Helcanen on the Road
Join me in my travels around the world. As JAPAN is my first love, this country will be often represented.
23/05/2024
A long time ago in Osaka.
Slayer theme Japanese curry restaurant. It was great listening Raining Blood while eating home made curry.
15/05/2024
Dessert time in Kameari at La Rose des Japonais.
Discover this place in my next book Helcanen on the Road.
13/05/2024
On the road this weekend but this time it was in Belgium. Dinner at Bowls in Brugge which proposes meals in-between Corean and Japanese styles.
Hot stone pot noodles was top.
29/04/2024
Il ne reste plus que 37h pour participer projet.
En plus du livre, plein d'objets exclusifs et petits cadeaux sont disponibles pour ceux qui auront financé le tome 10.
HOTR Vol 10 Kameari Helcanen on the road, travel in Japan. Photography, stories, info gathered in a vintage book. In French or English
28/04/2024
2 days left left!
I added a 4th stretch goal to get an extra surprise gift to everyone who supported this crowdfunding.
http://kck.st/4adzrPH
Don't worry if you can't support the project financially, any help sharing the link will also be greatly appreciated.
18/04/2024
Let's keep sharing the crowdfunding. The book will be published for this summer!
HOTR Vol 10 Kameari Helcanen on the road, travel in Japan. Photography, stories, info gathered in a vintage book. In French or English
15/04/2024
Don't forget that the campaign will close end of April.
You still have time to join the project and get the new book and amazing rewards and gifts.
HOTR Vol 10 Kameari Helcanen on the road, travel in Japan. Photography, stories, info gathered in a vintage book. In French or English
13/04/2024
N'oubliez pas la campagne de financement pour mon prochain livre.
Il sera publié en 2 versions, français et anglais.
Un petit partage ça aide toujours aussi.
HOTR Vol 10 Kameari Helcanen on the road, travel in Japan. Photography, stories, info gathered in a vintage book. In French or English
01/04/2024
The campaign is soon funded. Hopefully we will reach it in less than 24h.
These will be the first stretch goals to be added once the main budget is reached.
http://kck.st/4adzrPH
01/04/2024
The crowdfunding is online!!!
HOTR Vol 10 Kameari Helcanen on the road, travel in Japan. Photography, stories, info gathered in a vintage book. In French or English
31/03/2024
The campaign starts tomorrow!!!
If you love traveling to Japan and discovering new destinations, this is for you!
New book Helcanen on the road: KAMEARI.
Pre-launch link:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hotr5/hotr-vol-10-kameari
Coming soon: HOTR Vol 10 Kameari Helcanen on the road, travel in Japan. Photography, stories, info gathered in a vintage book. In French or English
23/03/2024
New book Helcanenon the road: KAMEARI.
Pre-launch link:
Coming soon: HOTR Vol 10 Kameari Helcanen on the road, travel in Japan. Photography, stories, info gathered in a vintage book. In French or English
18/03/2024
Next project is to launch the crowdfunding for my 10th book Helcanen on the Road.
#日本
17/03/2024
"Torii".
Oil painting on mini canvas.
7x7cm
35€ + shipping.
Available in my online store: http://helcanen.kingeshop.com
14/02/2024
Preparing many new stuff at same time.
⭐️Helcanen on the Road new book
⭐️New Japanese design collection
⭐️New project/collaboration TBA soon
⭐️Writing articles for a future project.
⭐️Need to find time to paint too...
13/02/2024
Crowdfunding coming soon!!!
09/02/2024
Working this weekend on my upcoming book Helcanen on the Road.
This time I will bring you to KAMEARI.
There will be a new crowdfunding very soon.
I will add some exclusive goodies I brought from Japan.
27/12/2023
Sneak peek of the next volume in progress.
Release date : 2024.
It started with a simple shrine visit and this one turned into something very different...
02/12/2023
Winter holidays season is approaching.
Why not having a look at my online shop to get some gift ideas...
The shop has been updated with new goodies/paintings and categories have been reorganised for an easier search.
Still have to add some pictures and artworks, setp by step.
Accueil - www.helcanen.kingeshop.com Boutique en ligne Helcanen.
20/11/2023
For my last day here, I decided to go outside of central Tokyo. I even managed to complete my new goshuincho.
Wondering why I didn't do it before lol.
I couldn't stand anymore the amount of tourists everywhere. This year is worse than any summer I already been here.
13/11/2023
Exhibition starts tomorrow!!!
My suitcase is ready, my alarm set.
26/10/2023
Would be great if you could share these flyers.
2 events in Tokyo: Art fair & my solo exhibition.
Thank you!!!
18/10/2023
As I started last month writing the 10th volume, I was thinking to launch a crowdfunding while I'm in Japan next month.
Although the book release would be for early 2024, it would be a good opportunity to propose some perks/add-ons step by step directlyfrom Japan, depending goods I find.
Like goshuin (shrine/temple stamps calligraphy), omikuji, origami paper, air fan, chopsticks, hand towels, decorations, etc.
Or even some stuff for your future trip.
05/10/2023
2 events next month in Japan!!!
Painting exhibition + Artist alley booth.
Of course, sightseeing is foreseen, hopefully new destinations will be added in my program for future books.
Combining my trip with Art events is a great chance.
Design Festa デザインフェスタ
19/08/2023
Back to Helcanen on the road writing.
Photos are all sorted, I can start editing them soon.
But I want to finish the text first.
13/07/2023
I can't resist checking again stuff for my return to Japan... meaning that I have to start booking everything soon.
Almost 5 years that I didn't return to the land of the rising sun...
So let's start a new album to share with you useful info, the travel's preparation and then later, photos of the trip.
11/07/2023
Glad to have added some places on Google maps that weren't localised in Japan yet.
There are millions views on this contributions I made, this is crazy!
You can still order the book collection on my shop.
The volume 4 is sold out, it will be published again in 2024.
Accueil - www.helcanen.kingeshop.com Boutique en ligne Helcanen.
26/06/2023
On the road again!!!
This weekend, I had the opportunity to join an old friend for a Carolingian re-enactment in France.
Theme: Carolingian vs Vikings, but were present also on the site groups of Byzantines, Francs, etc.
Btw, I was wearing a Byzantine dress, but my outfit was far to be completed as it was the first time for me to take part to a camp.
The re-enactment was held at the Musée Parc archéologique des Temps Barbares MARLE - Aisne, a museum which has a beautiful archaeology site with ancient houses/craftshops/cemetery rebuilt near the original discovery field.
This weekend was an astonishing experience, spent couple of days immersed in long time gone era.
As I didn't know anyone there, I took the chance to chat with the re-enactors and staff to know a bit more about the site, camps, crafts, history and people.
The atmosphere was friendly and I even joined some companies to drink local stuff.
Big thank you to L An Mil for the experience, the ride and the handmade jewellery demonstrations.
Btw, it was so hot this weekend, I only slept few hours each night as the sun was hitting the tents since 6.00am... Let's be honest, I was exhausted this morning, but it was worth the experience.
05/06/2023
Like said before, I had no plans before my breakfast, and the time to return to my room and have a chat with the hotel's staff...
I was on my way for Egina Island.
I went to Piraeus port to buy a ticket for the ferry, but opted for the fast boat to reach the island faster.
I wandered a bit in the streets, at the port and decided to get lunch in a restaurant located on the beach, few meters from the sea.
HOTR, how the book was born.
Before to find the final "Helcanen on the road" design, I did many tests. My idea was clear: share all these photographies taken in Japan since my first trip in 2012, all gathered in a book.
Trying different format, horizontal or vertical?
Horizontal is really nice to feature landscape shots... but then, if the cover is not rigid, it would look a bit weak for a photo book, right?
The costs for such cover is far than affordable for me, so I keep the idea for later, you know when I will be more famous haha.
The picture on the cover was the first layout test, which I still like a lot. A night walk in Asakusa (Tokyo) in 2015.
A photobook is a good idea, but I also wanted to share more than pictures, my brain was not satisfied with a book filled without info or stories.
You know: Why did I choose this place or why is it special for me? What happened there? What can you see there? How to reach there? Etc.
So, the concept already changed in my mind and I was searching new ideas.
After visiting conventions, I realised that there were already so much photo/guide books about Tokyo or Japan in general, and that, although beautiful pictures featured, I would just drip a drop in a vast ocean.
The new layout (travelog) I was already working on was long, complicated and the final print would require a certain investment without knowing if it people will be interested to get that book. Not that it was not interesting, but kind of “déjà-vu”.
It was important to be more creative.
I had to find something new, something original...
To be honest, what we always see in the book stores are books about famous places. The good sellers are those that are published by big publishing houses. They talk about what people want to see because it’s famous.
If you want to find little gems, you have to dig deep on the net. Most of times, when you find not famous places, it’s while you pick up a destination randomly. This is what happened to me for example in 2017 when I discovered Kibitsu.
Or, also when you are spending time with friends who are not living in the center of big cities... etc.
Then, I remembered about some little books I liked to read when I was kid or early teenager. Some old books that were published in black and white with sometimes some pages in colours, the shades changed with time. I liked some much the effect that time was doing on old books... wait, people like a lot stuffs we call “vintage”, I do to...
I searched for some “vintage effect” application on my phone, did some test and finally found the effect I wanted to get on the pictures. The idea of a travelog changed...I like how it is made by others, but my mind likes to get neat result when I work on my own projects.
No a travel diary, not really a travelog... something else, where I share info, my experiences, pictures and anything that I find relevant to tell.
Also, I really liked the pocket format of my book Makoto published by the Editions Lamiroy.
I thought that it was perfect for the project. Something light and small that fits in our pocket, a sales price under 10€, short stories... this is it! Pocket vintage books about Japan.
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