貌的方式展示在地底空間中。

 
 
  • An archaeological museum situated deep beneath Sendai, perfectly preserving a Paleolithic site from roughly 20,000 years ago. Featuring the original marshland strata and the remains of a collapsed forest, the exhibition allows visitors to experience the excavated ruins exactly as they were found, right in their subterranean context.

 
 
 
 

📍 Sendai City Tomizawa Site Museum (The Underground Forest Museum)
4 Chome-3-1 Nagamachiminami, Taihaku Ward, Sendai, Miyagi 982-0012日本

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06 菅野美術館(鹽竈市)


由建築師阿部仁史設計,以銳利的切割面與狹窄的隙縫式開口構成獨特的空間體驗。建築量體嵌入坡地之中,內部空間隨著光線與角度不斷變化,建築本身即是最主要的展品。

 
 
  • Designed by architect Hitoshi Abe, this space crafts a deeply unique sensory experience through sharp, faceted walls and narrow, slit-like windows. Embedded directly into a hillside, the interior continuously shape-shifts depending on your vantage point and the play of natural light, making the architecture itself the museum’s most captivating exhibit.

 
 
 
 

📍 Kanno Museum of Art (Shiogama)
3 Chome-4-15 Tamagawa, Shiogama, Miyagi 985-0042日本

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Photography by/ Kai Chang
Interview、Text/ ChichiL, Jamie Lo

 

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