Verifiable account · based on shop records, emails, and media reports (ABC Broken Hill, ABC Sydney, ABC online).
In late 2023, a member of the production crew for Japanese musician Fujii Kaze visited Broken Hill, New South Wales, during filming for the music video Hana. On a break, he walked into McCarthurs, a souvenir and crystal shop at 303 Argent Street, run by Jason McCarthur. The crew member bought several souvenirs, including a cotton tote bag printed with a painting Jason had made years earlier - miners working underground beneath a Broken Hill cityscape, with the inscription Greetings from the heritage city Broken Hill. Jason remembers a pleasant conversation with the gentleman, who mentioned the items would be given to the production team. Then life went on.
Twelve months later: an email from Japan
Around October 2024, Jason received an unexpected email from a customer in Japan. Attached was a photo of the tote bag - could Jason tell them where to buy it? Within half an hour, a similar inquiry arrived via Facebook, then another. Jason replied to the first: “I can help you - I’m the artist who painted the original image on that bag.” At that moment, he had exactly 25 totes left in stock. Within days, all 25 were sold to those three Japanese customers.
Curious, Jason messaged one of the buyers: “What happened? Why is there sudden interest from Japan?” The answer came quickly: Fujii Kaze, the Japanese musician and singer, had been seen in a documentary carrying that very tote bag. In Japan, Fujii Kaze is a superstar - over 3 million Instagram followers, YouTube views in the tens of millions. The documentary frame had ignited quiet but determined demand. The customer added, “Maybe you will get a lot more interest.” They were right.
1000 totes and a selfless ambassador
Jason immediately ordered 100 new totes from his supplier. They arrived in store a couple of weeks later - and sold out the same day. That pattern repeated. Over the following 12 months, approximately 1000 tote bags were sold, the majority thanks to a remarkable woman in Japan who took it upon herself to resell the bag there, introducing it to an ever‑widening circle. Her grassroots efforts turned a local souvenir into a sought‑after object.
“I didn’t expect any of this. It’s just a bag I painted years ago. But the way it’s been embraced - it feels like a quiet conversation between Broken Hill and Tokyo.” - Jason McCarthur
Colours of the Australian outback: exhibition in Shibuya
The same Japanese lady who had been reselling the totes proposed something larger: an exhibition of Jason’s original paintings in Tokyo. She organised the venue - the art exhibition area of the café Au Temps Jadis in Shibuya. In January 2026, Jason, his family, and a selection of his works travelled to Japan. Over four days, more than 250 people attended. Seven original paintings sold, along with numerous prints and over 200 tote bags. The response was overwhelming - not just for the art, but for the warmth and respect shown by visitors.
“We were amazed by the hospitality, the humility of the Japanese people,” Jason recalls. “They didn’t just love Fujii Kaze - they genuinely appreciated the art from a little town of 14,000 people in far west NSW.”
Media attention · ABC and beyond
The story quickly caught the attention of Australian media. ABC Broken Hill, ABC Sydney, ABC Adelaide, and ABC Online all covered the tale. Jason appeared on ABC TV’s Morning Show for a live interview. Across different platforms, the story has amassed over 900,000 views and continues to climb. Fujii Kaze’s own YouTube video for Hana has surpassed 5 million views, introducing countless viewers to the outback landscape - and to a humble tote bag that became a symbol of connection.
The music video Hana can be viewed on YouTube. (For those interested, a link to Fujii Kaze’s official website is provided below - a respectful nod to the artist whose incidental choice sparked this journey.)
Gratitude
Jason McCarthur extends special thanks to Foundation Broken Hill and West Darling Arts for their invaluable assistance in making the Shibuya exhibition possible. Their support helped bring a piece of the Australian outback to Tokyo.
Today, the tote bags continue to be printed in limited runs, each one carrying the original line drawing. The design remains unchanged - the same line drawing Jason painted years ago. It doesn’t need to explain itself. It simply travels.
◊ Respectful mention: Fujii Kaze official website - the connection that started it all, shared with admiration and appreciation for the artist’s work.