Portraits of the Yaeyama people

The image of Yaeyama as seen through the award-winning work Yaimapitu (Yaima Pitu), which won the 2004 Okinawa Prefecture Book Award (Okinawa Prefecture Book Network)

The column "Portraits of Yaeyama People" that is serialized at the beginning of the monthly information magazine "Yaiima" has reached its 10th year. The first issue introduced 105 "Yaimapitu", including Hoshi Misato (now Natsukawa Rimi). You can see the image of Yaeyama through the thoughts and lifestyles of Yaeyama people who are active in various fields. In addition, "50 Years of Postwar Yaeyama People" and "In Commemoration of the Portraits of Yaeyama People" are included as reference materials.

Kozue Ishimori

Born in Naha City in 1973, she moved to her parents' hometown of Ishigaki Island at the age of six. After graduating from Okinawa International University, she worked at the Yaeyama Branch of the Prefectural Library, Nanzansha (editor of "Information Yaima"), and Ishigaki City Library. At the age of 20, she began serializing "Portraits of the Yaeyama People" with photographer Mitsuo Imamura, and continued the series for about 13 years. She has now changed her surname to Irimatsuda Kozue.

Photo: Mitsuo Imamura Text: Kozue Ishimori Format: A5 size, 246 pages Published by: Nanzansha