Ogami Island: A Family of Memories

Ogami Island: A Family of Memories is a photobook by photographer Tetsushi Yuzaki (b. 1949). It is a collection of work documenting families living on Ogami Island in the Miyako Islands of Okinawa Prefecture over a period of approximately 20 years, from the early 1970s to 1992. It was published by Heibonsha in 1992, the year marking the 20th anniversary of Okinawa’s reversion to Japan.

Traveling across Okinawa from 1971 to 1973, Yuzaki visited Ogami Island and, through repeated interactions with the islanders, photographed every household. Later, in 1990, he revisited the island for the first time in 18 years. He held a slide screening of the photos he had taken previously and photographed the islanders once more. He visited the island again in 1992 to seek out those returning home for the New Year, and continued his photography.

This book is composed primarily of family photographs taken during different eras. By placing images of the same families side by side across time, it records the changes that occurred over many years, such as children growing up, young people leaving the island, those who passed away, and new family members being born.

In the text at the end of the book, Yuzaki reflects on his encounters and reunions with the islanders, writing about Okinawan history, population shifts, and the island’s life and faith. Additionally, in a contribution to the book, photographer Joji Hashiguchi views family photography as a record of the passage of time and of farewells, and discusses the weight of the record held by the medium of photography.

A photobook that spent a long time photographing every household on a single island, observing the changes in families and the connections between generations. A volume that records the local community and family memories of Okinawa through the ongoing interaction between the photographer and the islanders.

[Title] Ogami Island: A Family of Memories
[Publisher] Heibonsha
[Publication Date] June 1, 1992 (First edition, first printing)
[Number of Pages] Unpaginated
[Size] Approx. 258 x 248 x 15 mm / 968 g
[Format] Hardcover
[Language] Japanese (English text inclusion not confirmed)
[Title Reading] Ogamijima Kioku no Kazoku
[Author/Editor, etc.] Tetsushi Yuzaki (Photography/Text), Yasuhiko Suzuki (Book Design), Joji Hashiguchi (Text)
[Printing/Binding] Tokyo Inshokan (Printing/Binding)
[ISBN] 4-582-27724-1
[Condition] Used [4] Fair to Fair-Poor
[Accessories] -
[Featured Book] -
[Related Exhibition] Tetsushi Yuzaki "Ogami Island: Portraits of a Family" (Osaka, 1991)

Tetsushi Yuzaki (b. 1949)

Born in Sapporo, Hokkaido in 1949. Photographer. Graduated from Tokyo College of Photography in 1972.

Traveled across Okinawa from 1971 to 1973, photographing people's lives and landscapes. During this time, he recorded family photos of every household on Ogami Island and continued his relationship with the island thereafter.

Held photography exhibitions based in Hokkaido starting in the 1970s, releasing works such as "Postcards from the Sea Train" in 1979, "Blue Island" in 1989, and "Ogami Island: Portraits of a Family" in 1991. In addition to photography, he worked in video art and video installation.

Presided over the independent campaign "HELP! NETWORK" starting in 1982. From 1985, he was involved in the production of the "Higashikawa International Photo Festival" and the "Higashikawa Award," working to promote photographic culture and exchange.

He has photographed Okinawa for many years and continues to produce photographs through relationships with the people living in the region.

< Related Figures >

Tetsushi Yuzaki
Joji Hashiguchi
Ryuichi Ishikawa
Yasuhiko Suzuki
Higashikawa International Photo Festival
Heibonsha