No.351 Monthly Yaima December 2023 issue

" Yarabe- utaki and Ryomifuku - The immigrants who paved the way "

Green, blue, and the red of dusk. When you visit the Yarabe Peninsula, you will encounter a breathtaking sight. In Osaki, a monument stands as if to accentuate this scenery. The front reads "Yarabe Village Utaki" and the back reads "Yarabezaki Pioneer Memorial." The date of construction, "March 1963," and the names of the two Taiwanese men can also be read.

There are no buildings in the area that resemble places of worship or Utaki. What on earth is Yarabe Village Utaki? There must be some reason behind it, since the person who left the "sign" of Utaki was a Taiwanese immigrant.

As we unraveled the mysteries with the help of people who knew about the time, we began to see the image of Liao Jianfu (1913-1967, a native of Taiwan who was given the title of "Pineapple King" and was from Hokuto County, Taichung Prefecture during the Japanese colonial period), and the people who boldly put their hoes into this land that was once difficult to even set foot in.

What you are about to read is the story of what immigrants who came at different stages built up on the Yarabe Peninsula around Osaki.

Special feature: Yoshitaka Matsuda

Apology and Correction: There was an error in the cover title of the December 2023 issue. The correct spelling of "Gon" is "Mitake." We deeply apologize and will make the correction.