Harimano

“It’s now ten years since I left Japan. Every year, my father used to take me to my grandparents’ in Harimano. One day, I asked him why he was the only one in the family to live in Tokyo. I was surprised to learn that the reason was political discrimination.” On the way to Harimano, the father explains to his daughter why he had broken ties with his village, which still bore the imprint of traditional feudalism. He talks about his militant life, his weariness and doubts after years of commitment. “Faced with the European movements that are fighting against globalisation, my long-dormant “militant” side woke up, as did the wish to confront the problems of the society I had fled ten years ago.” (Tanaka Aya)