Atsushi Fujiwara: ‘Poet Island’ – Soul-Stirring Photos of Sanatoriums in Japan’s Nagashima Island

Atsushi Fujiwara is a Japanese photographer. He is the co-founder of and the main contributor to the Japanese photo magazine Asphalt. His work has been exhibited both in Japan and internationally.

Japan – I was an eight year-old child when I first visited this island. My parents brought me along to visit to my uncle, who served as general manager of the island sanatorium where Hansen’s disease patients were isolated. Though deeply impressed by the untouched natural beauty of the island, I also recall the anguish I felt in my young heart at the sad fate of its inhabitants (patients). Returning to the island thirty-five years later, this time as a photographer, I came across a poem: -Like luminescent fish dwelling in the darkness of the deep sea, there is no light until I alight from within    - Kaijin Akashi

The words of Kaijin Akashi, legendary pre-war poet and resident (patient) of this island, were familiar to me as the motto of a well-known cultural figure. That individual was the late film director Nagisa Oshima. These words had a great impact on me in my twenties when, although having determined to pursue a future in creative expression, I struggled yet to find sure footing.


Screen Shot 2015-11-05 at 6.19.46 PM



They had since lodged deeply in the back of my mind and remained there, dormant. Holding those reawakened words close to my heart, I visited the island every four years thereafter to continue shooting photographs. The preface to Kaijin Akashi’s collection of poems ‘Hakubyo’ closes with the following lines: Cut off from the human world, I came to understand it; and severed from the bounds of flesh, I learned to trust love. And when sight was taken from me, I saw lush mountains and lofty clouds rise before my mind’s eye. Leprosy was divine revelation as well. I walked through the island searching, in its buildings and scenery, for the traces and presence of those lamenting poets (patients).  

Written & Photographed by Atsushi Fujiwara

Related Posts

Manik Katyal on Nicolo Degiorgis “Hidden Islam”

Italy – Winner of Author Book Award 2014 at the Rencontres d’Arles, self-published book ‘Hidden Islam’ by Fabrica graduate, Photography feature ...

Rena Effendi: Liquid Land

Azerbaijan –  “Liquid Land is co-authored with my father Rustam Effendi, a dissident scientist and entomologist who devoted his life ...

TiTo Mouraz: Open Space Office

Portugal – The series presented here was shot in Portugal over a 3-year period and represents a transformed landscape that portrays ...

Colin Pantall on Kazuma Obara “Silent Histories”

Japan – Grave of the Fireflies is an anime film about the Second World War in Japan.  The main characters ...

Erik van der Weijde: Home is where the Dog is

Holland –   Photography feature – Erik van der Weijde has produced more then 40 publications. Home is where the Dog is, his latest one, continues his ...

Jeroen Toirkens: Solitude

Netherlands – In April 2013 Jeroen Toirkens and Petra Sjouwerman travelled by car, boat, bus and snowmobile across the Barents ...

Jost Franko: Shepherds

Slovenia –  The shepherd community that has existed for more than 500 years on Velika planina in Slovenia is a ...

Michael Danner: Critical Mass

 Germany –  Photographer Photography feature – Michael Danner documents in his body of work Critical Mass the architecture, everyday routine, and ...

Howrah High Jinx – Pablo Bartholomew

India – Photographs create a frame of the world and the photographers place within it, a personally composed fraction of ...