This photo is perhaps the classic photo of Shig. It graces the cover of Ira Nowinski’s Cafe Society: Photographs and Poetry from San Francisco’s North Beach (Seefood Studios, 1978). Nowinski happened by the Caffe Trieste as the wedding was about to start. Shig collared him and said, “You better get that damn Leica and get back here.”

“When I came back they had all those streamers, and I thought, ‘What a photo,’ ” says Nowinski. “Shig set the picture up.”

Reproduced with permission from Ira Nowinski. Copyright © 2011, Ira Nowinski.

Photos and Graphics

Shig and Friends at Caffe Trieste

Includes:

1. •This photo and another of Shig and friends taken by Allen Ginsberg
   

2. •A remarkable Misao Mizuno photo of Shig and Ginsberg taken from outside the Trieste
   

3. •A Polaroid snapshot of Shig and Ginsberg

Shig and His Family

Includes:

1. •This photo of Shig’s parents
   

2. •Shig in his army uniform
   

3. •Shig with fellow Military Intelligence Service translators
   

4. •Beardless Shig in Chicago

The City Lights Era

Includes:

1. •This photo from City Lights
   

2. •Young Shig with mystery package
   

3. •Shig, ACLU attorney Al Bendich, and Lawrence Ferlinghetti at the Howl trial
   

4. •Shig in his trademark leather vest
   

5. •1970 Holiday magazine photo of Shig at City Lights
   

After City Lights

Includes:

1. •Shig in his cape
   

2. •With rice bowl
   

3. •In his apartment
   

4. •With fellow shakuhachi students
   

5. •With Carol Davis
   

6. •With Mary Boyd Ellis
   

7. •In his wheelchair, with Gordon Ball

Miscellaneous Photos

Includes:

• This Allen Ginsberg photo of John Murao

1. •Charles Richards with Janet Richards’ portrait of Shig
   

2. •Ginsberg’s seersucker jacket in Shig’s closet
   

3. •Charles Richards and Lawrence Ferlinghetti at City Lights party
   

4. •Kaye McDonough, Gregory Corso, and others in front of the Trieste
   

John Murao’s Photos of Ginsberg and Others

Includes:

1. •This photo of Ginsberg and Shig
   

2. •Ginsberg in phone booth
   

3. •Ginsberg with his Rolleiflex
   

4. •Ginsberg with portable radio
   

5. •Michael McClure and Ginsberg
   

6. •Kaye McDonough with her son, Nile
   

7. •Charles Richards, Kirby Ferlinghetti, Shig, and others at Thanksgiving gathering

Other Images

Includes:

1. •This self-portrait collage
   

2. •Don Moses’ drawing of Shig
   

3. •Diet Coke can photocopy
   

4. •Page from Shig’s Review #11
   

5. •Two examples of Shig’s shodo
   

6. •“Instamatic Collage” of Caffe Trieste patrons in paper American flag hat

SHIG’S STORY

A VISIT

TO JAPAN

(1986)