SHARI, Hokkaido--The town of Shari is forever associated with the Shiretoko Peninsula, designated as a World Natural Heritage site. But to a select few, it is cherished for another reason, too.
It is the home of a type of camera film that went out of mainstream production three decades ago. Film buffs have 64-year-old Tsuyoshi Mohri to thank for that.
Mohri’s main business is agricultural machinery, but he also manufactures the film under the brand name of ReraPan.
His company’s flagship products are bulky farm equipment that sells for several million yen (tens of thousands of dollars) and up to tens of millions of yen.
Each roll of ReraPan film is 46 millimeters wide and priced at under 2,000 yen.
Known as “vest pocket film” or “127,” the film was originally introduced by Eastman Kodak Co. in 1912.
Although Kodak stopped producing 127 in 1995, the film has diehard fans in the United States, Europe and elsewhere. Aficionados rave about the image quality and being able to pop a roll in their pocket.
Using a self-built contraption, Mohri can produce dozens of rolls a day but not a huge number.
While the endeavor requires considerable time and effort for a modest return, Mohri says it is an important business.
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