Preserving Tradition in Japan
By James Estrin
Among the lives forever altered by Japan’s 2011 #earthquake and tsunami was Yukari Chikura’s. Although the damage to her apartment was slight — only a few bookcases fell — the event left a deep impression. She sensed the fragility of her life and realized that elements of her country’s culture could easily vanish in an instant, too.
“The earthquake made a serious impact on local Japanese traditions and cultures some of which have been preserved for over 1,000 years,” Ms. Chikura said in an email interview. “I decided that I wanted to present, from my own point of view, the precious things that have been handed down over many generations. So I started on the road to becoming a #photographer.”
Though Ms. Chikura had no formal training as a photographer — she had been working as a computer programmer — she set off to document ancient local traditions in northern Japan. Her first stop was in Hachimantai Town, in Akita Prefecture, a mountainous area known for thick forests and heavy snowfall.
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