I wasn't religious before.
But it 's not that I wasn't interested in religion.
Since childhood, I was always drawn to the unknown
and I explored various types of beliefs
including sorcery and occultism.
They were a form of self-expression, helping me to
explore who I am as a person.
One day, I stumbled across Sufism
and the works associated with this mystical Islamic religion.
I found a lot in common with my way of thinking
and it resonated with me.
I wanted to know more about the core beliefs of Islam
so I began talking to people. That's how it started.
Until then, it felt like walking without a defined path.
After encountering Islam
the path became much clearer.
It made me want to believe.
Back when I didn't know anything about Islam
I saw this man in white, standing in Shibuya around dawn.
It was surreal.
He handed me a piece of paper
and told me to recite the words with him.
They were Islamic chants with Japanese explanations.
So we chanted together, and parted.
After that, he was constantly on my mind. Who was he? What was he doing?
A few years later, I was deep into my exploration of Islam.
One day, I went to pray, and there he was.
People who knew my story
told him about it, and he seemed very happy.
He said we should meet again tomorrow.
The next day, he brought me here to the mosque in Kabukicho.
He had travelled through various countries before returning to Japan
and becoming the Imam of this mosque.
Right after our reunion, only a year after I converted
he told me to become an Imam too.
I've never received any formal academic training
but I continue to study the religion while acting as Imam.
I became a tattoo artist and piecer 20 years ago.
At first it was just a hobby.
Just like religion
some parts of society see tattooing and piercing as evil
without truly understanding what they are.
Just like assuming that all Muslims are terrorists.
There's a choice of 14 or 16 gauge.
What size is my piercing here?
The smaller hole is 16.
This one looks bigger, but maybe not as big as 14.
Let's see. The bottom is 16, the top is 18.
- I'll get the 16 then.
I frequently get criticized by other Muslims for having tattoos
but it's important that they know about them.
When people see that I am a Japanese Muslim with a full beard in Arabic clothing, they're impressed.
But once they see my tattoos, they start to criticize.
In other words, humans can only perceive things through prejudice.
Done.
Not all tattoos or piercings are good
because they can be a direct reflection of
somebody's unstable mental state or inner conflict.
From a narrow perspective, I don't think tattoos and piercings are necessary to live.
But from a wider perspective, I feel like I am helping those who live their lives unconsciously.
Through my work, I am awakening their senses.
Helping them to understand true beauty and pain.
I often get stopped and questioned by the police because of their biased views.
I'd say it happens more than ten times a month, often on my way to work.
It's annoying.
But I'm sort of immune to it now. I'm beginning to find it fun.
I am living by faith, and learning is part of the process.
But I'm not a religious scholar by any means.
I may be an oddball, but I haven't lost touch with reality.
I seek to awaken people's consciousness
and challenge prejudices. Perhaps you could say I'm a terrorist,
but not in the usual sense of the term.
And even though I have tattoos I'm not a yakuza member.
although, like them, I too seek the ultimate path of life.
This is Obu.
The other is Odo.