In November 1959 Tarō Okamoto visited American administered Okinawa for the first time.
It was to be a well-deserved holiday and even Toshiko, who never went anywhere without her writing materials, set off without so much as a notebook. However, no sooner did they arrive than all thought of a vacation was banished. This was because the scenes that awaited them were too stimulating.
What Tarō saw there was the image of the old Japan that modern people had put to one side and lost.
‘Forgotten Japan’, ‘the true Japan’.
He could sense the roots of both the Japanese and himself in the immaculate lives of the Okinawans.
So strongly did he feel this that he shook with emotion as he enthusiastically released the shutter of his camera. Relying on intuition and inspiration, he moved in as close as he could to his subjects, taking numerous pictures. We are able to feel ‘Tarō Okamoto’s eye’ preserved in the huge number of photographs he left behind.
We would like you all to witness this image of Okinawa that Tarō captured—to relive Tarō’s passion. That is our motive in holding this exhibition. In addition to the photographs Tarō took, we will also present a valuable documentary movie.

‘This is it! This is what we are! This is the real Japan!’

These are the words of Tarō Okamoto.
We hope that you will enjoy Tarō Okamoto’s Okinawa.