interview with Rob Taro by Larry Davis

Is this upcoming video ‘TIMESCAN 3’ or is it a smaller side project?
This upcoming video is a montage of footage that was supposed to go towards ‘TIMESCAN 3’ but I had to get shoulder surgery, so I decided to throw this together and start fresh again.

How’s recovery for your shoulder going? Any idea how long until you’re back on board?
I had surgery Christmas morning and spent new years in the hospital. Recovery has been on a good path. I was told that I should be back on the board in half a year. Fully recovered in a year. Once I’m recovered, I’m hoping I’ll be skating better than before and get to move on to future projects!

You’re from New Jersey, what prompted the move and do you think you’ll stay permanently at this point?
I first came to Japan as a student, but I dropped out in three months. The true reason why I first made the move to Japan is not for school, but because I was so curious about the skateboarding scene in Japan. It was so mysterious at the time. It’s been 10 years since that move. I have no idea what the future holds for me but Japan is treating me well. Although I have no plans of moving out, I plan to visit the States more often!

What got you into filming?
Before moving to Japan, I only had experience as a kid filming my friends doing jackass inspired stunts on my parents’ mini dv camera. I was originally into photography and that’s what I went to school in Japan for. I noticed there were so many incredible and unique skateboarders who weren’t getting any recognition. I said to myself if no one is going to document these guys, I’m gonna do it.

What cameras are you using when you film?
HMC 155 for long lens and for fish I use a Nikon D600 with a Sigma 15mm fisheye. Kind of a strange set up but it works for me.

Slappies, big sets, tech lines, transition skating, and Gou Miyagi. How’d you get such a diverse squad?
I’m a skateboarder myself that loves and appreciates different visions for skateboarding. I look up to everyone in my videos. Although we all skate in various styles from different generations, we all happen to share the same passion for skateboarding.

What’s your method for finding these really unique spots?
Growing up in New Jersey helped me with the vision for unique spots. I grew up in a place where I was forced to use my head to think of ways to skate obstacles that most people may not see as a spot. That mentality goes hand in hand with Japan and the East Coast for sure.

Are there any spots or clips in TIMESCAN 2.5 that have a good story behind them?
Tom Karangelov, someone I always looked up to since I was a teen, reached out to me saying he watched my video, and that inspired him to come out to Japan to find and skate a unique spot he had in mind and try to get in touch with Gou Miyagi. We ended up linking in Tokyo first, and then a trip to Osaka. Tom completed his crazy missions that he had in mind and we even ended up getting some solid clips in a really tight schedule. I think it’s safe to say we became friends after that and he was kind enough to invite me over to Long Beach! Every clip in my video probably has a unique story. Sometimes I get bummed when skate videos are seemingly short lived in this saturated world. So much goes into a skate video. There are endless moments to revisit!

Do you do a lot of spot prep like bondo or rub brick, or tree trimming, or do heads just try and skate it how it comes?
It really depends on each spot. In my first full length, there are some super 8 clips of a group of us draining a puddle in this ancient halfpipe. We used torches and made fires to try and dry it up the best we can. Usually ancient transition spots, like in Mikasa, Hokkaido Japan need the most prep work. The Lost Bowl’ as Phelps called it. It used to be a rollerskating rink way back in time. It’s private property. Gotta land your tricks before 8 am.

The Hongo brothers have blown up since being in both your videos. Any thoughts on them, or anyone else you started filming with that has made an impact in the industry?
The bros are incredible. Shintaro has pretty good coverage but sometimes I feel bad for Masaki, the younger brother, who often gets mistaken for the older brother. When a skate mag hosted Masaki’s part, they tagged his older brother. Different from Shintaro, Masaki can pull off really tech maneuvers on ledges and has a solid selection of tricks down big sets on lock. His feet have so much control they are like hands. I really hope they both turn pro in the near future because they certainly deserve it. There are many up and coming skaters. Some of my favorites around me that seem to be making an impact are Kiki, T4, and Issey Kumatani. Kyonosuke also turned pro recently. There are plenty of incredible guys all over Japan that deserve some shine for sure.

To be honest, I’m still not sure how much of an overall impact my skate videos make in the industry. I would say very little to none. But it certainly made an impact in the skateboarding world. I noticed that when I visited Europe and the states for the first time in a while. Before then, I really thought no one knew about my videos.

Is TIMESCAN a full blown company now, and are you running it by yourself?
TIMESCAN is a small project run by me out of my grandmother’s home. I handle everything – filming, editing, event organization, outreach to shops, and even packing and shipping. For our merchandise, I collaborate with different artist friends each season to create unique and exciting drops. My mission is to shine light on underrated artists and skateboarders, helping them get the recognition and opportunities they deserve. The ultimate goal is to grow TIMESCAN into something bigger – hosting events worldwide, and offering more exciting experiences for the community.

Besides the Olympic influence, what have been the biggest shifts in Japanese skating over the last decade that you’ve seen?
Aside from the Olympics, it feels like more people are misunderstanding what skateboarding is truly about, and many companies are trying to enter the scene without respecting what makes skateboarding special. I’ve made an effort to connect with them and educate them, only to realize they don’t recognize the impact we’ve had on the community or care about what skateboarders actually want. That shit really drained me. Now, I focus on what truly matters and work with people who share the same passion, just like you guys!

What’s your favorite aspect of skateboarding right now? Whether that’s the industry, the creativity of projects, the style of skating, or even just the feeling of it, what keeps you going?
Just being able to think and do anything freely without any limitations with the friends I care about. Never changed for me since I first stepped on the board.