Tebajima is a small island in the southern part of Tokushima Prefecture. Tokushima is in northern Shikoku Island, the smallest of Japan's four main islands. Tebajima is approximately 4 km in perimeter. It is oval-shaped, much like an elephantine beetle. It is sparsely inhabited; the small houses are mostly clustered around the fishing port on the island's northern part.
No cars are on this island because the roads are not wide enough for them. (There is one vacuum truck to collect human waste.) Instead, residents use small hand carts. It is common to see islanders pushing hand carts with goods they bought in the mainland port of Mugi after traversing the distance by small ferry.

 

The village has a unique townscape.
There are narrow alleys called Awae that traverse the village surrounding the port. Old traditional wooden houses built during the late Edo period and early Showa period line either side of the alleys. The houses have an architectural style unique to this area, including open eaves (dobisashi), foldable shutters (mise), latticed bay windows, and an earthen floor leading to the kitchen from the entrance.
The foldable shutters are divided into two parts: when the upper part is raised, it becomes an eave, and when the lower side is lowered, it becomes a porch facing the garden. One can imagine the residents sitting on the porch while cleaning their fishing gear or engaging in small talk with their neighbors. This must have been a daily scene of village life. This unique townscape, formed from the late Edo, Meiji, and Taisho periods, has been selected as a Judenken (an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings).

Although Tebajima has a unique history and culture, it is slowly dying.
The number of residents has fallen to less than 50 because of population aging. Most of them are more than 70 years old. The mainstay of the island, the fishing industry, has experienced a sharp drop in catches due to factors such as the rise in sea temperature. Many new residents who moved to the island seeking the charm of island life have left.

Many houses in the village designated as Judenken are now empty. Those abandoned by the owners are on the verge of collapse. There are no shops left, only two vending machines. Although the islanders and the local community association have struggled to preserve the island for the past twenty years, those in their 50s and 60s then are now in their 70s and 80s and thus unable to do the physical work necessary to maintain the island. As Japan faces a serious population decline, most of the villages in the mountains and islands in remote areas seem to be destined to disappear. The village on Tebajima is called a “Genkai Shuraku,” a marginal hamlet. But even this remote hamlet has a story to tell: the lives of its inhabitants and their struggle to remain.

The photos and text in this photobook project the people's daily lives of Tebajima. But if you consider that most of the history one reads is the accumulation of ordinary lives, then we believe it is worth keeping a record of their histories. That is why we pursued this project.

This photo book depicts the disappearing memory of the island, reconstructed through photographs and words.

We would be pleased if our photobook helps you think of our future and the disappearing marginal hamlet.

​

Number of pages: 300 pages
Size: 230 x 170 x 22 mm
Edition: 1000
Offset printing: Super Black
　　　　　　  Silver “Kagayaki”
Cover: White-embossed
Languages: Japanese and English
Year: July 2024
Publisher: Kawazu Kikaku

Photography: Hajime Kimura
Editor: Tadashi Shinohara (Kawazu Kikaku)
Design: Sho Momma (TRAP STUDIOS)
Translation: Yuko Takeuchi/ Jose Clavijo
Printing and Binding: Marujo Planning Co.Ltd.

ISBN: 978-4-9911915-2-7

 

​

Price for international shipping:

Asia 

13000JPY (Shipping included)

​

North America/Canada/Mexico

15000JPY (Shipping included)

​

Europe

15000JPY (Shipping included)

​

Oceania

15000JPY (Shipping included)

​

Middle East

15000JPY (Shipping included)

​

South America

20000JPY (Shipping included)

​

Africa

20000JPY (Shipping included)

 

 

*The book is currently available for pre-sale. Please note that shipping is scheduled for late August.

 

*If you want to purchase more 2copies of this photo book, please email us at the following address:

info@kawazu.media

 

*The shipping cost will vary depending on the number of books. Books 6 through 10 will receive a 10% discount, and books 10 or more will receive a 20% discount.

​

*国内での販売リンクはこちらからご確認ください。