Get to know the inhabitants of a tiny Japanese island--and their unusual stories and secrets--through this fascinating, intimate collection of portraits.


When American journalist Amy Chavez moved to the tiny island of Shiraishi (population 430), she rented a house from an elderly woman named Eiko, who left many of her most cherished possessions in the house--including a portrait of Emperor Hirohito and a family altar bearing the spirit tablet of her late husband.

Why did she abandon these things? And why did her tombstone later bear the name of a daughter no one knew? These are just some of the mysteries Amy pursues as she explores the lives of Shiraishi's elusive residents.

瀬戸内海白石島の住民にまつわるエピソードを収録したエッセイ集。アメリカ出身のジャーナリスト、エイミー・チャベスは白石島に２０年前に移住し、住民と交流を深める中で知った、未亡人、僧侶や漁師の過去のエピソードや戦争体験などを一冊にまとめました。